Murder Defendant Wants Separate Case for Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 26, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

Aiming to have his trial held during the summer, a  defendant in a murder case requested to sever his case from his co-defendant ‘s case.

Devonte Johnson, 29, and Antoine Byrd, 38, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Robinson Pal, 29, at a nightclub on 1100 block of 17th Street, NW in 2016.

Byrd’s defense counsel requested a delay in the trial for additional DNA testing on a knife. The delay would amount to more than a year’s wait. Byrd’s DNA, as well as DNA from four unidentified people, were found on the knife used in the stabbing.

Delaying the trial for additional testing would push the summer trial date to the fall of 2019. Both defendants would be detained until trial. Johnson asked to sever his case from Byrd’s so he could have his own trial in July.

The prosecution said separate trials would cause a double-inconvenience to witnesses since they would essentially be participating in the same trial twice.

“I don’t think anyone is as inconvenienced by this as Mr. Johnson,” said Johnson’s attorney. “I’m gonna go home and sleep in my bed… Mr. Johnson has been detained since 2016.”

 D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said efficiency alone was a good enough reason to not sever, but he noted that it was problematic for Johnson to wait more than a year for a trial.

On June 20, the defendants were severed.

Johnson is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on July 13. His trial is scheduled for July 30. Byrd’s trial is scheduled for October 7, 2019.