DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park found no probable cause in a “bar fight” stabbing case, reducing the defendant’s charges to simple assault in a preliminary hearing on April 10.
Marques Price, 38, was originally charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing at the 1900 block of 9th Street, NW on April 1.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a fight that broke out outside Unity Lounge at 12:35 a . m. When officers arrived, the victim was found unconscious, having lost blood from multiple stab wounds on his left forearm. He was transferred to a hospital to receive “life saving care.”
In court, Price rejected a plea from the prosecution, requiring him to plead guilty to unarmed aggravated assault and possession of a prohibited weapon. In exchange, the prosecution would have agreed not to indict Price on any further charges and would dismiss any other charges.
Judge Park said he was surprised Price was charged with assault with intent to kill. He ruled there wasn’t enough evidence, reducing the aggravated assault to simple assault. Judge Park ordered Price’s release with a stay-away order from the victim.
Price’s attorney, Elizabeth Weller, argued the prosecution lacked evidence to charge Price, characterizing the event as a “bar fight” incited by the victim, a “belligerent, intoxicated person with a split arm.” Weller argued the case should not have been escalated to assault with intent to kill.
The prosecution brought the lead MPD detective in the case to testify. They presented surveillance footage that captured a fight breaking out between Price and the victim. According to the prosecution, the incident escalated when a nearby group joined the fight. Two individuals were seen lifting up barricade posts and charging at the victim. As the fight intensified, the victim attempted to flee into the street, but Price allegedly continued to swing at him.
The prosecution asserted Price used “stabbing-like motions” and presented footage from Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), a department within MPD that analyzes surveillance footage from DC, also showing Price swinging at the victim. They also pointed out liquid on the ground, which the detective described as “suspected blood.”
According to the detective, Price was arrested by officers later in the night with a pocket knife on him.
The prosecution argued Price’s swinging motion, the apparent blood on the pavement, and the knife found on him were sufficient to assert probable cause on all charges.
Weller criticized prosecutors’ depiction of the incident, citing Price’s interview with MPD. According to Weller, Price told the officers the victim approached him and started the altercation and that he carried the pocket knife as protection. Weller added, Price was merely following the crowd when the incident started.
Weller presented surveillance footage noting that before the victim got pushed into the street, an unknown man in black “manhandled” the victim and pushed him against a metal street sign pole and back into a car.
Then, Weller said, the victim and Price went into the street. Price swung a punch, without a knife, that did not make contact. She argued that due to the victim’s right arm blocking the swing, there was no way Price could feasibly stab the victim on his left forearm.
Weller showed images of Price’s clothing at the time of the incident and the pocket knife, asking whether blood was found. The detective said there were minimal “suspected blood” spots on the clothing and admitted there was seemingly no signs of blood on the pocket knife.
The detective admitted to Weller that the phone call with the RTCC officer was not documented and she didn’t know who she spoke with. Weller criticized the arrest of Price based on a perspective of the footage by an RTCC officer unknown to the detective.
The detective also noted she did not see Price with a knife and relied on the RTCC analysis.
Weller implied MPD’s investigation as “[Price] was nearby a crime, he must be responsible. I guess we arrest him.”
No further dates were set.
