Jury Selection for Carjacking Defendant Begins Tuesday

By Maggie Rhoads , Hayden Clark - June 25, 2024
Carjacking | Court | Daily Stories | Suspects |

A carjacking defendant was arraigned before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on June 24, and the jury selection was scheduled for the following day.

Antone Watkins, 29, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, robbery while armed, unauthorized use of a vehicle while armed and two counts of possession of firearm during a crime of violence. The incident Watkins was allegedly involved in occurred on June 17, 2022, on the 1200 block of Howison Place, SW.

During the hearing, the prosecution said they were unable to select a jury Monday because a material witness did not show up to testify despite being subpoenaed. The court ordered a witness warrant for the missing witness. 

It was unclear why the prosecution could not assemble all their witnesses, but they stated that their witnesses dislike being subpoenaed for a trial.

The prosecution also asked Judge Salerno to grant them a continuance for jury selection until tomorrow. 

Watkins’s defense attorney, Darryl Daniels, requested the case be dismissed. Since the trial date has been changed seven times since December of 2023, he argued that  there was no good cause for another continuance. 

Judge Salerno granted the continuance, noting that the prosecution was doing their due diligence in trying to subpoena their witnesses and that the requested continuance was brief.

According to court documents, Watkins allegedly stole a man’s car after hitting him over the head with a gun and robbing him while the victim was attempting to buy marijuana. The victim reported Watkins was one of four or five men involved in the robbery. The victim was transported to the hospital shortly after the incident. 

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) identified Watkins from surveillance footage and arrested him on Sept. 15, 2022.

Parties are set to reconvene on June 25.