Judges Find Probable Cause in Deadly Spring Assault

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 16, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

On July 16, a DC Superior Court judge found probable cause that a murder defendant’s actions led to the death of a 64-year-old man.

Manuel Bermudez is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Miguel Pineda-Hernandez. According to court documents, while intoxicated, Bermudez, 37, pushed Pineda-Hernandez on the 1300 block of Irving Street, NW on April 11. Pineda-Hernandez died on April 29. The medical examiner deemed his cause of death as “complications of blunt force trauma.”

While DC Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond found probable cause for assault during Bermudez’ s arraignment, Judge Craig Iscoe found probable cause for second-degree murder.

During a preliminary hearing, the prosecution showed the lead detective on the case surveillance footage of Irving Street from the time of the assault. The video shows Bermudez walking down the street and pushing a bicyclist against a fence and then continuing down the street and pushing Pineda-Hernandez into a metal fence near a tree.

According to the detective, Pineda-Hernandez suffered from end-stage renal failure and multiple heart conditions.

Defense attorney, Emily Stirba, argued that her client did not know that Pineda-Hernandez was “uniquely fragile” and therefore couldn’t have a conscious disregard for something he didn’t know.

The prosecution argued that Pineda-Hernandez’s prior conditions did not lead to his death. According to the prosecution, Pineda-Hernandez “never got back to the same quality of life.” Apparently, after the assault,  Pineda-Hernandez received physical rehabilitation services at a local facility where he went into cardiac arrest and ultimately died.

Judge Iscoe said that based on the detective’s testimony and medical examiner’s expert opinion, it was clear that Bermudez acted in a conscious disregard for serious bodily injury. According to Judge Iscoe, regardless of the defendant’s knowledge of Pineda-Hernandez’s medical history, he saw Pineda-Hernandez walking at a “slow shuffle” and chose to push him into a “metal jagged fence.” 

Bermudez is being held without bond. He is scheduled for a felony status conference on Sept. 7.

Will Lennon contributed to this article.