Evidence Concludes After Four Weeks of Murder and Conspiracy Trial

The prosecution and defense finished introducing evidence and rested their cases in connection to a homicide after four weeks of trial on Oct. 21 before DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo.

Eugene Burns, 32, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the Nov. 14, 2015, fatal shooting of 24-year-old Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III on the 2900 block of Second Street, SE.

Burns was convicted of these charges in 2017, but the DC Court of Appeals overturned the verdict in 2020.

Burns and Tyre Allen, 24, are also charged with conspiracy, obstructing justice by influencing or delaying a witness or officer, and obstruction of justice for their alleged attempts to persuade a witness—Allen’s brother and Burns’s cousin—to redact testimony from Burns’ first trial.

The prosecution concluded their case by finishing jail calls between two individuals, who they identified as Burns and Allen.

In one call, the individual identified as Burns says, “one wild individual already outta the way,” presumably referring to his cousin recanting his testimony.

In further reference to the recanted testimony in a call, Burns stated, “he took that s*** back,” and “a lot of people don’t do that.” He further added, “that’s some real s***,” and “this s*** complicated and they play on what you don’t know.”

In another call, Burns reacted to hearing about the obstruction charges brought against him and Allen. He stated, “that’s my brother – I can communicate with him,” and “that’s my cousin – I can communicate with him.”

He said he made the statements, “not talking about anything real,” claiming “no one [was] harassed,” and “nothing to worry about.”

The prosecution rested their case after playing the jail calls.

Allen’s defense attorney, Brandon Burrell, began Allen’s case and entered evidence into court, including a jail call that was not included in the prosecution’s evidence.

Statements made by Burns to Allen in the recording included,, “tell your truth, do you, what you gotta do, you not lying, they’re gonna try to say you’re being forced, and I don’t want you to lie.”

Judge Demeo gave the jury a limiting instruction for this call, which stipulated that they should not use the statements made by Burns in the call to determine truth but to evaluate Allen’s state of mind.

Defense for Allen rested their case following this jail call.

Trial is scheduled to resume on Oct. 22.

Murder Defendant Rejects Pre-Preliminary Plea Offer

DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe found probable cause in a shooting defendant’s case on Oct. 18, after the defendant rejected a pre-preliminary plea offer.

Maleek Thomas, 21, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Melvin Dock Jr., on Oct. 30, 2023, on the 4300 block of Halley Terrace, SE. Another individual sustained injuries during the incident and survived.

According to court documents, while officers were reporting to the scene, an individual, who had been shot, flagged them down. This individual was transported to the hospital in stable condition. While the investigation continued, Dock was taken to the hospital, and succumbed to his injuries.

During the hearing, prosecutors offered Thomas a global pre-preliminary plea offer, which applied to multiple pending cases, stating that if Thomas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, and felony possession then the prosecution would agree to withhold indictment, not pursue a first-degree murder charge, and dismiss all other the charges in two misdemeanor cases.

If Thomas accepted the plea deal, he would face a range of 18-to-26 years in prison.

A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective provided an in-court identification of Thomas at the scene of the crime and as a suspect. He testified that the defendant allegedly admitted to the crime.

According to the detective’s testimony and the affidavit, Dock was originally present at the scene of the crime, not as the victim but as Thomas’ partner. The two would allegedly attempt to commit an armed carjacking.

However, when Dock encouraged Thomas to shoot the owner of the vehicle, when attempting to drive away, Thomas shot both the owner of the car and Dock, the detective said. The owner of the vehicle survived.

One witness, who was said to be involved romantically with Thomas, said the defendant confessed to shooting his friend, who later died from his injuries, during a FaceTime chat.

The detective confirmed this, but could not confirm whether the witness had any bad blood towards Thomas leading up to the incident and testimony.

Defense attorney Howard McEachern questioned the legitimacy of the confession and if the witness had any involvement in the case.

The detective could only confirm that the witness had made the statement because he did not conduct the questioning.

Woman Sentenced for 2017 Carjacking

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced a carjacking defendant, who avoided court for seven years, to two years of incarceration on Oct. 18.

On Aug. 12, Lakeesa Cambridge, 37, also known as Kimberly Mix, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit a robbery and unauthorized use of a vehicle for her involvement in a carjacking incident that occurred on Jan. 28, 2017, on the 100 block of Joliet Street, SW.

According to court documents, the victim met with Cambridge and another person, when the victim was struck on the head multiple times with a handgun inside his car. The victim fled the car seeking help.

Defense attorney Michael Bruckheim requested that the defendant’s criminal history score on the court’s sentencing guidelines be reduced due to discrepancies between state statutes from an incident in 2006. The prosecution did not adequately prepare for the motion and did not provide an opposing argument.

Judge Salerno agreed with the defense, marking that a previous South Carolina felony of criminal conspiracy was a misdemeanor, which matched the same severity of the other charges during the incident including financial transaction card theft. This dropped the maximum sentencing guidelines in the carjacking incident from nearly eight years to four.

According to the victim, he still experiences immense stress while driving and walking due to the seven-year-old incident and is in therapy.

The incident “stays with him everyday,” described the prosecution while requesting the highest end of the recommended sentencing amount of 44 months.

“I want to do what is rightful for myself and the betterment of the community,” said Cambridge during the hearing, stating she plans to live a crime-free life when released.

Bruckheim requested a split sentence, where the defendant would split her time served into a period of incarceration and a period of probation. He said that during these past seven years, Cambridge contributed to her community by maintaining employment, raising her children, and not committing further crimes.

Also, during the defendant’s brief time of incarceration, she completed several lifestyle improvement courses, explained the defense while providing two letters of support from the program coordinators.

Bruckheim continued to add that Cambridge was unaware she needed to be present in court during those years, even with several outstanding warrants in two different jurisdictions.

The judge took both sides into consideration when he decided the sentencing for the defendant. He also criticized Cambridge for switching her story several times throughout the years.

Judge Salerno sentenced Cambridge to two years in prison with three years supervised release for the assault with intent to commit robbery charge, which will be served concurrently with the sentence for the unauthorized use of a vehicle charge of 12 months in prison with three years of supervised release.

In addition to the time served, the defendant will have to pay $200 to the Crime Victims fund as well as register as a gun offender for two years once released.

Parties Negotiate Global Plea Deal for Carjacking Defendant

A defense attorney asked DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on Oct. 21 to schedule a future hearing date, by which time the defense hopes to agree on a plea deal with the prosecutor.

Caleb Johnson is charged with armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in an incident that occurred on Jan. 12 on the 4400 block of Hunt Place, NE.

Johnson is currently 26 or 27 years old. Court documents list two possible birthdates for him.

According to arrest documents, surveillance camera footage captured an individual, later identified as Johnson, punching a victim in the face and stealing his truck while another suspect threatened the victim with a gun.

“We are going to waive the preliminary hearing,” Chidi Ogolo, Johnson’s defense attorney, told Judge Salerno. “We are trying to resolve all the cases.”

Neither party indicated what specific cases are included in the plea offer.

“The plea offer, which is a global offer to plead guilty to carjacking and dismiss all the other cases, will expire at the next hearing if we don’t go forward,” said the prosecutor.

Court records show Johnson is facing a felony charge of escape from an officer from 2020, a misdemeanor charge of second-degree theft from 2022, a domestic violence charge of simple assault from 2022, a misdemeanor charge of attempted threats to do bodily harm from February, and misdemeanor and felony bail violation charges from June.

Parties are set to reconvene on Nov. 5.

‘The Man Is Dying in Front of You,’ Defense Argues against Using Video in Trial

An attorney for a homicide defendant argued that photos and a video the prosecution planned to use in trial were too upsetting to show to a jury in a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on Oct. 18.

Rafeal Stevens, 39, and Jermall Johnson, 41, are charged with first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in the shooting death of Aniekobo Umoh, 50, on Dec. 29, 2022, on the 2700 block of 7th Street, NE.

Stevens’ attorney, Jason Tulley, told the court some of the prosecution’s evidence would influence the jury emotionally without doing anything to prove Stevens’ guilt.

“It spurs the emotion, ‘Oh my god, this poor gentleman, I feel so sorry for him,” Tulley said about a photo of Umoh’s face taken during his autopsy.

Tulley also objected to a close-up photo of an exit wound that showed pink internal tissue and a photo of Umoh, while alive, with his young nephew.

“We all know what’s going on,” Tulley said. “They [the prosecutors] put up photos of them [the victims] with their loved ones to create an emotional response, so the jury is more likely to convict, not based on any evidence.”

“We’re not required to curtail our evidence on the grounds that it makes people feel sad,” the prosecution argued. “We’ve really culled down the shots that we use. We only use sanitized, bloodless photos.”

Judge Raffinan denied Tulley’s motions to exclude the photos from evidence. She said they were relevant for identifying the victim, communicating who he was as a person, and demonstrating his injuries without being gory or unnecessarily prejudicial.

Tulley asked Judge Raffinan to order the prosecution to redact sections of the body-worn camera footage they planned to show the jury from the officer who discovered Umoh.

“The man is dying in front of you. He’s literally dying on this body-worn camera. It’s awful,” Tulley said. “It could have two effects. One, it could make the jurors angry and want to hold someone accountable, and two, it could make the jurors unable to continue with the trial, and we’d lose jurors.”

Judge Raffinan said she would make a ruling after Tulley identified the specific portions of the video he wants redacted.

Johnson’s defense attorney, Steven LoGerfo, asked Judge Raffinan to sever Stevens’ and Johnson’s cases so they could have separate trials.

Judge Raffinan granted the motion for severance.

She said co-defendants are usually tried together to save the time and effort of the court and the prosecution, but they may be tried separately if one can give testimony that is exculpatory to the other.

According to Judge Raffinan, the prosecution plans to argue Stevens and Johnson conspired to murder Umoh, but Stevens has agreed to testify in Johnson’s trial that there was no conspiracy between them.

The next hearing in Stevens’ case is scheduled for Oct. 28.

In Johnson’s case, the next hearing is set for Dec. 3.

Carjacking Defendant Accepts Plea Deal in Taxi Cab Robbery, Faces Up To 15 Years

A carjacking defendant pleaded guilty to robbery and assault before DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian in a hearing Oct. 21.

Jose Mendoza, 36, was originally charged with two counts of armed carjacking of a taxi cab driver, first-degree theft, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon, simple assault and assault on a police officer for a carjacking incident that occurred on the 1400 block of Park Road, NW on July 25, 2021.

According to the prosecution, Mendoza approached a taxi cab driver and requested that he take him to Southeast DC. Mendoza then pulled out a knife, held it against the side of the driver’s body, and told him to get out of the car and leave the keys. Mendoza then used the vehicle to flee the scene. He was positively identified by the driver the following day and arrested.

Kevin O’Sullivan, Medoza’s attorney, informed the court of Mendoza’s intention to accept a deal that required him to plead guilty to robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. In exchange, the prosecution agreed not to seek indictment charges and dropped the original charges of armed carjacking, carrying a dangerous weapon, simple assault and assault on a police officer.

Robbery carries a penalty of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $37,500. Assault with a dangerous weapon carries a penalty of up to 10 years.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene for sentencing on Dec. 9

Judge Revokes Stabbing Defendant’s Probation

DC Superior Judge Heidi Pasichow revoked a stabbing defendant’s probation due to multiple violations on Oct. 21.

On Oct. 27, 2023, Demario Thornton, 22, pleaded guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a stabbing, which occurred on Aug. 31, 2023, at the intersection of North Capitol and P Streets, NW.

According to the prosecution, surveillance footage depicts the suspect following the victim out of the store after he got upset over a conversation they had, which led to a physical altercation between the two.

During the probation hearing, it was brought to the judge’s attention by Thornton’s probation officer that within two weeks of being in DC after his release from prison, Thornton had gotten rearrested for a misdemeanor. The officer added that for the past month, Thornton has violated his curfew and GPS monitoring requirements.

The officer and prosecutors recommended his probation be revoked.

Gregg Baron, Thornton’s defense attorney, argued that the defendant had been very compliant and needed a new charging device for his GPS.

He requested the judge give Thornton an additional week to show he could be compliant, further stating how he would go to office after this hearing to ensure he got a new charging device.

Thornton issued his own statement, claiming “he was trying his best, and had a lot on his plate at home.”

Judge Pasichow sided with the prosecution, and the probation officer revoking his probation. She scheduled a resentencing hearing, and put Thompson under custody.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on Nov. 22.

Defendant Accepts Plea Agreement

A shooting defendant accepted a plea agreement offered by prosecutors on Oct. 18 in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun.

Alante Parlow, 29, was initially charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting of a five-year-old and adult victim on April 23 on the 4800 block of North Capitol Street, NE.

According to prosecutors, the adult victim and the suspect, later identified as Parlow, got into an argument, and as the man attempted to leave the apartment with his five-year-old daughter, Parlow pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds at them. Both victims suffered wounds to multiple parts of their body, later being rushed to the hospital.

The five-year-old reportedly stated, “My uncle shot at us,” while at the hospital with officers, according to the prosecution.

Through his defense attorneys, Elizabeth Weller and Carrie Weletz, Parlow accepted a plea agreement that required him to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in exchange for the prosecutor’s not seeking an indictment.

The parties agreed on a sentencing range of 12-to-14 years of incarceration.

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 17.

Carjacking Defendant Apologizes for Attempting to Rob a Senior Citizen

A carjacking defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to carjack a senior citizen on Oct. 21 in front of DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld.

Ramone Brown, 34, is charged with unarmed carjacking for his alleged involvement in an incident on Feb. 20 on the 1700 block of New York Avenue, NE.

As part of Brown’s plea agreement, Brown pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit robbery in exchange for the dismissal of the unarmed carjacking charge and any additional charges that could arrive from this case.

According to the plea agreement’s proffer of facts, Brown ran up to the victim and attempted to steal his car at a Shell gas station.

“I want that car,” he said and climbed into the driver’s seat. He was unable to start the car, and a concerned citizen witnessed the event and forcefully removed him from the victim’s car.

Defense attorney Quo Mieko Judkins requested that the proffer of facts include that Brown was extremely intoxicated during the incident, and that it was noticeable and mentioned by the victim and the witness.

Judkins also communicated that Brown wanted to apologize for previous behavior in the courtroom that had been on his mind. At a prior hearing, Brown had outbursts in the courtroom when the victim had come to testify in court. He said he was frustrated with the situation and recognizes his inappropriate behavior.

Judge Hertzfeld thanked Brown for his apology and told him that she recognized he was frustrated, and appreciated him saying sorry.

Brown is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 20.

‘Keanan Turner Has Forfeited the Right to Live in Society,’ Prosecutor Says at Sentencing

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Keanan Turner to 69-and-a-half years in prison after the prosecution and members of the victims’ family asked for a life sentence without the possibility of release on Oct. 18.

Turner, 35, was found guilty on July 26 of two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, attempted first-degree murder committed against a minor, second-degree cruelty to children, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, arson, and destruction of property worth less than $1,000.

The charges stemmed from the shooting deaths of Wanda Wright, 48, and her daughter Ebony Wright, 31, on the 2300 block of Good Hope Court, SE, on April 12, 2021. Another daughter of Wanda and sister of Ebony was also a victim but survived, along with Ebony’s three-month-old child.

“The motive that the jury credited in the trial was that he had an affair with Ebony Wright, that she became pregnant, and that she was seeking child support and, to protect herself, child custody,” Judge Raffinan said.

According to court documents, Wanda’s surviving daughter testified that Turner visited his and Ebony’s child for the first time after he was served with court papers regarding child support and custody.

“He sat with the family for over an hour to put them at ease,” the prosecutor said about that visit during the sentencing hearing. “He killed Wanda, he killed Ebony, he shot [Wanda’s surviving daughter], and then he set a fire to kill his own child, a child who couldn’t even walk, who couldn’t even crawl, who was completely defenseless.”

Wanda’s surviving daughter gave a victim impact statement, saying she wouldn’t have made it out of the burning apartment after suffering a gunshot wound to the face if she hadn’t heard Ebony’s infant cry and felt the need to save him.

“These past few years have been a wakening and have taught me so much,” she said about her experience since Turner’s attack.

“I can’t live my life hating Keanan,” she said. “That gives him too much power over me.”

“We have each other,” she said about her family. “We have God, we have happiness, we have love, and those don’t go away just through death.”

“They didn’t deserve to die like that,” Wanda’s sister said about the victims. “When we have get-togethers, we’re putting down two chairs with flowers there for where those two should be sitting.”

“It’s hard to even imagine what was going on in that house that night,” said a nephew of Wanda and cousin of Ebony. “It just hurt that I couldn’t help at all to prevent anything that could be happening.”

“Like [Wanda’s surviving daughter] said, I can’t hate Keanan because we still have love in our family,” a niece of Wanda said. “The love will still go on. It can’t stop and it won’t stop.”

The prosecutor argued Turner should receive life in prison because he committed terrible crimes despite his supportive family, college education, stable employment, and apparent good physical and mental health.

“This is not a situation where, if the defendant goes to prison, he can be rehabilitated, because he was already leading the life society expects,” the prosecutor said. “Keanan Turner has forfeited the right to live in society.”

The defense disagreed.

“These events that are horrific do not necessarily equate to a person who is a monster,” argued Turner’s defense attorney, Franz Jobson.

Jobson read from a letter by one of Turner’s young children that said, “I want you to know how wonderful my father is,” and a letter by Turner’s mother-in-law that said, “Keanan has always been an example of family values and spiritual relationship.”

“I’ll make it back and show I’m not what the media and the [prosecution] have portrayed me to be,” Turner told the court. “All I do is take care of my family, take care of people I don’t know. I’d give you the clothes off my back. I wouldn’t have to know you to do anything for you.”

No further hearings are scheduled in this case.

Detective Says Ring Video Footage IDs Suspect

The lead Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective investigating a homicide case testified that suspect of a fatal shooting was identified through Ring video footage before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on Oct. 18.

Nelson Bryant, 32, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of Townsend Reginald Sowel l, 46, on Sept. 2 on the 2800 block of 7th Street, NE.

The prosecutor showed Ring video footage of a man shooting across an athletic field early in the morning on May 26. The detective said the person in the Ring video resembled Bryant as he appeared in a photo and a video MPD recovered from the defendant’s phone with a search warrant.

The detective identified Bryant in the courtroom and said he was recognizable because of a tattoo on his arm.

The lead detective told the court he found Sowell suffering from approximately five bullet wounds with no signs of life when he arrived at the scene in response to reports of gunshots.

MPD obtained surveillance video footage that showed an individual, later identified as Bryant, in an argument with Sowell a few minutes before the shooting, the detective said.

After Sowell walked away, the detective testified, the individual identified as Bryant met up with another man. The two of them moved quickly in the direction of the place where Sowell’s body was found, out of sight of the camera.

The detective said other people in the video visibly reacted to the sound of gunfire. Then the individual identified as Bryant came back into view of the camera, running away from the scene of the shooting.

According to the detective, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) indicated cartridge casings found near Sowell’s body might have been shot from the same gun used in shootings on May 26 and 27.

The detective’s testimony is scheduled to continue when parties next convene.

Bryant’s defense attorney, Jason Tulley, told the court he may also have a witness to call for the preliminary hearing.

The next hearing is set for Oct. 28.

Judge Denies Homicide Defendant’s Request for Release

During an Oct. 21 hearing, defense attorney Mani Golzari requested DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein release a homicide defendant from DC Jail to address his fugitive case pending in Maryland.

Kavon Young, 34, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of John Pernell, 66. The incident took place on July 3, 2010, during a robbery at a cookout on the 3000 block of Nelson Place, SE, where multiple armed men allegedly assaulted attendees and stole personal belongings.

During the hearing, Golzari raised concerns about Maryland’s cooperation regarding a bench warrant, emphasizing the need for Young to be available to resolve legal matters there and in DC. Golzari proposed a temporary release from DC, with the court retaining authority to order Young’s return before his trial, tentatively scheduled for April 2025.

Prosecutors previously told Judge Epstein Maryland that they could implement a writ that would transfer Young from DC to their jurisdiction and guarantee his return before trial, but it hasn’t been ordered.

Judge Epstein noted that the risk of Maryland not honoring a homicide writ seemed relatively low but acknowledged the parties’ concerns. He added that while the trial is roughly six months away and that the situation must be addressed promptly.

Judge Epstein scheduled a hearing in the coming weeks to revisit the issue after additional discussions and to monitor progress in the Maryland case.

Parties will reconvene on Nov. 1.

Judge Sentences Homicide Defendant to 50 Years

During a hearing on Oct. 18, DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced a homicide defendant to 50 years of incarceration for a 2019 murder.

Matthew Walker, 25, was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device in a non-jury trial for his involvement the fatal shooting of David Remen, 32, and non-fatal shooting of another victim, Michael Hardy, on Feb. 14, 2019, on the 1700 block of Hamlin Street, NE.

Hardy has since passed away.

In a separate case, Walker is also charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 23-year-old Jamal Green-Lee on the 100 block of Michigan Avenue, NE on April 29, 2019. Green-Lee died on Nov. 4, 2020, due to his injuries.

During the hearing, three family members of the victims addressed the court and described the incredible pain they felt during the incident, and described how hard it is still not knowing Walker’s motive. Remen’s father delivered a heartfelt victim impact statement to the court, stating that David was his only son, and he was viciously murdered by someone he did not know.

He said he is still asking why and searching for answers. He described experiencing unbearable pain and guilt over what happened, and that grief over his son’s death led to his wife’s death who was struggling with cancer.

Remen’s father traveled over 1,000 miles to give his statement and he said he accepts what society imposes as Walker’s sentence.

Hardy’s wife and daughter also gave victim impact statements. They described the enormous toll the shooting took on their family and the victim himself.

They said Hardy’s death a few years after the shooting was linked to the trauma he suffered from the crime. That he was never the same, never found peace, which led to health struggles including PTSD.

Hardy’s wife asked the court to ensure Walker is in prison for the rest of his life because he is a danger to society.

Walker addressed the court and apologized to the families for their loss and asked the court for the lowest possible sentence although he has never explained the motive for the attack.

Judge Demeo with the victim’s families and conceded that no sentence would make up for the pain and loss they experienced.

She explained that the sentence would take into account Walker’s struggles, which include suffering trauma from early age and severe mental health disorders.

Walker was sentenced to 38 years for the murder of Remen and 12 years for the non-fatal shooting of Hardy. The sentences will run consecutive to each other for a total sentence of 50 years, and the sentences for all other charges will run concurrently to this sentence.

There are no further dates set for this case.

Walker is set to have a status hearing for his charges regarding the death of Green-Lee on Nov. 8.

Teen Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Case

A teenage defendant pleaded not guilty to seven charges during a felony arraignment on Oct. 21 before DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein.

Christ Tchakounte, 19, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, aggravated assault while armed, and carrying a pistol without a license. These charges relate to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Jan. 19 at the intersection of A Street and 16th Street, SE. A juvenile sustained injuries during the incident.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), two suspects approached a victim at the scene, and one suspect shot the victim before both searched the victim’s pockets and fled. Patrick Nowak, Tchakounte’s attorney, asserted his constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.

Parties will reconvene on Nov. 8 for a bond hearing.

Judge Delays Ruling on Motion to Introduce ‘Touch’ DNA Evidence

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun delayed ruling on a prosecution motion prosecution to obtain DNA analysis from a specific kind of physical evidence in a case on Oct. 21.

Carlos Shelley, 29, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed against a minor, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, first-degree burglary, threat to kidnap or injure a person, and second-degree cruelty to children with a grave risk while armed for his alleged involvement in a shooting that took place on Nov. 9, 2023, at the 1800 block of Irving Street, NE.

During the hearing, the prosecution alerted the court that there was a rifle clip found while executing a search warrant on the defendant’s room, and it is consistent with the gun used in the case. Prosecution believes that there is usable DNA present and they wish to perform an analysis on the clip.

Shelley’s defense attorney, Christen Philips, noted that there is no DNA left behind by bodily fluids, like blood or sweat, which provides a much more clear analysis. The DNA that would be found would be so-called “touch DNA”, which would only indicate that Shelley made contact with the clip at some point, and not that he used it to commit a crime.

Judge Okun will take arguments from both parties under advisement, and will make a ruling when they reconvene.

Parties are slated to return on Nov. 15.

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