Judge Releases Murder Defendant During Initial Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - January 22, 2021
Court | Featured | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

On Jan. 22, DC Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond heard 19 cases during initial hearings.

Of those 19 cases, one was a murder case and one was a domestic violence case.

Judge Raymond released a defendant who is charged with second-degree murder. The defendant, 38-year-old Gary Rush, is accused of killing Keena Dowtin, who was a passenger in his vehicle. 

Rush was driving in Fort Dupont Park on Sept. 20, 2020, and, according to court documents, he allegedly said he swerved to avoid hitting a deer, driving into the woods and striking a tree. 

Documents state that Rush’s blood tested positive for PCP, and an officer who reconstructed the accident said he was driving around 74 miles per hour and failed to make a turn in the roadway, causing the crash.

Judge Raymond released Rush into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP), and he is scheduled to return to court on June 25.

Judge Raymond also released a domestic violence defendant who is charged with simple assault. The defendant was given a stay-away order and ordered to return to court on June 25.