Jury Delivers Partial Verdict in 2018 Drive-By Shooting Trial

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A jury found one co-defendant guilty of multiple charges including first-degree murder as it returned a partial verdict in a month-long murder trial.

Saquan Williams, 20, and Quincy Garvin, 22, faced multiple charges including first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy and criminal street gang affiliation in connection to the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Carl Hardy on the 1200 block of I Street, SE, on Sept. 10, 2017.

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun presided over the trial that began on May 31 and ended with closing arguments on July 7.

On July 13, the jury found Williams guilty of conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. However, the jury is still deliberating on Williams’ criminal street gang affiliation charge.

Williams’ mother was present while the partial verdict was read.

“My client wants his mom here,” Kevin Robertson, Williams’ defense attorney, said when asking the court to wait for Williams’ mother to arrive.

The jury also found Garvin guilty of conspiracy but are still deliberating on his first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm, and criminal street gang affiliation charges.

Defense attorney Steven Kiersch informed Judge Okun that the Department of Corrections (DOC) placed Garvin into quarantine last night because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the DC Jail. DOC policy mandates that inmates are quarantined for a full ten days.

“We’re in unprecedented territory,” Kiersch said.

After deliberations about the best way to proceed, Garvin appeared via WebEx with his video off. Judge Okun explained Garvin’s physical absence to the jury.

The jury is slated to continue deliberations on July 15.

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