Murder Trial Delayed as Parties Dispute Trial Evidence

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DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun set a strict deadline for the prosecution to provide the defense with trial evidence that the defense says has been continually withheld by the prosecution.

Ronnie Melson is charged with first-degree murder while armed and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Demetrius Jones on the 1700 block of Gales Street, NE, on Nov. 6, 2020.

In the Dec. 9 hearing, the defense filed several motions regarding what they perceive to be an excessive delay from the prosecution to provide the defense with a list of necessary trial evidence.

The prosecution cited overlapping schedules as the reason for the delay, and that it will need more time than the proposed Monday deadline in order to provide the defense a list of trial evidence and respond to the defense’s motions.

The defense is requesting a breadth of information on trial exhibits the prosecution will include in its case, including photo evidence, surveillance video, body-worn camera footage of witnesses on the scene, video interviews with the defendant, jail calls, and google location information.

These evidence contains vast amounts of information, and if not provided to the defense soon, it would place the defense in a difficult position to respond to evidence the prosecution cites during trial. There may even be a possibility that further delay would require pushing back the trial date altogether.

Judge Okun set Dec. 23 as the date by which the prosecution is required to provide a list of trial exhibits to the defense and respond to the defense’s motions.

On Nov. 6, 2020, Metropolitan police officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert for 15 gunshots in the area. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found Jones unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the back. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was eventually pronounced dead.

An evidentiary hearing to discuss the motions filed was set for Jan. 11.