Murder suspect’s defense team argues bad faith

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 6, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

The defense team in a murder case said the prosecution was acting in bad faith during a trial readiness hearing on April 5.

Donald Hairston‘s defense attorneys, Mani Golzari and Lauren Johnson, said the prosecution acted in bad faith when they withheld information of one of the witnesses in the case making a large financial gain from the murder of Stephanie Goodloe, 40, on June 18, 2016.

The gain was made through the use of a GoFundMe page for the victim. The page was ultimately shut down because of a fraudulent credit card transaction of $9,000.

According to Golzari, the prosecution has no system for sharing information. However, the prosecution refuted the statement, saying that there is a system in place for sharing information.

Judge Danya Dayson requested that both parties send her written information. For the prosecution, she requested to know about what systems are in place to share information and how those systems were followed. For the defense, the judge requested to know where counsel was regarding the investigation into the GoFundMe fraud.

Hairston is charged with first-degree murder.

The defense’s motion to dismiss the case was held pending further argument. Another trial readiness hearing is scheduled for April 10. The trial is scheduled for April 17.