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By
Mia Kimm
- April 4, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Suspects
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A shooting case that arose from a dispute over blowing leaves came to trial before DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro on April 1.
Lawrence Murphy, 52, is charged with aggravated assault knowingly while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on March 31, 2020 on the 1300 block of Queen St, NE. One individual sustained non-life threatening injuries.
During their opening statements, the prosecution claimed that the victim was blowing away leaves as part of his lawn care business, when he was shot in the right wrist. They said that the jury will see security footage depicting Murphy’s actions moments after the shooting.
According to the prosecution, an individual identified as Murphy is seen, on surveillance footage, running through backyards fleeing the scene. In addition, the prosecution told the jury that they will hear from multiple witnesses, including the victim, people who from the neighborhood, police officers, and a surgeon.
Murphy’s defense attorney, Alvin Thomas, argued that the prosecution’s case is only based on assumption and no one, except for the victim, saw the shooting. Furthermore, he said there is no surveillance footage or forensic evidence that proves that Murphy was the shooter. He urged the jury to look past speculation.
“There’s not only a little bit of reasonable doubt,” Thomas said. “The reasonable doubt is overwhelming.”
Prosecutors called on a former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who responded to the incident after being notified of gunshots when he saw the victim standing in front of an alley. According to the officer, he didn’t find any suspects, guns or shell casings during his canvas of the area. However, when he returned to the police station, a suspect was in custody.
Prosecutors also called on the shooting victim, who was finishing cutting a client’s grass when he encountered the shooter. According to the victim, the suspect identified as Murphy was standing on his front porch and said to him, “You gonna blow this sh*t in front of my house?” The victim said he didn’t know what the individual meant and was subsequently shot.
The victim testified that the gun was of a small caliber but that the shooting happened so quickly that he wasn’t able to recall more details. He said, after the shooting, the perpetrator entered the house.
During the cross-examination, Thomas inquired why the statement made by the shooter hadn’t been mentioned until five years after the matter, as it wasn’t brought up until recently.
Prosecutors called another MPD officer, who waited at the suspect’s residence in case he returned. The officer testified he arrested the Murphy because he matched the shooter’s description provided by the victim.
During the defense’s cross-examination, the officer testified that he did not see what happened and cannot say Murphy was the person who participated in the shooting. Furthermore, he said that he didn’t recover a gun during the arrest.
Prosecutors also called on the lead detective who said there was some confusion as to whether the shooter was still in his residence. The detective obtained security footage of an individual running through the backyards down Holbrook Street but there was footage of the shooting,
The prosecution called a person lived in the neighborhood who provided surveillance footage from his security cameras to MPD officers. He said the footage caught someone walking casually then sprinting. According to the witness, he did not see the shooting nor did his camera capture it.
Parties are expected to reconvene on April 2.