DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz granted release for a woman charged in connection to a non-fatal shooting after finding there is insufficient evidence to support incarceration on Oct. 10.
Meyona Rorie, 25, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and aggravated assault while armed for her alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on Aug. 20, on the 3600 block of Ames Street, NE.
She is not accused of pulling the trigger, however the prosecution alleged Rorie told an unidentified person to shoot the victim. One person sustained a gunshot wound to the arm.
According to court records, defense attorney Michael Lawlor filed a motion for pretrial release. He argued that only one person – the victim – identified Rorie as the person who pointed out the victim to the shooter prior to the incident.
Lawlor also told Judge Kravitz that, after their own investigation, they do not believe the person in surveillance footage is Rorie.
“That doesn’t mean anything to me,” Judge Kravitz said.
Lawlor further argued that Rorie had been in an altercation with the victim’s sister, saying that animosity could be a motive for false identification.
The prosecution argued that, while only one person identified Rorie, it was the victim, who had encountered her several times.
Judge Kravitz said that, while Rorie is accused of encouraging the shooting, she was not the actual shooter, which he gave great weight. He also said that the strength of evidence is hard to assess.
“I think this is a close case,” Judge Kravitz said. “We just have the word of a single witness.”
Judge Kravitz ruled to release Rorie into home confinement due to her lack of a criminal record. He said he thinks she will abide by conditions of release and would not be a danger to the community.
Rorie’s children and mother will live with her during release and she will be on GPS monitoring.
Parties are set to reconvene on Nov. 14.
