Judge Releases 7 Defendants During Initial Hearing

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 17, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Sean Staples released seven out of 11 defendants during their initial hearings on June 16.

The prosecution dismissed two defendants’ cases, and both were ordered to be released.

Judge Staples only held two defendants.

Deangelo Johnson is charged with unarmed carjacking.

The judge held Johnson on the presumption of dangerousness due to the fact that he is being charged for a crime while on release for another case. He is being charged with simple assault in the other case.

Johnson is scheduled for a felony status conference on Aug. 7.

Carl Jones was the only other defendant who was held. He is charged with destruction of property of less than $1,000 in a domestic violence case and one count of contempt.

Jones has another domestic violence case currently open and has a record of attempted kidnapping from 2005 and unlawful possession of a firearm from 2009.

Judge Staples listed these former instances as the reason for holding Jones as he said that he does find Jones to be a danger to the public.

Jones has a status hearing scheduled for Aug. 7.

One defendant, charged with armed robbery, was released with a stay away order from the 3900 block of S Capitol St. SE.

The man had never been arrested before and has no prior convictions. He even turned himself in to the police with his mother and godfather by his side.

The defendant’s attorney noted that he has a very supportive family and graduated from high school in 2019 and holds a job.

Another man, charged with contempt and assault in a domestic violence case while violating his stay away order, was released by the judge with an order that he could only go back to the house to collect his belongings with a police escort.

Another man, charged with contempt and civil protection order violation, was released with a stay away order and an order to get mental health screening.

A woman was charged with cruelty to children and released with no stay away order. The judge ordered here to not have any abusive behavior to a 14-year old child in her life and to not use physical discipline with respect to the child.

Finally, two other men were charged with assault in domestic violence cases and both were released with stay away orders.