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By
Rebbeca Haghnegahdar
- April 1, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Shooting
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Victims
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‘The prosecution described the defendant in a murder trial as someone who “made a choice, and believes he is above the law” in closings before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on March 27.
Deonte Patterson, 29, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and obstructing justice by influencing or delaying of a witness or officer for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on Aug. 23, 2021, on the 1800 block of 9th Street NW.
During their closing arguments, the prosecution pointed to Patterson’s decision to flee the area after the shooting, the use of a fellow inmate’s account to make a jail call allegedly instructing his girlfriend to lie to officials, and testimony from multiple witnesses that placed Patterson at the scene with a gun.
They also emphasized that there were no mitigating circumstances for Patterson’s actions, and stated “any danger he might have been in came after he started firing.”
In her closing, Cheryl Stein, Patterson’s defense attorney, argued that the prosecution was saturating their evidence with photos and DNA analysis in order to hide the fact that they cannot prove Patterson was the first one to shoot.
Stein also stated that Al-Mahdi was drunk at the time, and Patterson was scared because he “knows how he can act [under the influence]”.
In their rebuttal, the prosecution argued that the defense’s theory of the case was purely speculative, and the evidence clearly pointed to premeditated murder.
Parties are set to return once the jury reaches a verdict.