‘I Just Want to Talk to my Kids,’ Says Domestic Assault Defendant

A domestic assault defendant requested visitation with her 10 children during a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on June 26.

Sunshine Bangura, 37, is charged with first-degree cruelty to children and assault with a dangerous weapon for her alleged involvement in a domestic assault incident on June 21 on the unit block of Todd Place, NE.

According to court documents, Bangura allegedly assaulted her 15-year-old daughter in their home after the two got into an argument. The daughter reportedly told Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers that Bangura punched her in the face, kicked her stomach, and cut her with a knife above her left eyebrow and on her wrist.

“I just want to talk to my kids,” said Bangura during the hearing.

Judge Brandt listened as Bangura listed her 10 children, the youngest of which is only 11-months-old.

“Goodness, woman, you are worn out,” said Judge Brandt.

Bangura’s defense attorney, Atiq Ahmed, asked for more time to review a plea offer extended by the prosecution, and also requested a competency evaluation for Bangura.

According to court documents, the father said in an interview with MPD detectives that he had noticed recent mental health shifts in Bangura, such as depressive behavior and yelling. The father said, after he tried to stop the altercation, he asked Bangura what happened, and she gave no response.

According to Judge Brandt, the only stay-away order in place for Bangura applies solely to her 15-year-old. Judge Brandt confirmed that Bangura is freely able to speak with her other children.

Judge Brandt suggested that Bangura coordinate a visit with the father, who is currently caring for the children.

Ahmed said Bangura was worried about her infant. Judge Brandt extended sympathy but said the issue was outside her jurisdiction and should be addressed with the DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA).

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 1 .

‘This Is a Bizarre Situation,’ Judge Responds to Medical Dispute At Arraignment

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz heard conflicting claims about a homicide defendant’s medical condition during an arraignment on June 27.

Tommy Whack, 35, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated while armed and robbery for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Fasil Teklemariam, 53. The incident occurred on April 5, 2024, on the 1300 block of Peabody Street, NW.

During the hearing, Kevin O’Sullivan, Whack’s attorney, alerted Judge Kravitz that his client was pleading not guilty to his charges.

According to a representative from the Department of Corrections (DoC), Whack was hospitalized from April 24-to-29 for injuries.

According to O’Sullivan, these injuries have continued to cause persistent symptoms. O’Sullivan requested a follow-up neurology appointment, as well as accommodations in jail, including a wheel chair, a shower chair, and ongoing physical therapy.

Whack alleged in court that the DoC seized and shredded his discharge recommendations.

A DoC representative denied this, stating that all records are stored as external attachments in the medical records. The representative also argued a follow-up appointment was unnecessary, citing medical notes that Whack could bear weight and had been observed playing in a basketball game.

Whack countered that his neurologist recommended he see a specialist for nerve damage. He told the court his facility is not wheelchair accessible and that he cannot shower, attend appointments, or leave his cell.

After hearing the conflicting accounts, Judge Kravitz appeared baffled.

“This is a bizarre situation. I don’t really know what’s happening,” he said, and told Whack, “They say they saw you play basketball.”

Judge Kravitz instructed the DoC to arrange a neurology appointment. He denied requests from O’Sullivan to release Whack to home confinement or transfer him to another jail.

Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 8.

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Fatal Stabbing

A defendant pleaded not guilty before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on June 27 for his alleged involvement in a fatal stabbing.

Kevin Johnson, 39, is charged with felony murder while armed, first-degree premeditated murder while armed, and robbery while armed, for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 44-year-old Antonio Woody. The incident transpired on the 1700 block of Lincoln Road, NE, on Oct. 6, 2024.

Johnson’s defense attorney, Elizabeth Weller, alerted Judge Brandt to his intention to plead not guilty. She asserted his constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 2.

Shooting Defendant Pleads Guilty

DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Tor o accepted a shooting defendant’s guilty plea on June 27.

Cameron McMillian, 35, was originally charged with aggravated assault while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. The charges stemmed from his involvement in a shooting that injured one individual on the 1100 block of 4th Street, SW, on Jan. 22.

According to court documents, McMillian was arguing with the victim and an associate. When the victim turned away, McMillian hit them with a handgun, which discharged, striking the victim in the right shoulder.

McMillian pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in exchange for all other charges being dismissed.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 28.

Defendant’s Charge Changed to Murder after Victim’s Death

Prosecutors alerted DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park that they were updating a defendant’s charge from aggravated assault to murder on June 27, following the victim’s death on April 28 at George Washington University Hospital.

Walter Parker, 48, is charged with first-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the fatal beating of 77-year-old Bernard Williams on April 23 on the 400 block of M Street, SE.

According to court documents, Parker appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance at the time of the incident.

Parker’s attorney, Howard McEachern, indicated that Parker is scheduled for a competency evaluation.

Judge Park postponed Parker’s preliminary hearing until after the competency issue is resolved.

The prosecution stated that a plea offer is in process and will be presented at a future date. They also voiced their willingness to extend the plea deadline to allow time for the competency evaluation to be completed.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 2.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2 Shootings

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno accepted a plea agreement encompassing two shootings on June 16.

Alexander Evans, 40, was originally charged with carrying a pistol without a license for his involvement in a domestic shooting on Dec. 9, 2024, on the 4400 block of Gault Place, NE. No injuries were reported.

Evans was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a shooting that injured one individual on Jan. 13 on the 2000 block of Benning Road, NE.

According to court documents, during the Dec. 9 shooting, Evans shot into the air 12 times in an attempt to frighten his partner.

On Jan. 13, according to court documents, Evans shot an individual on the hand.

Evans’ attorney, Sellano Simmons, alerted Judge Salerno that his client was accepting a deal extended by the prosecution. Evans agreed to plead guilty to assault with significant bodily injury, endangerment with a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. In exchange, the prosecution agreed not to indictment Evans on greater charges.

Parties are set to reconvene on Aug. 22.

Shooting Defendant Claims Innocence For Curfew Violations

A shooting defendant accused of repeated curfew violations told DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe he was locked out of his residence in a show cause hearing on June 30.

On May 5, Dayquan Henderson, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful discharge of a firearm and misdemeanor possession of an unregistered firearm for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 300 block of Anacostia Road, SE, on May 11, 2024. No injuries were reported.

A representative from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) ordered Henderson to appear before Judge Pipe due to allegations of multiple release violations, including his GPS not being charged as required.

Henderson’s defense attorney, Daniel Kovler, stated that Henderson had moved since accepting his plea and is now living with his mother. He mentioned that an additional key was never created for the residence, which caused Henderson to have to wait for his mother to return home from work before he could enter the apartment.

According to the prosecution, PSA notified Henderson that his GPS monitor had lost power on June 24. Kovler stated that Henderson did not receive the alert and remained unaware until June 27 when Kovler informed him of the issue.

Upon notification, Henderson immediately fixed it. PSA allegedly found that the device’s charger had stopped working.

Judge Pipe discharged the show cause, and reminded Henderson he must comply with all release conditions.

Parties are set to reconvene on July 25.

Motions Arguments Continue in 5-Year-Old Shooting Case

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson heard testimony from two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers during a motions hearing in a shooting case on June 26.

Demann Shelton, 32, is charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, seven counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a shooting that occurred on Nov. 9, 2020, on the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW.

An MPD detective concluded his testimony from a previous hearing about his investigation of the shooting. The witness was previously the lead detective in Shelton’s case.

The detective said he reviewed surveillance camera footage of the suspect fleeing the scene after the incident and visited nearby residences in search of footage tracking the suspect’s whereabouts. He said MPD would have saved any footage used in the case.

The detective told the court he was unable to find witnesses in the case. He decided to close the case on Dec. 30, 2020, since progress was not being made and prosecutors refused to file charges against Shelton.

Prosecutors also called a former MPD patrol officer to testify. The witness stated she used to patrol the Le Droit Park neighborhood, where Shelton was a resident.

The officer said she had several personal interactions with Shelton during her time as a patrol officer, including a traffic stop and two separate arrests in 2018 and 2019 for unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. At the traffic stop, she said she noticed an open container of alcohol in the vehicle along with a firearm located under Shelton’s seat and another in a book bag between his legs.

The officer said she identified Shelton in court in 2024. She also identified him in a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) flyer created by the lead detective to help the public identify the suspect in this case.

Shelton’s defense attorneys, Emily Suffrin and Emma Mlyniec, stated that a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) report of the shooting suspect described him as a middle-aged black man wearing a puffy jacket. CAD reports are used to record information from 911 calls and communicate it to police. Suffrin and Mlyniec argued Shelton could not have been the suspect because he was too young.

Suffrin and Mlyniec said the prosecution lost evidence, including body-worn camera footage and 911 audio recordings, between when the incident occurred and when the case was filed against Shelton.

Judge Dayson granted the defense an extension to gather the evidence they claim was lost.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 2.

Murder Trial May Proceed Without Defendant After Ninth No-Show

When the defendant in an ongoing murder case failed to appear in court for the ninth time on June 27, DC Su perior Court Judge Michael Ryan said his trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 2, will go ahead with or without him.

Marquis Bullocks, 31, is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, threat to kidnap or injure a person, and obstruction of justice. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Michael Pate and 28-year-old Djuan Proctor on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace, SE, on Sept. 18, 2021.

Judge Ryan asked Bullocks’ defense attorney, David Akulian, why he has not been able to maintain contact. Akulian said he has had difficulty seeing his client in person at the DC Jail, and he is worried about what will happen when the case gets to trial.

“I am going to have a number of questions to ask him,” Judge Ryan said about Bullocks. He said Bullocks’ degree of court avoidance was unique, consisting of almost a dozen absences in the space of one year.

Judge Ryan said he would consider waiving Bullock’s presence at trial if he could obtain Bullock’s consent to do so. Akulian said he would discuss that option with Bullocks.

The prosecution suggested the court respond to Bullocks’ absences by issuing a forthwith order for Bullocks to appear or allowing Bullocks to appear remotely from the jail.

Judge Ryan told Akulian that Bullocks must appear in court before the start of his trial on Sept. 2.

“If we have to, we will,” Judge Ryan said about the possibility of going to trial without Bullocks present.

Parties are slated to reconvene July 15.

‘I Don’t Understand How That Would Be an Option,’ Victim’s Family Responds to Defendant’s Plea Deal

The family of a homicide victim fiercely challenged the plea deal accepted by the defendant before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on June 20.

Keyon Slaughter, 27, was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, first-degree burglary while armed and unlawful possession of firearm with a prior conviction. The charges stemmed from his involvement in the fatal shooting of Dana Bailey Jr., 38, on Dec. 5, 2022, on the 3300 block of E Street, SE.

Theodore Shaw, Slaughter’s attorney, alerted Judge Dayson to his client’s intent to accept a plea offer from the prosecution. The agreement required Slaughter to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed, in exchange for the prosecution’s dismissing all other charges.

Through the deal, the parties agreed to a sentence of 16 years’ imprisonment.

Members of Bailey’s family attended the court hearing to speak about their loved one, whose presence was sorely missed.

He was a “stand up guy… whose biggest flaw was trying to help others,” Bailey’s mother told D.C. Witness.

On the stand, she told Judge Dayson that the killer “followed my son” and “murdered my child in his home.”

Bailey’s mother and sister both told the court they believed the circumstances of Bailey’s death meant the killer should be charged with first-degree murder. They both said the killing had been planned and premeditated.

“I’ve been the detective in this case,” said Bailey’s sister. She claimed that Slaughter had been part of a plot to kill Bailey.

The family also claimed Bailey identified Slaughter to one of his family members with his last words.

“He has six kids. That’s traumatizing to them,” Bailey’s sister said.

Bailey’s sister expressed surprise and disappointment that the court would accept Slaughter’s plea on a provisional basis.

“I don’t understand how that would be an option,” she said, citing the evidence she believed showed the killing was intentional. Then she caught herself, her voice trembling and breaking, before leaving the courtroom.

Judge Dayson acknowledged the testimony of the family and how hard it must be for them to speak. She said her decision on whether to accept Slaughter’s plea definitively will depend on several factors at the time of sentencing.

Bailey’s mother and sister promised to be at the sentencing.

Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 29.

Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea Offer, Receives Trial Date

A non-fatal shooting defendant rejected a plea offer and scheduled a trial for March of 2026 during a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on June 26.

Derrick Gladden, 54, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that injured one individual on April 15, 2024, on the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue, SE.

According to court documents, the victim was found by police sitting on his front porch with one gunshot wound to his upper chest. The victim reportedly identified Gladden by pointing to the front porch of his apartment and saying, “Dude lives there.”

Gladden’s attorney, Alvin Thomas, alerted the court that Gladden was rejecting a plea offer extended by the prosecution. The offer would have required Gladden to plead guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a firearm in exchange for the prosecutors’ dismissing the remaining charges.

With this rejection, Gladden is liable to face prison time for previous charges as well.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 29.

Homicide Defendant Waives DNA Testing, Considers Plea Offer

A murder defendant waived his right to independently test DNA evidence and requested additional time to review a plea offer during a hearing on before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on June 17.

John Woods, 67, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Geno Freemon, 60, which occurred on Feb. 19, 2021, on the 5900 block of Chillum Place, NE.

Kevin Mosley and Kavya Naini, Woods’ attorneys, alerted Judge Ryan to the defendant’s intent to waive his right to independently test DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene.

According to the prosecution, the evidence included shotgun pellets and casings found in the surrounding area, the defendant’s vehicle, and Freemon’s vehicle.

The prosecution previously extended a plea offer to Wood that was scheduled to expire on June 20. At the June 17 hearing, the prosecution extended the deadline to July 10.

The terms of the plea deal were not discussed in court.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 10.

Judge Requires Shooting Defendant’s Release Request in Writing

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan told a shooting defendant’s attorney on June 17 that he will consider a request to release the defendant if the attorney provides a written motion.

Troy Scott, 34, is charged with assault with intent to commit murder while armed, aggravated assault knowingly with a grave risk while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from Scott’s alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing that occurred on Aug. 5, 2024, on the 1600 block of 29th Street, SE.

When Scott’s defense attorney, Rachel Cicurel, asked Judge Ryan to release the defendant, the prosecution requested a written motion and time to respond. Judge Ryan granted the prosecution’s request.

Parties are set to reconvene on July 17.

Judge Considers Competency of 2-Year-Old Witness in Father’s Murder Case

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz addressed the reliability of information from a two-year old eye-witness to a homicide in a hearing on June 27.

De’Angelo Goldston, 37, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting his father, 61-year-old Darryl Smith, on Feb. 4 on the 1000 block of First Street, SE.

Judge Kravitz began the hearing by asking questions to determine the competency of the two-year old witness, Goldston’s daughter, who was allegedly in the apartment when the murder took place.

The prosecution previously shared with Judge Kravitz video footage from an interview with a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective. The footage showed the witness stating, “Daddy shot Pop Pop,” and imitating him falling off the chair.

Judge Kravitz asked the prosecution to forward the video of the interviews with Goldston’s daughter to the defense. He deferred ruling on the child’s competence until a later date.

Parties are set to reconvene Sept. 5.

Murder Defendant Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

A homicide defendant pleaded not guilty during an arraignment before D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on June 26.

Juan Adams, 40, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Michael Hansley on Dec. 2, 2023, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

Adams’ defense attorney, Rachel Cicurel, alerted the court to Adams’ intention to plead not guilty to both charges and asserted his constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Cicurel requested that Adams be released until the next court date. The prosecution opposed this request and no changes were made.

Judge Ryan asked that the prosecution identify their evidence at the next hearing so that parties can prepare for an IPA hearing, if necessary.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on Aug. 1.

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