Murder Trial Resumes with Prosecutors calling Witnesses to Testify

By Isabelle Chiu [former] , Carrie McDonald [former] - June 8, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

The homicide trial of two defendants resumed on June 7 with prosecutors calling seven witnesses to testify. 

Co-defendants Saquan Williams, 20, and Quincy Garvin, 22, are charged with conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm, and criminal street gang affiliation in connection to the shooting of 24-year-old Carl Hardy on the 1200 block of I Street, SE, on Sept. 10, 2017. Hardy succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 1, 2017, at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Maryland. 

The prosecution called two Metropolitan Police Department detectives who assisted with the processing of another shooting scene at a parking lot on the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE on Sept. 27, 2017. One detective testified to the collection of several 9mm cartridge casings and one projectile, which the prosecution moved into evidence. 

According to court documents, the casings recovered on the scene of this shooting matched the casings recovered from the shooting of Carl Hardy.

During cross-examination, Kevin Robertson, Williams’ defense lawyer, argued that the detective did not personally collect or mark the evidence. 

An MPD officer testified that he was called to respond to an additional May 2017 report of gunshots fired on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE. He said he pursued 27-year-old Demario Porter on foot after seeing him flee the scene. The officer testified that he recovered a handgun in Porter’s right jacket pocket upon arrest. 

Another MPD detective testified that he investigated a further incident on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE on Sept. 17, 2017. He stated that he reviewed video footage of multiple individuals firing weapons, running to a Honda Accord and stashing firearms in the trunk. He said a white Infiniti Sedan was also struck by gunfire. 

The detective, who was present for the execution of the search warrant on the two vehicles recovered from the scene, identified the firearms that were stashed in the Honda Accord as a Glock 43 pistol, an AR-15 style firearm and a Cobray CM-11. The prosecution showed these weapons to the detective and the jury and entered them into evidence. 

The detective testified to recovering three magazines containing live rounds that matched these firearms, including a large capacity magazine matching the AR-15 style rifle. A witness said the magazine was capable of holding 30 rounds, but only 11 cartridges were recovered from inside the clip. 

Casings also matched a separate incident on the 700 block of 13th Street on Aug. 10, 2017.

The prosecution attempted to call an additional witness associated with MPD with the intention of eliciting contextual information about the sharing of weapons and drug use among members of a gang of which the defendants are allegedly a part.

However, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun sustained the defense counsel’s objection on the grounds that there was not sufficient linkage between the testimony and the defendants. 

Steven Kirsch, Garvin’s defense attorney, renewed his motion to sever Garvin’s case from Williams’. Judge Okun denied the motion. 

The trial is scheduled to resume June 8.