Judge Releases Homicide Defendant to Home Confinement

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On Feb. 2, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan released a murder defendant to house arrest.

Desmond Gaskin, 37, is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting 40-year-old William Whittington Jr. on July 19, 2022, on the 400 block of Burbank Street, SE. 

The order for release came after Judge Raffinan found probable cause on Feb. 1 that Gaskin could have committed the offense. 

A prosecutor said Gaskin was eligible to be released to his mother’s home under the High-Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). 

Judge Raffinan agreed with the terms of release, which included ankle monitoring. 

Gaskin is to be released Thursday. He will have to return back to court Friday, Feb. 3,  for an orientation. 

Judge Raffinan scheduled a follow-up to check the defendant’s compliance to determine if he is eligible to be released from the program. 

The next hearing is scheduled for March 3. 

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