Judge Releases Defendant to Take Care of Outstanding Warrant

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 2, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides |

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant from DC jail so he could turn himself in to the Charles County Sheriff’s office, where he currently has an outstanding warrant.

James Demyers was charged with threats to do bodily harm, attempted threats to do bodily harm and destruction of property on June 8.

According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department officers observed Demyers to be under the influence of narcotics the previous day on the 500 block of Edgewood Street, NE. Officers attempted to stop Demyers, who resisted arrest.

A bystander approached the officers and said that, prior to the officers’ arrival, Demyers approached him from behind and punched him in the nose with a closed fist.

Another bystander approached the officers and said that, prior to the officers’ arrival, Demyers threatened to hit her with a belt. 

When police ran Demyer’s name, they found that he had two outstanding warrants: one from Charles County Sheriff’s office issued on Dec. 5, 2019, for failure to appear in court for a second-degree assault and the other filed by the DC Superior Court on Dec. 18, 2019, for firing a weapon.

During the time after the defendant was placed under arrest and being transported to Central Detention Facility at DC Jail, Demyers was seen vandalizing a toilet and destroying one of the light fixtures in the cell he was placed in.  

DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian released Demyers so he could turn himself in to the Charles County Sheriff’s office. Then, the defendant must report to pretrial for placement under the high intensity supervision program (HISP) and mental health services from community connections. Community Connections is an organization that provides behavioral health, residential services, and primary health care coordination for marginalized and disenfranchised individuals.

Another hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4.