Lawyers Bicker Over Next Phase of 10-Year-Old Victim’s Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 19, 2023
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Defense attorneys for Mark Price and Antonio Murchison told DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun in a May 19 hearing they need more time to fight murder charges in a shooting that claimed a small child’s life.

Gregory Taylor, 27, Quentin Michals,25, Qujuan Thomas, 24, Darrise Jeffers, 23, Murchison, 22, and Marquel Cobbs, 21, are  six of ten defendants charged with first-degree murder, criminal street gang affiliation, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault, assault with intent to kill and other charges regarding a fatal drive by shooting that resulted in 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson’s death.  The shooting happened on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018.

Prosecutors say Murchison, his older brother Antonio, 26, Thomas, and Taylor all got into a car driven by Mark Price, 29, and went to the spot where they injured four and killed Makiyah.

Even though the trial of the first six defendants is still in final arguments, prosecutors say they want to move ahead with the next phase against Price and Isiah Murchison as co-conspirators facing many of the same charges.  

Meanwhile, defense lawyers say they need more to review the massive amount of transcripted material generated by the lengthy litigation.

“We’ve done it all.  We’re ready to go,” one of the prosecutors told Judge Okun, complaining that “delay is unfair to the government.”

Judge Okun said that each side has legitimate concerns, but he’s not inclined to continue the matter until the fall.  However, he set a hearing for May 25 at 9:30 a.m. in an effort to resolve the issue.