Defendant’s Ex-Girlfriend is First to Testify on Third Day of Murder Trial

By Jakob Rios [former] - March 14, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

Prosecutors called four witnesses to the stand during the third day of Chad Hawthorne‘s murder trial, starting with the defendant’s ex-girlfriend.

Hawthorne, 41, is accused of fatally shooting 35-year-old Antonio Bassett during the early hours of May 22, 2017, in an apartment complex on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

The defendant allegedly spent the rest of the night at his ex-girlfriend’s house after the shooting. When the prosecution called her to the witness stand on March 9, she could not recall the testimony she gave before a grand jury in 2018.

The prosecutor pointed the witness towards her prior statements about what Hawthorne told her. Apparently, she said Hawthorne said to her that Bassett had been shot, he heard arguing before the gunfire and whoever was arguing with Bassett must have killed him.

Defense attorney Steven Kiersh was sympathetic to the ex-girlfriend during his cross-examination. She told Kiersh that when a detective questioned her about the homicide prior to the grand jury proceedings, he “leaned” on her so hard that she began to cry.

The next witness spoke to the victim’s drug problems. The defense did not cross-examine her.

Then, the prosecution called a Department of Forensic Sciences member who was tasked with taking data out of electronic devices and collecting information. The forensic scientist explained several logs of outgoing calls and locations data related to the investigation. She was asked about Facebook messages Hawthorne received, including one that claimed an individual was “snitching” and advised the defendant to turn off his location.

Finally, the leaseholder of the apartment took the stand. He had come home from New York at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the day of the shooting and was later awoken by Bassett asking to stay the night there, which he allowed. The leaseholder told the jury when he woke up again later in the morning, Hawthorne was gone. The next time he woke up, it was to a rapid succession of gunshots, he said. 

The leaseholder jumped awake and saw who he believed to be Hawthorne flee the scene. He responded by running across the street to call 911. While he was gone, one of the men staying there ran to a neighbor’s apartment to call 911.

“You have had five long years to think and mule over this event. Do you think that Chad Hawthorne killed Antonio Basset,” the prosecutor asked the witness.

“Yes, I do,” he replied. 

“No further questions, Your Honor,” the prosecutor said. 

Kiersh barely let the prosecutor take his seat before he started his cross-examination.

He began by asking if he had seen a gun. 

The witness said no. 

“Did you see any weapon?” Kiersh asked.

“I did not.” The witness replied. 

Kiersh asked the witness if he had used drugs. The witness said he is drug-free.

 “What about alcohol-free?” Kiersh asked

The witness responded, “well, no.”

“So you had a few drinks the day of the murder?” Kiersh asked.

“I only had one beer In New York,” the witness said. 

Kiersh inquired about medications the witness takes that may make him drowsy. The witness said they do not make him sleepy.

Kiersh also emphasized that the witness was paid for his testimony. His testimony was always paid for through witness compensation. However, the witness said he was not paid for the statements he made to the police. During re-direct, he told the prosecutor he offered his testimony before knowing he would be paid.

The prosecutor had planned to call the lead detective to the stand, but he was unavailable to appear in court. DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo decided to let the jury go early. 

The leaseholder is subpoenaed by the defense to testify on March 14.