Murder suspect requests transfer because jail is too hot

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 25, 2016
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

The man charged with the murder of 40-year-old Stephanie Goodloe on Monday requested to be moved from his cell block and out of jail because it was too hot.

Donald Hairston, 49, has been charged with first-degree murder while armed in the June 18 shooting death of Goodloe. Goodloe filled for a restraining order from Hairston two weeks before her murder. The two used to be romantically involved and the homicide is being investigated as an act of domestic violence.

In court Monday, Hairston’s attorney, Mani Golzari, told Judge Florence Pan that the outside cell block regularly measures 79 degrees, but that the temperature inside the individual cells registers hotter.

“At the time [the cell was] 6 degrees higher than outside the cell,” Golzari said, of another cell. The temperature inside Hairston’s individual cell has not been taken.

Golzari noted that Hairston is being treated for hypertension, along with other recent health problems. Golzari said the medication used to treat hypertension can cause dehydration and the heat in the jail is directly impacting Hairston’s health.

Pan scheduled another felony status conference for July 27. Pan said she was working with her colleagues to collect more information about the temperature of the cells, because this is not the first complaint of the jail being too hot.

Pan said she plans to work with Judge Milton Lee to look at the lack of air conditioning in the jail and what can be done to improve the state of living for the prisoners.

Hairston will be in court again on July 27 at 9:30 a.m.