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By
Laura Berol
- March 19, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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stabbing
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Suspects
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DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz approved defense attorney Sara Kopecki’s request for her client, Oliver Gomes, to accompany her investigator in looking for potential witnesses for his trial.
Gomes, 55, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and aggravated assault knowingly while armed for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing that occurred at the intersection of 11th and L Streets, SE, on Oct. 14, 2022.
Gomes is currently on home confinement pending his trial. A representative from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) told the court he is compliant with release conditions.
Kopecki told Judge Kravitz her investigator is having trouble locating potential witnesses because Gomes doesn’t know their legal names or contact information, but he knows them by sight.
The prosecutor objected to changing the conditions of Gomes’ release, saying there are other ways to contact witnesses. When Judge Kravitz asked for specific suggestions, the prosecutor mentioned phone or video.
Judge Kravitz instructed Kopecki to get PSA’s approval of the investigator who would accompany Gomes and the times when they would be working together. He said he expected the objective could be accomplished in approximately three trips.
“This is not meant to be a modification of his release conditions. It is meant to be a discrete opportunity or discrete set of opportunities for him to assist in the preparation of his defense,” Judge Kravitz said about Gomes.
Parties are scheduled to reconvene on July 11.