Jury Acquits Homicide Defendant of All Charges

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A jury in DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein’s courtroom acquitted a homicide defendant of all charges on May 30.

Devonte Brothers, 29, was charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prior convict, for his alleged involvement in the murder of 27-year-old Deron Leake, also known as “Snoop”, on Oct. 17, 2019, at the Cascade Apartment Complex on the 4200 block of 6th Street, SE. The incident also left one individual with non-life threatening injuries.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors attempted to prove that Brothers was the perpetrator in Leake’s murder by presenting witness testimony, cell site data, and social media posts.

Three of Leake’s friends, who were with him at the time of his murder, testified during the trial about their relationship and their recollection of the incident.

However, only one of them was able to identify a shooter, 10 months after the murder, while he was facing an arrest for possessing a firearm.

Prosecutors also presented Brothers’ cell site data evidence that depicted him in the area of the shooting at the time of the incident, but their expert specifically stated that it is impossible to tell the exact location of the device.

Following half-a-day of deliberations, the jury concluded that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Brothers was the killer.

Despite the acquittal, Brothers will continue to be detained as he awaits further proceedings in another pending homicide matter.

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