Murder Case ‘Just Barely’ Meets Probable Cause, Judge Says

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 14, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge determined that a homicide case has enough evidence to go to trial.

Seventeen year-old Quincy Johnson is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Anthony Riley. Riley and another victim were found in a vehicle on the 100 block of Walnut Street, NW suffering from gunshot wounds. The other victim survived and was taken to a nearby hospital. He was left permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

During the Feb. 11 proceedings, Judge Robert Okun said defense attorney Roderick Thompson raised valid concerns about inconsistencies of a lead witness’ statements and the lack of physical evidence corroborating the witness’ account of the crime.  

The judge ruled that the evidence just barely met probable cause, citing the witness’ description of Johnson near the crime scene, which was corroborated by multiple  accounts. The judge also said that Johnson’s injuries are consistent with witness statements that alleged Johnson had jumped from the moving vehicle during the crime.

The hearing could not finish because of time, constraints.. The hearing continued to Feb. 17.