Judge Releases 6 Domestic Violence Defendants During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 12, 2021
Featured | Homicides | Suspects |

On April 12, a DC Superior Court judge released all six defendants charged in domestic violence cases.

In total, there were 36 cases presented before the court. An additional defendant, who was in the hospital, so the case could not be heard. 

Judge Heide Herrmann issued stay-away orders for all six defendants as a condition of release and ordered them to call the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) once a week. 

One of the defendants is charged with simple assault. The prosecution requested for this defendant to be held considering a past conviction and a pending case. However, Judge Herrmann denied the hold request because the case that the prosecution was concerned about was a conviction from 2005 for which the defendant did not receive any jail time. 

The prosecution also requested for two other defendants to be held considering that they have pending domestic violence cases involving the same victims whom they were ordered to stay away from.

Judge Herrmann pointed out, however, that the prosecution is not charging these defendants with contempt for violating a condition of release. Judge Herrmann released both of these defendants and issued stay-away orders in their new cases.

The other three defendants have charges that include simple assault, attempted threats to do bodily harm and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon. 

All but one of the defendants are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 18. The other defendant is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 19.