Jurors in Murder Trial Begin Deliberations

By Anna Newkirk [former] - July 23, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On July 22, jurors in the first murder trial the DC Superior Court has held in more than a year began deliberations. 

Nyekemia Everett, 35, and Malik Hewitt, 41, are charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of 37-year-old Christopher Heard on the 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE, on April 27, 2017. 

The prosecution alleges that Everett shot Heard, while Hewitt acted as the getaway driver.

They allege that the two defendants plotted to rob and kill Heard, who was selling the drug PCP to make money after having recently been released from jail. But during her closing arguments, Hewitt’s defense attorney, Nikki Lotze,  pointed out that, after Heard was killed, Everett never took the money in his pocket. 

However, during their rebuttal, the prosecution argued that the defendants would have made significantly more money from robbing Heard compared to if they were only dealing drugs.

Lotze also pointed out the inconsistencies in the various statements of two of the prosecution’s witnesses, including the woman who says she was with the defendants before, during and after the homicide.

Michael Madden, Everett’s attorney, completed the closing arguments he began the previous day. He argued that having a weapon was normal in his client’s day-to-day life, and casted doubt on the notion that Everett intended to hurt anyone on the night Heard was killed.