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Charges against Paul Hagans upgraded to murder

The man who told police he punched 41-year-old Desmond Joseph has now been charged with murder, after the victim died from his injuries.

Paul Hagans was initially charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly punched Desmond once, killing him.

According to police, Hagans allegedly delivered the fatal punch at around 4 p.m. on March 2 on 200 Block of Rhode Island Ave., NE. Unconscious and unresponsive, Joseph was transferred to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead the following day.

The decedent’s cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the head. His death was deemed a homicide.

According to charging documents, Hagans turned himself in to police the night of the altercation, and was originally charged with aggravated assault. After Joseph’s death, Hagans’ charges were upgraded to a felony murder charge, police announced on Monday.

Hagans is being held without bond and is expected in court April 14 for a preliminary hearing.

Prosecution calls key witnesses to the stand in Dujuan Garris trial

Three days into the James Anderson murder trial, the prosecution spent the day hammering out the details of the night that police say Dujuan Garris, 21, fatally shot and killed the 27-year-old.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Anderson testified Anderson suffered three gunshot wounds, in addition to abrasions consistent with falling down a flight of stairs after he was shot.

Eyewitness Danelle Scott, 19, testified and said repeatedly she couldn’t remember specifics about the suspect who shot and killed Anderson, after testifying that her location in the room that night gave her visibility of the attacker. On several occasions the prosecution presented Scott with her grand jury testimony, taken two years ago, in an effort to “refresh her memory.”

After a quick break, Scott was supposed to be called back on the stand. However, she didn’t appear in the courtroom and the both the defense and prosecution approached the judge.

After ushering the jury out on an early lunch break, the judge and attorneys spoke relating to issuing a warrant and putting court marshals on the matter.

Upon the jury’s return from break, Scott was placed back on the stand and upon her cross examination Scott told the defense she “didn’t want to be involved in this case.”

Garris is expected in court Monday for his continued trial.

Man found fatally stabbed in Bellevue

Police are investigating a the fatal stabbing of 26-year-old Leonte Butler.

According to police, at around 11 p.m. on March 11 police arrived to 4000 block of South Capitol St., SE and found Butler’s body body. Butler was found unresponsive and had multiple stab wounds.

Butler was pronounced dead at the scene and was later transported to the medical examiner’s office.

Police have not released any suspect information.

51-year-old man found stabbed to death

Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of 51-year-old Dennis Lee Wise.

According to police, Wise’s lifeless body was found early Saturday morning on the 1800 block of Bruce Place, SE. Wise was pronounced dead on the scene and later transported to the medical examiner’s office.

Police have not released any suspect information at this time.

Tyrone Johnson fatally shot Friday morning


Police are investigating after a 24-year-old man was killed Friday morning.

Tyrone Johnson was found in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Ave. SE, at around 11:15 Friday morning with apparent gunshot wounds. Johnson was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

Police have not released any suspect information at this time.

 

 

Derryck Decuir continues to argue self-defense at murder trial


The man on trial for allegedly killing a teenager in June 2015 continued to argue he did so in self-defense Thursday.

Derryck Decuir, charged with the murder of Malek Mercer, tried to clear up some of the inconsistencies between his initial conversations with police and his current testimony.

Decuir told the jury on Thursday that he saw Mercer pull a gun out of his bag. The government pressed Decuir for details of the gun, but Decuir said he could not remember the color.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler, reminded Decuir he spoke Wednesday of an admiration for guns. Decuir told his lawyer during his testimony Wednesday that he loved guns, so the government suggested Decuir should have know which gun Mercer was holding.

The government played a video of Decuir conversing with his mother, denying that he committed the murder.

“I don’t even own a gun.” Decuir said. “I’m on probation.”

Decuir was questioned by police, and at one point was left alone and began to talk to himself. The government played the video of Decuir repeatedly saying he was not responsible for Mercer’s murder.

“I did not shoot that boy. They’re gonna hold me until they find the fuckin’ shooter,” Decuir said.

Decuir said he knew that he was being recorded, but did not know he could be heard.  The government suggested that Decuir was “putting on a show.”

Decuir had also told detectives he “stays away from guns” but told his lawyers in court on Wednesday that he “loved guns.” The government showed the jury pictures of Decuir and his guns from his facebook page.

Decuir is still being held without bond.

The trial resumes on Monday with closing statements.

 

Defense suggests real culprit in James Anderson murder is a drug gang


Defense attorney’s representing the man accused of the murder of 27-year-old James Anderson suggested in opening statements Wednesday that the true culprit is a drug gang.

According to the defense, 21-year-old Dujuan Garris is innocent and Anderson’s death is the the work of a drug-related gang. The defense said Anderson was a marijuana dealer whose business had gone on to include cocaine, and create enemies.

Defense Attorney Eugene Ohm cited instances when Anderson was robbed at gunpoint and threatened by members of the gang. Ohm said his client is not a part of any such gangs.

Shortly after the murder, a witness approached a detective with the names of six people in the gang. According to the defense, those suspects were never investigated and an email detailing those potential suspects was suppressed, and found again two years after Anderson’s death.

According to the defense, Garris had been in the Northwest quadrant of the city at the time of the shooting, which occurred in Southwest.

However, the prosecution detailed a different story.

In their opening statements, the prosecution told a narrative of a thin black man with long dreads who burst into the backdoor of a house filled with teenagers at 1337 1st St., SW. And to Anderson said, “Give that shit up.”

There was a struggle and Anderson was shot in the process. The prosecution said “that wasn’t enough” and the man shot the victim twice more.

The prosecution says Anderson’s murder was a premeditated robbery plot. “Fat Fat,” identified by the prosecution as Garris, was the shooter the night Anderson was killed, and enlisted the help of two lookouts, a man that goes by the nickname Smooth, and a 14-year-old boy called “nugget”.

Garris faces first-degree murder, attempted robbery and a variety of firearm charges.
Garris is being held without bail. The trial continues Thursday.

Murder suspect tells jury he didn’t intend to kill teen

Murder suspect Derryck Decuir told a jury on Wednesday he shot 16-year-old Malek Mercer out of fear for his own life, and never intended to kill the teen.

Decuir was charged with the murder of Mercer near a bus stop in June 2015.

Decuir was on his way back from his father’s funeral with two of his friends on the night of the shooting.

“It hurt, I was down but I was trying to stay strong for my sisters,” Decuir said during emotional testimony on Wednesday, when asked by his attorney how he felt that night.

Decuir said his friend asked one of Mercer’s friends for a cigarette, and Decuir told Mercer he had a belt just like the red one Mercer wore. Decuir and his friends then got on the bus and sat behind Mercer, but Decuir said it’s because he usually sits in the back of the bus. When the two groups of friends got off the bus at the same stop, Decuir said he didn’t intend to follow Mercer, he was just walking in that same direction.

Decuir said Mercer and his friend walking toward them and Mercer pulled a gun from his bag. At that moment Decuir said he “acted in self defense.”

“I saw the two young men walking in front of me. The young man pulled out a gun, and I shot him,” Decuir said.

Decuir told the jury he was afraid for his life and “shot first.”

When asked what happened next, Decuir said he fell.

“I fell because I was startled. It scared me, and it happened so quick,”  Decuir said. He said his intent wasn’t to kill Mercer.

On the night of his arrest, Decuir was taken to the homicide division. When he spoke to detectives, Decuir denied responsibility for the shooting and instead told police that he “heard a gun shot.” When asked why he lied, Mercer said he lied because he didn’t think there was a “self-defense law” in DC.

During his questioning with the police, Decuir was left in a room by himself where a video recording showed him repeating to himself that he “didn’t do it.”  He told the jury that he kept saying that because the murder was “eating up his conscious.”

Decuir also told the jury that he had purchased the gun to protect himself and his family.

The defense team asked Decuir why he had guns in his possession for protection if he didn’t know there was a self-defense law. Decuir said he was “willing to go against the law to protect the well being of me and my family.”

After the shooting, Decuir told his then girlfriend, Ashley Graves, to tell his friend to take his guns out his backyard because he did not want them at his step-mother’s house or around his sisters. Decuir also admitted in court that he denied shooting Mercer to Graves because he did not want her to think he was a “killer.”

Decuir also expressed remorse and said he felt bad for putting Graves and his friend, now in jail for removing the guns, through that situation.

 

Mercer is currently being held without bail. The trial will resume on Thursday.

Defense tries to prove self-defense in Derryck Decuir trial


Defense attorneys for Derryck Decuir continued their attempts Tuesday to prove their client acted in self defense when he shot 16-year-old Malek Mercer.

Attorneys continued questioned Rachaen Bethea, a friend of Mercer’s. Bethea’s younger brother was with Mercer the night of the shooting. The defense’s questions sought to prove Bethea had put a gun in Mercer’s bag, which Bethea denied.

According to the defense team, during Bethea’s interrogation by police after the shooting, he was on his phone and said “[I]f something was bagged on the scene, he could have been locked up.”  The defense attorneys suggested that Bethea was talking about a gun, but Bethea said he was talking about marijuana.

Next, witness Barbara Cole testified, who lived in a house near the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, where Mercer was killed. Cole told the jury she heard noise that woke her up.

“When I looked out, I saw a body laying there so I called the police,” Cole said.

Another friend of Mercer’s, James Gaskins, also testified in front of the jury on Tuesday.  Gaskins was with Rachaen Bethea when his younger brother Tyshawn called to say Mercer had been shot.

When Gaskins arrived at the scene, he said he saw a bag next to Mercer, and it was open. He told the jury that he was talking to Mercer but Mercer was unresponsive.  He also said that when the police arrived, they handcuffed him.

Gaskins is currently on probation and was not permitted to go to the area of the shooting. He was arrested in Maryland earlier in 2015 for attempted first-degree murder arrested in D.C. for carrying a pistol without a license.

Gaskins said he violated the rules of his probation, but argued it was because he was concerned about his friend.

 

Decuir’s stepmother Lakisha Barrow testified. In her testimony, Barrow said the night of the shooting she was still reeling from the death of her husband, and was unaware of what happened until Decuir called her. Barrow said Decuir told her he was not responsible for Mercer’s death.

“Something just happened I didn’t do it, I just want to let you know before you see it on the news,” Barrow said Decuir told her.

Decuir is being held without bail. The trial will resume on Wednesday.

Man killed in one punch, documents say

The man who told police he punched Desmond Johnson was ordered held without bail on Tuesday.

Paul Hagans Jr., 36, was identified by police as the man arrested and charged with aggravated assault for Johnson’s death.

According to charging documents, on March 2, Hagans, a construction worker, was in charge of traffic control when a coworker pointed out a man who was throwing traffic cones.

Hagans approached the man, later identified as Johnson, and “words were exchanged.” Hagans told police the situation escalated and Johnson allegedly held a traffic cone and “flinched” toward Hagans, who punched Johnson in response. Hagan fled the scene.

Johnson collapsed on the 200 Block of Rhode Island Ave., NE, where metro transit police found him suffering from trauma, according to police.

Johnson was brought to a nearby hospital and succumbed to his injuries the following day. The coroner ruled his cause of blunt force trauma to the head and declared Johnson’s death a homicide.

After investigating the incident, police called Hagans at which time he told police “he had hit the guy and knows he’s going to jail” and further promised to turn himself in later that night.

Hagans was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault, though additional charges are pending in the wake of Johnson’s death.

The defendant is being held without bond and will be presented in court March 13 for a preliminary hearing.

Defense presents potential hiccup in James Anderson murder trial

Before jury selection could begin on Tuesday, defense attorneys in the James Anderson murder trial presented a potential hiccup in trial proceedings.

Defense attorney Eugene Ohm said he was unable to secure the attendance of a witnesses for next Thursday, the start of the defense’s portion of the trial for Dujuan Garris. Ohm said he hoped to put the witness on the stand the following Monday, a scenario Judge Milton Lee was not in favor of.

Judge Lee said the delay was “unacceptable” and ordered Ohm to try to secure the witness’s arrival to court for the start of the defense’s case on Thursday, March 16. Lee further explained that he does not want to push the proceedings because the jury would then have a gap day between testimonials.

The prosecution is scheduled to begin their five day case on Wednesday.

Garris, 21, is being held without bond as he faces first-degree murder charges.

Friends of victim and suspect testify in Derryck Decuir trial


The alleged chain of events that led to the death of a teenager were described to the jury Monday by friends of the suspect and victim.

Rachean Bethea testified Monday in the trial of Derryck Decuir, who was charged with Malek Mercer’s murder. Bethea is the older brother of Tyshawn Bethea, and called the police when his younger brother called to say their friend had been shot.

The prosecution played the 911 tape between Bethea and a dispatcher where Bethea called for help. When asked what he remembers about his brother after the shooting, Bethea described having to console and caress his brother “like a baby” because he was so upset.

“He was like my little brother, I would see him almost every day.” Bethea said of Mercer.

Decuir’s defense has argued he acted in self-defense, and that Mercer had a gun in a bag he carried when he was shot. The defense showed a photo of both of the Bethea brothers holding a gun in a photo. Though Bethea confirmed he had been arrested and charged with carrying a pistol, he vehemently deneid he had ever asked Mercer to hold a gun in his bag.

The defense called Anthony Ryans as a witness, who was one of two men with Decuir the night he shot Mercer. Ryans, who was wearing a GPS tracking ankle bracelet at the time of the shooting was on parole for another crime. He turned himself into police following the shooting so police would not believe he was the murder suspect.

On the night of the shooting, the three men were on their way back from Decuir’s father’s funeral. Decuir and Ryans are best friends and cousins, Ryans said in court. When the three men got off the bus, they parted ways. Ryans heard a gunshot and panicked.

 

 

“I know a gun shot when I hear one…I ducked a little bit when I heard the gunshot because I wasn’t trying to get shot,” Ryans said.

Ryans told the jury he and McCaskill shook their heads in disappointment when Decuir caught up with them after he shot Mercer.

“When he caught up to me, I started panicking because I knew he was in a bad situation,” Ryans said during his testimony on Monday.

When the government asked him what happened after he got home the night of the shooting, Ryans said he was sad.

“When I came home, I got in the shower and started crying because [the shooting] happened for no reason.” Ryans said said to the jury in court on Monday.

Decuir declined to go to the police with him and asked Ryans to call him Derryck Miles. Miles was the last name of Decuir’s late father.

The trial is still in progress, and will resume on Tuesday.