Judge Schedules Trial Readiness Hearing for Murder Case

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A murder defendant who was previously scheduled to have a jury trial in September is now set to have a trial readiness hearing in March of 2021.

“The defendant has been in jail for a long time, so I would like the trial readiness hearing to happen sometime in March,” said DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna during the Nov. 19 status hearing.

Elhadji Ndiaye, 21, is charged with armed first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, tampering with physical evidence, armed robbery and destruction of property less than $1,000.

Ndiaye is accused of shooting 21-year-old Travis Deyvon Ruth nine times on the 2700 block of Jasper Street, NE, on Jan. 19 of last year.

A week after Ruth’s death the green Honda Accord used in the homicide was found burned, according to court documents.

The defendant was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed in February of last year. He was indicted on his current charges the following November.

Defense attorney Nikki Lotze was assigned to the case in August and said her requests for evidence have not been completed.

Lotze previously requested a copy of the interviews conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the prosecution said there were confidentiality concerns that needed to be addressed first.

“I will not be satisfied with just the transcript,” she said.

Judge McKenna asked counsel to resolve the matters and enter in all motions by the end of February.

Ndiaye’s trial readiness hearing was scheduled for March 18, which is the soonest Judge McKenna said it could be scheduled due to the backlog of cases waiting to move to trial.

Sierra Robbins wrote this article.