More Prosecution Testimony in 2020 Teen Homicide Trial

By McKenna Bryant , Anthoine Godin - February 28, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Feb. 26, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt heard testimony from responding officers, a detective, a crime scene forensic scientist, and a deputy medical examiner, in connection to a 2020 homicide case.

Koran Jackson, 23, Tyiion Kyree Freeman, 24, and Stephen Nelson, 22, are three of five individuals charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, assault with the intent to kill while armed, first-degree murder while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes on March 1, 2020 on the 600 block of S Street, NW. The shooting also left a second juvenile victim located in the vicinity suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the right leg. 

Prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) homicide detective to testify and authenticate video surveillance footage collected from fixed-cameras near the scene of the shooting. 

The detective explained that in the footage, at the time ShotSpotter went off, she noticed “as traffic starts to move, you’ll see the silver SUV drive” and a black SUV behind the suspect vehicle at a stoplight.

Lukes and friends are seen walking on the sidewalk. The “suspect vehicle”, a silver Kia Soul, passed the group, and the detective confirms that the vehicle made a U-Turn into the alley, where Lukes’ body was discovered. 

In reviewing surveillance footage from another building, the detective “watched the group run into an alley.” Luke’s falls to the ground, one juvenile picks Lukes up and drags him out of the middle of the alley. Shortly after, an officer responds and aids Lukes. Three juveniles then run down the alley. There is no footage available of a Kia Soul driving into the alley, or individuals getting out of the vehicle and shooting at Lukes and his friends.

Following the detective’s testimony, the prosecution called another MPD officer to testify about Ring camera footage collected from a homeowner near the scene. In the footage, 11 gunshots are heard. The Kia Soul drives past the home first, then the black SUV, and finally a white Toyota that drives out from a separate alley.

From his experience, the officer says he was able to recognize New Jersey tags on the Toyota from coloring and lettering of the state tags. However, the officer was unable to decipher tag information for the Kia Soul or black SUV solely from the Ring footage.

Prosecution called a an additional MPD officer who responded to where Lukes’ friends were eventually stopped at the end of the alley to be detained for questioning. 

According to the officer, when he arrived at the “heightened scene,” the three juvenile’s faces were familiar from his patrol duty in the neighborhood. While trying to figure out what was going on, the officer tried to calm the scene and spoke to one of the juveniles. who was shot in the upper right leg.

Seen in the officer’s body-worn camera footage, the officer applied a tourniquet to the individual’s leg in the case of internal bleeding and called for paramedics. The juvenile was transported to the hospital and received treatment for his injuries.

Following the officer’s testimony, the prosecution called a scientist from the Department of Forensic Science (DFS) who responded to the hospital to collect evidence following the shooting including clothes and photos from Lukes as well as another victim of the shooting.

MPD body worn camera footage from the hospital revealed the surviving victim crying “is Mal okay?” in reference to Lukes. 

The scientist testified to taking photos of Lukes’ clothing and one of his shoes at the hospital. The prosecution introduced Lukes’ sweatpants, which he was wearing during  the shooting, and the scientist pointed out that there were no stains or tears. 

The prosecution also introduced the other victim’s clothes, showing stains and tears in the fabric of the victim’s pants from the shooting. 

In his cross examination, Andrew Ain, Freeman’s defense attorney, asked the scientist about the chain of custody for DFS evidence. The scientist admitted that she was not sure as to when the clothing had been sealed and opened prior to appearing in court. 

Ain also asked about the scientist’s discretion in collecting the photos and clothing as evidence for DFS. The scientist affirmed that DFS collects evidence “even if the slightest question of relevance” arises. 

Prosecution’s next witness was an investigator with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(OCME) who specializes in forensic pathology. The medical examiner had been the one to perform the internal and external examination during Lukes’ autopsy.  

The conclusion was that Lukes’ cause of death was “a gunshot wound to his chest,” ruling the death a homicide. 

The medical examiner affirmed that Lukes’ gunshot wound hit vital organs and that he “could not have run far given the injury.” 

In his cross examination, Brian McDaniels, Jackson’s defense attorney, pointed out that the medical examiner had not been involved in evidence collection. Furthermore, McDaniels asked the medical examiner if she knew what position Lukes was in when he was shot, demonstrating several possible positions consistent with the path of the bullet . The examiner could not be sure of the victim’s position during the shooting. 

In the prosecution’s redirect, the medical examiner affirmed that the lack of gunshot residue on the Lukes’ skin indicates shot from a distance.

Trial is set to resume Feb. 27.