Murder suspect ordered to take antidepressants

A judge on Tuesday found Ammaad Chase-El, 24, clinically depressed and ordered him to take antidepressants to treat his condition so the case against him can move forward.

Chase-El’s lawyer, Elliott Queen, said his client’s depressive symptoms were the result of an adjustment disorder due to stress from legal issues as well as having to adapt to life at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Chase-El is charged with first-degree murder in the March 2015 shooting death of 34-year-old Antonio Ayala. Chase-El is one of three suspects to be charged for the homicide that took place on March 30 at the corner of 13 and Van Buren St., NW.

Chase-El has continuously undergone mental evaluations since his arrest on April 4, 2015. He has spent the majority of his time in custody at St. Elizabeths.

Queen called two doctors from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital as his expert witnesses, Dr. Jonathan Lam and Dr. Joel Vilier. Both worked with Chase-El during his rehabilitation program at St. Elizabeth’s as part of the hospital’s treatment team.

Dr. Lam, the pre-trial unit’s clinical psychologist, worked with Chase-El on a daily basis since Oct. 2015 and concluded, based on his interactions with him, that he was suffering from an adjustment disorder. When asked by the Assistant U.S. Attorney, Nebiyu Feleke, if he had ever reported that Chase-El was not depressed, Dr. Lam said he “could not recall.”

Feleke then presented a report filed by a psychology intern at St. Elizabeth’s, which highlighted discrepancies in Lam’s report. The report showed inconsistencies with Lam’s assessment because it said Chase-El initially seemed to be mentally healthy but later hinted that the may have been feigning his mood.

Lam and Vilier both said that Chase-El seemed somber and moot but that was just his personality. Based on his weekly interactions with Chase-El in a group therapy he holds every Friday, Vilier said that even when he would discuss his joys and interests he didn’t smile but did not lack enthusiasm when talking about them.

Both doctors emphasized that Chase-El played competitive basketball, socialized with his peers, and had a normal appetite. He did not meet the criteria to be found clinically depressed. However, Dr. Risoto, another clinical psychiatrist mentioned in another intern’s report, said that Chase-El’s mood “fluctuated” over the course of his treatment. Superior Court Judge Florence Pan also pointed out from another report that another clinical psychiatrist diagnosed Chase-El with depression and had him medicated.

Ryan’s report highlighted a prescription Dr. Vilier made for Chase-El for an anti-depressive medication known as Trazadone. Vilier said that it was to help him sleep, as some psychiatrists prescribe Trazadone as an alternative to prescription sleeping medications such as Zolpidem, also know as Ambien, and Lunesta.

When pointing out the findings of the other psychiatrists at St. Elizabeth’s, Feleke asked Dr. Vilier if he had ever read any of the competency team’s reports and he replied that he didn’t. Feleke then called Dr. Lam back to the stand and asked him if he read the reports prior to coming to the medical hearing and Lam also said he did not read them.

Chase-El’s lawyer said there are “roving interns who are supervised by whoever and don’t report to others” at the hospital and “at St. Elizabeth, nobody knows what the hell is going on.”

Judge Pan however found the findings to be “well-supported by the record” and ordered Chase-El to be involuntarily medicated for the sake of restoring competency for future trials. Pan found that the defendant “has a depressive disorder and involunatary medication is necessary to go forward to further the government’s interest to restore competency.”

A mental status hearing for Chase-El will go forward on Oct. 7.

Herman Odom, 23, and Javonte Odom, 20, have also being charged with first-degree murder. Both men are being held without bail.

Ameesha Gray ordered held without bail for alleged murder of Cortez Clark

Judge Renee Raymond decided on Tuesday enough probable cause exists to hold 22-year-old Ameesha Gray without bail for the 2015 murder of Cortez Clark, 32.

The affidavit said Gray’s phone was used to lure Clark to the 300 block of Parkland Place on Oct. 10. When Clark arrived, witnesses state that Gray, John Allen, 26, Tayvon Felton, 19, and Wade Willson, 20, beat and stabbed Clark to death before taking his cloths, keys and wallet.

Multiple witnesses stated in the affidavit that Gray was seen spitting on Clark and kicking him in the head.

Cortez’s body was found by Metropolitan Police in vacant apartment 331 Parkland Place three days after his murder

Gray was emotional throughout her presentment. She cried and was seen physically shaking. When she was forced to leave the court room she yelled “Mom, I love you all,” as a small group of her family cried and waved goodbye.

Gray will be seen in court on July 29 at 9:30 a.m. and is the forth person to be formally charged in Cortez’s case.

Fourth person arrested in 2015 homicide

A fourth person has been arrested and charged in the October 2015 stabbing death of Cortez Lamont Clark, 32.

On Monday, 22-year-old Ameesha Gray was arrested, and has been charged with first-degree murder. She will be presented in court on Tuesday.

John Allen, 26, was charged with second-degree murder while armed; Tayvon Felton, 19, and Wade Willson, 20 have been charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Clark’s death.

In the arrest warrant for Allen, a witness said they saw Allen, Felton, Willson and a woman, suspected to be Gray, lure Clark into Allen’s apartment in the 300 block of Parkman Pl, SE on Oct. 10 with the intent to rob him.

Allen told police in an interview, detailed in the arrest warrant, he served as a look-out as Clark was led into the apartment and beaten to death.

Clark was stripped of his cloths, keys and wallet.

His body was found by the Metropolitan Police Department on Oct. 13 and his death was ruled a homicide by sharp force injuries and blunt force trauma.

Allen and Felton will be in court again on July 29 and Willson will be in court on Sept. 22.

Wade Wilson’s defense asks for re-evaluation of mental health examination

New developments in the case against three men charged with murder have delayed the case for at least one of the suspects.

Tayvon Felton and Wade Wilson appeared in court Thursday for their preliminary hearing. They are both being charged with the first-degree murder of Cortez Clark.

Felton, Wilson, and a third defendant in this case, John Allen, were set to meet for a status hearing on July 29.

Wilson’s attorney, Brandi Harden, requested that date be vacated and a later status hearing date be set for Wilson.

“New developments have been made,” Harden said.

New findings from the department of mental health were recently discovered, but not disclosed in court. Harden has asked for a revaluation of those findings.

The department of mental health has requested 60 days to complete this examination. Felton will still be seen in court next on July 29 with Allen, but Wilson’s next status hearing has been rescheduled for September 22.

Cortez Clark died in October of 2015 after he was assaulted and robbed. Originally, defendant John Allen was charged with his murder, but it later became evident many were involved in the fatal assault. Felton, Wilson, and Allen all co-conspired to lure Cortez to Allen’s apartment at 331 Parkland Pl, SE last October.

According to charging documents, in an interview with the police, Felton revealed that he and Allen had created a fake profile on an online dating sight with another woman, later identified as Ameesha Gray’s information. They used this profile to lure Clark to the apartment complex with intention to rob him.

When Clark entered Allen’s apartment, the three men assaulted him, stabbing him with knives and delivering blows to his legs and head with sticks and fists. They then dragged Clark’s body down to a vacated apartment in the same building on the first floor. There, they took off his clothes and attempted to clean the blood on the stairs from moving the body.

After thorough investigation, Allen, Felton, and Wilson’s fingerprints were found at the scene and in Clark’s vehicle which they allegedly stole after the assault. In interviews with the police, they all confirmed these aggressive events. Clark’s clothes were also found in the trash outside the back of the apartment complex. They were bloody and heavily tattered, confirming that Clark had been stabbed.

Jerimi Meade found buried under leaves and a wooden board

The body of Jerimi Meade was found buried under leaves and covered by a wooden board, according to information released by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Meade, 29, was found by a park employee who was investigating a report of illegal dumping in the area. According to a police report, Meade’s body was found on the back of the property at 419 Burbank St., SE. in a wooded area.

According to the report, Meade was pronounced dead by the medical examiner at 7:45 p.m. Friday. The cause of death was blunt trauma to the head and brain.

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Chief of Staff, Beverly Fields, said their office’s report was not yet completed, and they would not release information about how long Meade’s body may have been in the woods. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Department directed that question to the OCME, but said the case is still under investigation and there are currently no suspects.

Body found by park employee Friday identified as Jerimi Meade

The body of a man discovered by a park employee has been identified as Jerimi Meade, 29.

According to police, an employee was investigating illegal dumping when they found Meade, unconscious and unresponsive, in the 400 block of Burbank St., SE. According to a press release, Meade’s body was found with “apparent blunt force injuries” at around 2 p.m. Friday.

Police said Saturday they were investigating the case as a homicide, but did not identify Meade as the victim until Sunday, when the medical examiner confirmed his cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and brain.

Triple shooting in Washington Highlands leaves one dead

Police are investigating a triple shooting Friday that left one man dead and two others injured.

Sharod Harris, 20, was killed in the shooting at around 3:15 p.m. Harris and two other men were found by police responding to a report of a shooting in the 4300 block of 4 St., SE. Two men were found conscious and breathing and taken to the hospital. A third man, later identified as Harris, died from his injuries.

This marks the eighth homicide in the Washington Highlands neighborhood this year. All eight homicides have happened in the last five months.

Transgender woman’s death investigated as homicide

A transgender woman shot in the neck on July 4 has died from her injuries, according to police.

Gregory Dodds, also known as Deeniquia Dodds, was shot in the 200 block of Division Ave., NE, according to a police report. She died from her injuries nine days later on July 13, and police are investigating her death as a homicide.

The police report of Dodds’ death says they have no suspect or motive at this time. Police said on Thursday they see no indications Dodds’ murder is connected to her gender or was a hate crime.

Friends and family will hold a vigil Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on the street where Dodds was killed, according to NBC Washington.

Judge orders Quincy Green held without bail

The man who police believe removed a GPS tracking device from his prosthetic leg on the night he allegedly committed a murder was ordered held without bail Tuesday.

Judge Michael Ryan decided there was enough probable cause to hold 34-year-old Quincy Green instead of releasing him to a halfway house or tracking him with a GPS ankle brace for the second-degree murder charge against him.

Green, (also known as Wayne Wright) initially appeared in court Monday in the murder case of 44-year-old Dana Hamilton. Green is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the May 19 shooting. Ryan decided that due to Green’s extensive criminal history, releasing him under those conditions would be compromising “my ability to protect the community from him.”

On Monday the prosecution argued there was enough information to convict Green based on an eye witness account of the aftermath of the shooting and statements made by the witness accurately identifying Green as the shooter.

The defense argued there was not enough evidence because there are no known witnesses to the shooting its self, and that the statements made by the only witness are unreliable because the shooting took place at night, so it was hard to see, and the witness had not known Green for very long before the shooting.

During Monday’s hearing, the prosecution and defense questioned Detective Konstantinos Giannkoukias from the Metropolitan Police Department homicide bureau for over two hours about his involvement in the investigation of Hamilton’s murder.

Ginnkoukias said that he and his partner, Detective James Wilson, wrote the affidavit and have been the lead investigators in this case.

According to court documents, Green was being monitored by a GPS tracking device, at the time of Hamilton’s murder, for a different offense. The GPS was attached to Green’s right leg, which is a prosthetic. Detectives believe that on the night of the homicide, Green took off the prosthetic leg with the tracking device and changed with with a spare prosthetic so he could not be monitored.

The discovery of Green’s multiple prosthetic legs was made on May 25 by Ginnkoukias and Wilson. Green was arrested for contempt of court later that day. Green was charged with Hamilton’s homicide on June 16.

Ginnkoukias was also questioned about the witness who saw Green run after the shooting. Ginnkoukias said that the witness waited five days before calling in to MPD to report that they believed Green, or “Q” as the victim referred to him, was responsible for Hamilton’s murder.

After reviewing the information presented on Monday, Ryan concluded that it would not be safe to allow Green back on D.C.’s streets.

“In my judgement,” said Ryan, “He [Green] has an inability to be supervised in the community.”

A felony status conference has been scheduled for Oct. 12 at 9:30 a.m.

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Murder case against Kimberly Thompson moves forward

The murder case against Kimberly Thompson, 58, moved forward Tuesday when Judge Lynn Leibovitz scheduled a felony status conference for September.

Thompson has been charged with Charles Mayo’s murder last December. According to Thompson’s attorney, Mary Kennedy, Thompson has not created “any issues” during his time in jail, where he has been held since his arrest. She also said the investigation into Thompson’s alleged role in Mayo’s death is ongoing, so there was little to report on Tuesday morning.

The defense moved to set a felony status conference before Oct. 5, to avoid Thompson’s nine-month indictment deadline. The arraignment is set for Sept. 22 but may change due to scheduling conflicts for the prosecution and defense. Prosecutor Christine Maley said that the government may not be able to make that date.

According to the arrest affidavit filed for Thompson’s arrest, police found Mayo suffering from multiple gunshot wounds behind 1936 Bennett Pl., NE, in the afternoon of Dec. 10, 2015.

When an officer asked Mayo if he knew who shot him, Mayo nodded his head, said “I can’t breathe,” and pointed toward 19th Street, NE.

Mayo was taken to a local hospital and succumbed to his injuries a week later on Dec. 17, 2015.

Police found two 9mm casings and nine “5.7×28 casings” within close proximity of the scene of the crime.

Multiple witnesses came forward after the shooting and gave the MPD a description of the shooter. Police later found Thompson, who matched the description, in the 700 block of 19th Street.

Surveillance footage from across 1830 Benning Road shows a silver vehicle approach Mayo at the intersection of 19th Street and Bennett Place. Mayo ran away shortly after, twisting and turning as though he was shot, according to the affidavit. Several other people can be seen running away from the scene of the crime as well.

One witness described the scene from the surveillance footage very similarly, but also told police he saw Thompson exit the silver vehicle with a black dog. He told officers he knew Mayo and had seen Thompson two days before the shooting when Thompson fired gunshots into the air outside of his sister’s house to scare gamblers away.

MPD showed this witness a series of photos that matched the general description given by the other witness, and the witnessed picked out Thompson.

On Dec. 12, 2015, police pulled over Thompson, who was driving a 2007 Mercedes Benz, and told him they were seizing it for evidence in a shooting investigation.

When asked about the shooting, Thompson refused to talk to the police. When an officer told him that his neighbors believed him to be the shooter, he said “[T]he victim of the shooting was cruddy, a drug dealer, and a bad person,” according to the affidavit.

After police searched the Mercedes, they found three firearms. Among them were a Glock 30, a Taurus Public Defender revolver, and a Glock 26.

Scientists at the MPD’s Department of Forensic scientists concluded that based on the 9mm casings found at the scene of the crime, the Glock 26 found in Thompson’s car was used to fire at least one bullet.

An officer went through Thompson’s Facebook account and found a picture of him wielding a firearm, which appeared to be similar to a FN P90 submachine gun. This particular weapon is capable of firing 5.7×28 caliber rounds.

On Jan. 6, Thompson was charged with first-degree murder for Mayo’s death.

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Video released of three men of interest related to shooting of Antoine McCullough

Police are asking for the public’s help in seeking the public’s help in identifying three people of interest in connection to the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Antoine McCullough.

Police released a Youtube video of three men casually walking down a block nearby where the homicide took place the morning of July 2. The video shows a pixelated snapshot of each of the men. It is difficult to see their faces as one is wearing a hat and another is wearing a piece of clothing over his head.

Antoine McCullough was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at approximately 12:10 a.m. on July 2. He was found in the 3500 block of 18 St., SE and transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police at (202)-727-9099.

DNC employee fatally shot in Bloomingdale

Seth Rich, a Democratic National Comittee staffer from Nebraska, was killed Sunday morning. Rich, 27, worked as a voter expansion data director for the DNC and had lived in Washington D.C. for several years, according to the Washington Post.

Rich’s murder took place in the 2100 block of Flagler Pl., NW a little before 4:20 a.m. on Sunday morning. Police found Rich suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital* where he later died.

“Politics were in his blood,” said Rich’s father, Joel Rich, 68, in a phone interview with the Washington Post. “He wanted to make a difference.”

Rich was from Omaha, Nebraska and graduated from Creighton University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy and history.

On his Linkedin page, Rich wrote, “I have an enormous interest in public service and working towards making the world a better place.”

In a open letter released by the DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman-Shultz said Rich “was a dedicated, selfless public servant,” and that he worked “tirelessly to protect the most sacred right we share as Americans – the right to vote.”

Before working for the DNC, Rich worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and in Nebraska politics, specifically for former U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D-Neb) re-election campaign.

Rich had lived in the Bloomingdale community for the last two years. The community has recently seen an uptick in armed robberies, and police are investigating if Rich’s death could be robbery motivated.

Rich’s father says that nothing was taken from his son, including his cell phone and credit cards. He believes that his son put up a fight with his attacker.

*This article has been updated to correct an error. The article originally said Rich was taken to Howard University Hospital, which was inaccurate.

Alan Smith fatally stabbed Saturday morning

A woman has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a man in a domestic incident.

Alan Smith, 50, was found suffering from a stab wound inside a residence in the 2300 block of Hartford St., SE early Saturday morning. Smith was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

Police then charged 42-year-old Lakisha Young with second-degree murder while armed. Police said the incident was domestic, but did not disclose the nature of Young and Smith’s relationship. Young is expected to be presented in D.C. Superior Court Monday afternoon.

Dozens of family members leave weeping from Lakisha Young’s presentment

Dozens of emotional family members packed the courtroom Monday afternoon for murder suspect Lakisha Young’s first court appearence.

Young was presented Monday on charges of second-degree murder for allegedly fatally stabbing Alan Smith, which presiding Judge Renee Raymond called a “family tragedy.”

Young’s family members filled the courtroom’s pews to capacity, with many women leaving in tears when Raymond ordered Young held without bail on the charges. At one point during the proceedings, a man stood up and yelled that Young had “killed my father,” and expressed wishes for her to die in hell. The man was escorted out of the courtroom following the outburst.

During the presentment, Young’s attorney David Maxted said she had acted in self-defense and requested that she be released. He also asked that if the court held Young without bail, that she be charged with involuntary manslaughter while armed instead of second-degree murder. ”

“It was in the heat of passion, it was not thought out or planned,” Maxted said.

The government said Young had two assault charges in the past, including one involving a knife. They also argued that “there is no colorful evidence for self-defense” in this case. While summarizing the charging documents against Young, Raymond said a witness told police Young grabbed a knife and stabbed Smith while he was unarmed and pleading for her to stop.

“The witness clearly says Ms. Young was the aggressor,” Raymond said. Raymond kept the original charge at second-degree murder while armed. Young is being held without bail and will be seen next in her preliminary hearing on July 21.

Police investigting fatal shooting in Bloomingdale Sunday morning

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Seth Conrad Rich Sunday morning.

Rich was found shot in the 2100 block of Flagler Place, NW a little before 4:20 a.m.

Police responding to the sounds of gunshots found Rich conscious and breathing at the scene, but he passed away after being taken to a local hospital.

Police are still investigating for any suspects.

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