Lead Detective ID’s Shooter, Witnesses Unsure

By - August 23, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Prosecutors called on the lead detective in a shooting case to testify before DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein on Aug. 22.

Marquez Beasley, 31, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with a dangerous weapon, for his alleged involvement in a car accident and following non-fatal shooting, on the 900 block of Division Avenue, NE, on Aug. 16, 2023, resulting in three injuries. 

According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived at the site of a shooting following an accident between a car Beasley was driving and other vehicle. He allegedly shot at two of the individuals after they attempted to exchange insurance information with him, while the third victim was a bystander. 

Prosecutors called on MPD’s lead detective who discussed a ShotSpotter recording of four gunshots. The witness testified to canvassing the area, looking for evidence and interviewing the driver and the mother of the other two victims shortly following her arrival at the crime scene.

The mother provided MPD an Instagram handle for Beasley, whom she identified as the shooter and neighbor who lived across the street. 

According to the detective, he displayed a photo array to her and her daughter during their interview. When shown the array, both circled his picture, identifying Beasley, but mentioned that he didn’t have a goatee, and instead had a distinct tattoo in the middle of his forehead. 

Beasley was subsequently arrested according to the detective.

During cross-examination, John Machado asked the detective if he corroborated Beasley’s identification with anyone else. The witness answered no, and added that he believed that obtaining Beasley’s Instagram handle was enough. 

According to the detective, he assisted with processing the scene. He added MPD was able to locate one bullet fragment, an unidentified phone, fingerprints and DNA. However, he testified, the DNA and fingerprints did not provide useful information. 

Machado called into question the detective’s investigation because he didn’t check the driver’s license of the person driving the victims’ car nor did he reconcile the divergent testimony of the other witnesses or determine what they were doing that night.

According to the defense, the detective was trying to push the victim’s to identify Beasley as the suspect.

While the detective testified to being “100 percent certain” of who the suspect was, the two witnesses who were shown the photo identification procedure, repeatedly stated that they were unsure of Beasley’s involvement. 

Machado claimed that the detective thought that the witnesses were providing “bulls*** stories,” and promised them that they wouldn’t have to testify if they didn’t want to.

Prosecutors called a Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) technician who processed the scene, and described blood-stained clothing of a victim that was found outside the front passenger seat, a bullet damage found on the upper door, and a fragment that was recovered on the passenger floorboard within the car. The witness swabbed for DNA and recovered latent fingerprints from the outside of the phone that one of the victims handed to the defendant. He was able to pull “possible” fingerprints, but was never able to identify a suspect. 

Following the forensic evaluator’s testimony, the prosecution called a responding Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who described the demeanor of the driver of the victim’s car as anxious, and stated he was having trouble breathing due to a panic attack. 

Parties are set to reconvene on Aug. 26.