Judge Sentences Co-Defendants for ‘Street Justice’ Shooting that Killed Bystander

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz sentenced two co-defendants on March 13 for their involvement in the death of a bystander during a revenge shooting in a park.

Andrew Ellis, 23, and Marques Johnson, 43, pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2025 to second-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 56-year-old Leo Colter on Oct. 1, 2023 around 9:57 p. m. in McPherson Square Park on the 900 block of 15th Street, NW. Colter sustained a gunshot wound to his upper back.

As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a sentence range of 15-to-18 years in prison for each defendant, accepted by Judge Kravitz at sentencing.

The prosecutor read a letter from Colter’s sister who said “[Colter] was kind and helpful to everyone he met.” According to his sister, Colter struggled with addition his entire life but worked hard to better himself. “Even though my brother was on the streets, he had a family who loved him, and we know he loved us,” she wrote.

“I want these men to be held accountable for what their actions have done to my family,” concluded Colter’s sister.

“This is literally the worst kind of homicide, a planned out homicide,” asserted the prosecutor and asked for both defendants to receive 18 years in prison for their “extremely reckless” behavior.

The prosecutor said Ellis and Johnson shot Colter as retaliation for the shooting of their friend the day before. According to court records, a friend or associate of the defendants was shot at the WaWa on the unit block of Thomas Circle, NW shortly before midnight on Sept. 30, 2023. The prosecutor claimed Ellis then retaliated with shots in front of the Shake Shack on the 1400 block of 14th Street, NW around 1:18 a. m.

The prosecutor played body-worn camera from responding officers to the 14th Street shooting and emphasized the crowded nature of the area and how “absolutely reckless this behavior was.”

According to the prosecutor, the same individual Ellis reportedly shot at on 14th Street was the intended target of the shooting in the park but “Colter just happened to be the one that was hit.” The intended victim told the prosecutor he felt horrible knowing Colter died when he was the target.

“The deliberate nature of this is pretty apparent,” concluded the prosecutor. She said Ellis and Johnson received an extreme benefit through the plea deal.

Ellis’ attorney, Carrie Weletz, said her client is an “eloquent, educated individual” who has the potential to accomplish great things when he applies himself. While incarcerated, Ellis earned his high school diploma and continued to take programs and obtain certificates at the DC Jail.

Weletz said the incident involved two rival groups and described Colter caught in the cross-fire as a “sad reality.” She maintained that Ellis did not plead guilty to the shooting on 14th Street.

Ellis said “sorry to the family for the victim who was hurt, I don’t believe he should have lost his life.”

Johnson’s attorney, Kevin Robertson, said his client knows it’s not right that Colter died. After becoming acquainted with Johnson, Robertson said he was shocked his client faced such serious charges.

Johnson apologized to Colter’s family and his own family for his “reckless actions.”

“I should’ve thought better,” said Johnson.

Weletz said the intended victim told prosecutors he wanted to recant his entire testimony from the grand jury and admitted to perjuring himself. Robertson also noted the retraction from prosecutors’ key witness in the case. Ellis and Johnson maintained their acceptances of responsibility despite a meaningful opportunity to withdraw their pleas, emphasized Weletz and Robertson.

Weletz and Robertson both requested 15 years of imprisonment for their clients.

Judge Kravitz agreed with the prosecutor that the evidence suggested premeditated murder although it appeared Colter was not the intended victim.

The “street justice” from Ellis and Johnson “can not be condoned or accepted in a city we like to think is a civilized place that values life and the ability to move around the city without being hit by stray bullets,” said Judge Kravitz.

Ellis’ minimal criminal record and positive work at the DC Jail was “encouraging,” said the judge.

Judge Kravitz described Johnson’s criminal history as significant and troubling, including convictions for armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. As a result, Johnson merited a longer sentence than Ellis, said the judge.

Judge Kravitz sentenced Ellis to 15 years and Johnson to 16 years of imprisonment, both followed by five years of supervised release. Both will be required to register as a gun offender in DC upon their release.

No further dates were set.

Case Acquitted: Witness Admits Changing Murder Account in Obstruction Case

Editor’s Note: Aillayh Carter was acquitted of all charges by a jury on March 19, 2026.

A key eyewitness in a homicide case admitted to jurors that she lied under the direction of an obstruction of justice defendant before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on March 16.

Aillayh Carter, 29, is charged with two counts of obstructing justice for allegedly trying to influence witnesses in a homicide case.

Carter’s case was severed on Feb. 20 from Robert Carpenter, 37, who is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with prior conviction. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Tremaine Nicholson at the 3400 block of 25th Street, SE on May 7, 2024.

Prosecutors called the woman Carter considers her godmother to testify, a key eyewitness to Nicholson’s murder. Prosecutors allege that Carter elicited false testimony from both the godmother and her husband.

Carter’s godmother explained that she met Carter through her husband, who worked with Carter. They quickly became good friends and she considered Carter her goddaughter after two weeks.

On the day of the shooting, Carter’s godmother said she visited Carter at her apartment with her husband about 10-to-20 minutes before Carpenter arrived from work. She claimed to hardly know or interact with Carpenter at the time, only referring to him as “son” since she didn’t know his name.

She also described Nicholson coming into the apartment, causing Carter to get upset. The godmother said she didn’t know Nicholson at the time, but deduced his relationship with Carter through her knowledge of Carter’s child, and because Nicholson repeatedly asked for his child upon arrival.

According to her godmother, Carter responded by continuously shouting “get the f*** out of my home.” This argument went on for around 20 minutes straight.

The godmother said she was in the kitchen, while they argued in the other room. After the argument there was a brief moment of silence then she heard a gunshot, but could not recall how many. She initially feared for her husband’s safety, but after confirming he was fine, she “got the hell up out of there,” without paying any attention to who else was present at the scene.

She testified that she did not see who fired the shot, and did not know if Carpenter was in the

room at the time of the shooting.

While running out of the apartment with her husband, the godmother observed Carter outside the apartment building on the phone. She claimed to have not heard Carter’s conversation, but assumed she was calling the police–but that wasn’t the case.

Prosecutors then questioned the godmother on her interactions with Carter following the shooting. She claimed that she did not speak with Carter about the shooting immediately after it occurred. However, another day, a short time later the godmother said Carter asked her to tell law enforcement that Robert Carter murdered Nicholson.

The godmother claimed to not remember what exactly she told law enforcement. Prosecutors presented her with her previous testimony from a prior hearing. She then said her memory was refreshed and she did in fact remember saying that Carter was responsible for the murder to law enforcement, and that it was under her direction.

Due to time constraints from inclement weather, Carter’s godmother’s direct examination was paused and will continue when parties resume the trial the following day.

Before her testimony, parties delivered their opening statements.

The prosecution told jurors that Nicholson was “unarmed, outnumbered, and shot in the back,” describing the fatal encounter that occurred in Carter’s apartment. The prosecution explained that although Carter did not commit the shooting, she obstructed justice by attempting to influence false testimony from witnesses, which interfered with law enforcement’s investigation.

Carter was not arrested for the murder at the scene, but despite that, the prosecution argued that she continued lying and contacted witnesses telling them to say that she was responsible for the killing.

Carter’s attorney, Julie Wilson, urged the jurors to approach the case carefully, warning them to not view the case through the lens of crime television shows.

“We all have watching crime shows in common,” but in television shows there is a clear right and wrong, said Wilson. “Real life is not an episode of ‘Law and Order,’” said Wilson, stating that cases are complicated and have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Additionally, the prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who was the first to respond to the scene, to testify.

The officer testified that he was on patrol at the time of the incident when he received a call about shots fired. When he arrived, he explained that he saw “legs on the floor” immediately upon entering the apartment.

The prosecution showed the jury footage from the MPD officer’s body-worn camera. In the video, the officer called his partner so they could clear the apartment before requesting emergency services. Jurors were also shown a photo of Nicholson lying on the ground. The officer pointed out visible shell casing on the floor in this photograph.

During cross-examination, Carter’s other attorney, Gregory Copeland, confirmed with the officer that there was no one in the apartment besides him, his partner, and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

The prosecution called another MPD officer to the stand that arrived at the scene shortly after the initial officers and encountered a woman outside of the apartment building who was crying. The prosecution played the officer’s body-worn camera footage of her speaking with a woman who identified herself as Aillayh Carter.

During cross-examination, Copeland played additional footage from the officer’s body-worn camera. In the video, Carter told the officer that she asked Nicholson to leave her apartment but he did not. She also stated in the video that there were two other people inside the apartment but she told them to leave.

The prosecution replayed the video where Carter said there were two other people inside the apartment, but the officer explained that they were not present when she arrived.

Prosecutors also called an additional MPD Officer, along with the work supervisor of Carpenter, who was with Carpenter at the time of his arrest.

The officer testified that law enforcement apprehended Carpenter after an MPD Falcon helicopter located his pickup truck.

At the time, Carpenter was working as a park steward for a woods conservation organization. His supervisor at the time identified Carpenter and his pickup truck in front of the jury after being played surveillance footage of the front of the apartment building around the time of the shooting.

Parties are scheduled to resume Carter’s trial on March 17.

Judge Presses Prosecutors Over Late Disclosure in Homicide Case

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz pressed prosecutors about a late disclosure involving a police witness during a motions hearing in a homicide case on March 12.

Jaime Macedo, 24, is charged with first-degree murder – felony murder while armed, attempt to commit robbery while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Maxwell Emerson. The incident occurred on the 600 block of Alumni Lane, NE on July 5, 2023.

According to court documents, after the suspect followed Emerson for some time, a struggle ensued, and the suspect shot Emerson in the abdomen.

At the hearing, defense attorneys Rachel Cicurel and Jessica Willis raised concerns about a recently disclosed issue involving a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who had previously been identified as a potential witness. According to the defense, the officer had been the subject of a sustained internal investigation related to allegations that he starved and killed his dog and later lied to an animal rights investigator.

Cicurel said the investigation by an officer from an animal rights organization reported the witness had been found untruthful in March 2023.

Judge Kravitz questioned prosecutors about when the information became known.

Prosecutors stated that the issue only came to light recently after further inquiries into the officer’s background. They said earlier internal checks did not reveal the issue because records from the officer’s time as a police cadet were not included in the system that had initially been reviewed. Prosecutors also stated that they do not intend to call the officer as a witness at trial, although it’s unclear why.

Willis argued the late disclosure raised serious concerns about how evidence had been handled in the case and asked the court to release Macedo pending trial so the defense could investigate further.

“It’s a set of missteps, lack of judgment, competence, and perhaps bad faith,” Willis said, referring to the handling of evidence in the case. She argued that the situation was “egregious and unfair to Mr. Macedo.”

Willis asked the Judge to release Macedo on 24-hour home confinement with GPS monitoring, stating that he had no history of violent crimes prior to this case.

Judge Kravitz did not rule on the request and indicated the issue may require further filings from the parties.

The judge also addressed disputes over whether prosecutors may introduce several recorded jail calls involving Macedo.

Prosecutors sought to introduce a July 2023 call between Macedo and his girlfriend in which they allegedly discussed an AirPod and a ski mask recovered from the scene of the shooting. Defense attorneys argued the recording would reveal that Macedo was incarcerated and risk prejudicing the jury.

Judge Kravitz said the call appeared “unquestionably relevant,” but said the issue could depend on the defense’s theory of the case. He noted the concern might be reduced if the parties agreed to stipulate that the items were recovered at the scene of what the prosecution says is an armed robbery.

Parties also debated an Aug. 1, 2023 phone call between Macedo and his brother in which they discussed the case and potential plea negotiations. Prosecutors argued the conversation demonstrated consciousness of guilt.

During the call, Macedo reportedly told his brother that “if it goes to trial I’m gonna be f*****, I seen the camera footage”.

Prosecutors argued the statement showed Macedo was aware of the strength of the evidence against him and undermined a potential self-defense claim.

Willis countered that the call showed Macedo talking through the case with his brother and repeating legal advice imperfectly, arguing the prosecution was plucking isolated statements from a broader conversation about his fear of trial and prison.

Judge Kravitz expressed skepticism about the prosecution’s argument, stating that linking the call to a claim of self-defense was far-fetched. He ruled that the recording would not be admitted during the prosecution’s case-in-chief but said the issue could be revisited during trial.

The court also discussed text messages Macedo allegedly sent from a tablet in the DC Jail, including messages asking others to add money to his commissary account and referring to the nickname “JR.” Prosecutors argued the messages could help corroborate testimony identifying Macedo by that nickname.

Willis and Cicurel argued the messages could unfairly portray Macedo as desperate for money and asked the court to defer ruling on whether the texts could be shown to the jury. Judge Kravitz indicated the issue may be revisited during trial depending on how identification evidence is presented.

Judge Kravitz also noted that scheduling issues and unresolved pretrial disputes could affect the timing of the trial.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 18.

Judge Sentences Multiple Shooting Defendant With ‘Horrendous’ Upbringing to 9 Years

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan considered a defendant’s “horrendous” upbringing and mental state when sentencing him to nine years of imprisonment and three years of supervised release on March 13.

Kevin Stanton, 45, pleaded guilty on Oct. 16, 2025 to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in the shooting of two victims on the unit block of M Street, NE on Nov. 7, 2024. One victim sustained a gunshot wound to his back and the other victim was grazed by a bullet on her palm.

According to a report about Stanton Judge Ryan reviewed, Stanton had “an extraordinary upbringing from the very beginning.”

At one-year-old Stanton was placed in an oven, sustaining burns on his body. He was removed from his mother’s household, then placed with his father, which was “not a positive experience either,” Judge Ryan said. Afterwards, he and his brother were sent to live with his uncle, who struggled with substance abuse and reportedly abused them. The brothers were sent to separate group homes.

During his time in foster care, Stanton witnessed “drive-by shootings, bodies, and murder at a very young age,” Judge Ryan reported. Stanton was in-and-out of foster care for 11 years and the foster parent “was not what we would hope for.”

According to the court report, before the age of 18, Stanton lived with his mother for short stretches of time but was hospitalized multiple times because of self-harm. At the age of 20, Stanton was shot 16 times.

Two years ago, Stanton’s brother, the only person close to him according to Judge Ryan, was killed. “The killing of his brother was a horrible experience” for Stanton and his mother also recently died, said the judge.

Judge Ryan read to the court his notes on Stanton’s criminal history. He served about 18 years in prison for another shooting and including aggravated assault, cocaine possession and distribution, escape attempt, reckless driving, and assault of an officer.

When Judge Ryan finished his “brief sketch” of what he knew about Stanton, the prosecution contextualized Stanton’s criminal record. For the shooting offense that resulted in 18 years of imprisonment, Stanton had apparently robbed an acquaintance of crack cocaine. He came back to return the stolen drugs but instead shot the person. Stanton fled, got into a cab, then pointed a gun to the driver’s head and told him to give him the keys. The driver ran out of the car with the keys and Stanton shot him in the back, said prosecutors.

The prosecution claimed that Stanton had not learned his lesson from his lengthy imprisonment. In 2025, Stanton allegedly assaulted his ex-partner. As part of the plea agreement in this case, prosecutors dropped the charges related to that incident.

For this case, the prosecution reminded Judge Ryan that Stanton reported that the shooting was not motivated by his brother’s death, his testimony was inconsistent, and he “went into autopilot mode when he locked eyes with the victim.”

According to the prosecution, Stanton approached the front steps of the victim’s home and shot the first victim in the back, grazing the second victim, in “broad daylight” without any legal justification when both victims were unarmed.

The prosecution requested a sentence of 10 years, the top of the sentencing guidelines, noting his criminal history and the circumstances.

Stanton’s attorney, Shawn Sukumar, asked Judge Ryan to consider Stanton’s mental health issues, because he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a disorder developed after witnessing or experiencing traumatic events. Sukumar argued the “autopilot” statement made by Stanton in a video interview was a moment of dissociation, a PTSD symptom.

Sukumar informed Judge Ryan that a doctor tested Stanton, and said he may have “quite possibly every condition in the DSM Manual (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)” due to his “traumatic” life experiences.

“I can’t personally recall another client of mine where his earliest experiences on this planet were extraordinarily painful,” Sukumar said. Sukumar hoped Judge Ryan would agree that most, if not all, the other defendants who have stood before him have not had as much of an “unspeakably traumatic” life Stanton has experienced.

Stanton’s “mere continued presence on this planet is a miracle,” as he did not die by suicide or someone killing him, Sukumar said. Despite his history, Sukumar pointed out, Stanton is the last to use this as an excuse to “absolve himself of culpability.”

Sukumar wanted the court to acknowledge that even if he was sentenced to the lower end of the guidelines, Stanton would be released from prison as a significantly older man. “At a certain age, a person starts to become less of a risk of violence,” Sukumar said.

“Stanton has the means and desire to live a life beyond the cards that were dealt to him,” Sukumar said.

Stanton said “I have been a victim in the past, I’m sorry I put them through what I’ve been through. I never want to cause someone pain again.”

“I just, I really don’t know anything about what is or what was going on in Stanton’s mind, but the facts stand for themselves,” Judge Ryan said. “The facts of the event and the facts of his upbringing are not to be filtered through the same framework as his current thinking. I have absolutely no idea what happened to cause this crime.”

Judge Ryan sentenced Stanton to six years for the assault charge and nine years for the possession charge, to run concurrently and followed by three years of supervised release. Stanton must register as a gun offender in DC upon his release.

Upon excusing the parties, Judge Ryan encouraged Stanton to figure out “who you are and what you are doing with your life between now and when you get out.” He encouraged Stanton to “rise above it, it will be incredibly more difficult because of things you cannot control.”

No further dates were set.

Detective’s Conduct Questioned Week Before Homicide Trial

In a motions hearing March 10 before DC Superior Court Neal Kravitz, the former lead detective in a homicide case revealed information about his previously undisclosed conduct problems.

Jaime Macedo, 24, is charged with first-degree felony murder while armed, robbery while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Maxwell Emerson. The incident occurred on the 600 block of Alumni Lane, NE on July 5, 2023.

The defense asked the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer about an investigation in which he was “supposed to get a one day suspension,” but the sanction was reduced to an educational course. The June 25, 2024 incident stemmed from the detective handing over a cell phone to an officer who was the main subject of the investigation.

The defense also questioned the detective about an incident that occurred in March 2022.

According to the defense, an individual filed a complaint against the detective for alleged harassment and mishandling of property in March 2022.

Even though the detective said he was exonerated of harassment, he was instructed on how to avoid mishandling of property.

When asked if the detective mishandled a cell phone, before it was searched by MPD, the detective agreed.

According to the defense, the investigation concluded that the detective violated several general orders and a departmental policy concerning sexual harassment while on duty. As a result, MPD proposed termination, but the detective requested a hearing.

At the hearing, he entered into a last chance agreement and was required to transfer his assignment.

The detective admitted that the agreement is still in place. He also said that he could face “possible termination” in the event of another “adverse action.”

Ultimately, the detective was transferred from the homicide division and “stripped” of his title as a lead detective.

After the detective’s testimony, defense counsel said they were made aware of investigations into the detective’s past conduct “last night or early this morning.”

This late disclosure is, “so profoundly unfair to Mr. Macdeo,” according to Jessica Willis, one of his defense attorneys. She explained that this could have “been uncovered earlier and shouldn’t have been covered in the first place.”

The prosecution agreed to find source documents and file them by the end of the night. They requested that the defense file a list of exactly what information they need the prosecution to provide.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 12.

Judge Won’t Release Stabbing Defendant After Viewing Surveillance Footage

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz denied a motion to release a stabbing defendant considering a plea deal at a status hearing on March 12.

Randy Brown, 34, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed for his alleged involvement in a stabbing on the 1100 block of 7th Street, NW on Aug. 7, 2025. The victim sustained significant injuries with visible lacerations to the nose and neck.

At the hearing, Judge Kravitz alerted the parties to an oral motion at a hearing on Jan. 23 when the defense asked for Brown’s release.

The prosecution proffered new evidence in which they claim a Special Police Officer (SPO) identified Brown in surveillance footage near the scene. An SPO is designated to carry a firearm and act as an officer for a specific location.

According to the prosecution, the SPO worked in the lobby of Brown’s grandmother’s apartment building. The SPO told investigators that guests had to check in with him at the front desk with identification and he recognized Brown because he would visit his grandmother two-to-three times a week.

The prosecution added that Brown’s grandmother had also identified him in the footage.

Brown’s attorney, Alvin Thomas, argued that the identification did not strengthen the prosecution’s case, saying that evidence at most placed Brown at the scene but did not prove he committed the stabbing.

Judge Kravitz then asked the prosecution to play surveillance clips of the incident. The first clip allegedly showed the suspect attacking the victim while the second clip depicted a clearer image of the suspect near the crime scene. The suspect wore a white t-shirt with shorts and leggings underneath.

After reviewing the footage, Judge Kravitz denied the defense request for release. He said Thomas’ argument that the evidence was not strong enough to hold Brown was inaccurate.

The parties also discussed plea negotiations. Thomas said the prosecution extended a counter-offer about two weeks ago, but his client has not yet had time to review it.

The prosecution put on the record that if Brown were to plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, they would not seek an indictment with additional charges. They would limit their sentence request to a maximum of five years of imprisonment. The prosecutor indicated the guidelines for sentencing on this charge are two-and-a-half-to-six years.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 20.

Metro Shooting Defendant Won’t Appear in Court for Fourth Straight Time

A fatal shooting defendant did not appear again for his mental observation hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on March 12.

Isaiah Trotman, 34, is charged with first-degree muder with aggravating circumstances, 13 counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, 27 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and 13 counts of armed kidnapping for his alleged involvement in a Feb. 1, 2023 shooting at the Potomac Avenue Metro Station located on the 1400 block of Potomac Avenue, SE. The shooting fatally injured 64-year-old Robert Cunningham and two additional victims sustained gunshot wounds.

An officer from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) told Judge Ryan that Trotman had been brought to the courthouse for his hearing but refused to enter the building.

The hearing marked the fourth consecutive hearing since Feb. 12 that Trotman was absent for, according to court records.

On March 9, the court received a Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) report analyzing Trotman’s mental competency. Judge Ryan and the prosecution asked for more time to review the document.

To stand trial a defendant must understand the charges against him and be able to help his lawyer argue the case.

Defense attorney Ashley Prather Guzman said that Trotman was hospitalized in February for a life-threatening disease. After placement into a medical unit at the DC Jail, Trotman’s medication was changed. Guzman said she was hopeful that Trotman’s mental and physical health will improve as a result.

Judge Ryan described the case as an “on-going issue that [he’s] trying to get to the bottom of.”

Parties will reconvene on April 3 for another mental observation hearing.

Case Acquitted: Obstruction Defendant Rejects Plea in Murder Case in Lieu of Trial

Editor’s Note: Aillayh Carter was acquitted of all charges by a jury on March 19, 2026.

A defendant accused of obstructing justice in a murder case rejected a plea deal before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on March 12.

Aillayh Carter, 29, is charged with two counts of obstructing justice for allegedly attempting to influence two witnesses in a murder case.

Carter’s case was severed on Feb. 20 from Robert Carpenter, 37, who is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 42-year-old Tremaine Nicholson on May 7, 2024 on the 3400 block of 25th Street, SE.

The prosecution extended a deal that would have required Carter to plead guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. Carter would’ve been allowed on release until her sentencing and the prosecution also would’ve agreed to a non-guideline sentence.

After Carter rejected the plea deal, parties began jury selection.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 16 for opening arguments.

Judge Denies Fifth Motion to Continue Trial in Homicide Case

DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park denied a homicide defendant’s fifth motion to delay trial on March 13.

Samuel Mack, 59, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Erica Ward on Dec. 30, 2020 on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE.

During the hearing, parties discussed the defense motion to continue the trial, scheduled for Oct. 19, citing scheduling issues.

According to Judge Park, Molly Bunke, Mack’s attorney, was recently appointed to the case after his previous attorney left the Public Defender Service (PDS) earlier this year. However, he argued the case was not on a list that PDS provided the judges for trials that would have to be delayed due to the old attorney’s exit from the office.

The prosecution objected to the request, stating this would be the fifth continuance of the trial for a case entering it’s sixth year.

“It does seem there is a problem here, just with the lack of staffing,” Judge Park stated. He advised Bunke to go back to her supervisors and see if another PDS attorney can take over the case. If not, he stated, he would be looking to assign an attorney from the Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association (SCTLA) that backs up the PDS.

Bunke argued it would be unfair to Mack that due to circumstances that are out of his control, he’d lose the counsel he has built a close relationship with, highlighting that the second-chair, Erin Griffard, has been on the case for a while.

“I’m not blaming you, and I’m not really blaming [PDS] for the staffing issues,” Judge Park stated, denying the motion.

Parties are slated to reconvene March 19.

Judge Delays Shooting Defendant’s Preliminary Hearing to Allow for Plea Discussion

DC Superior Court Judge Heide Herrmann delayed a shooting defendant’s preliminary hearing on March 12, to give the defense additional time to review a plea agreement.

Vernell Holliday, 34, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 1400 block of Clifton Street, NW on March 7. No injuries were reported.

According to court documents, Holliday allegedly fired a gun inside an apartment breaking through the neighboring unit’s wall where two children were present. The resident reported he discovered a bullet hole and drywall debris in his living room. Investigators traced the gunshot to a location where they allegedly found Holliday with a crossbody satchel containing a firearm and drugs.

Holliday’s defense attorney, Madhuri Swarna, requested additional time to discuss the plea offer that was extended by the prosecution. Plea terms were not discussed during the hearing.

Judge Herrmann granted her request and allowed a continuance in the hearing.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 18.

Prosecutors Plan to Rescind ‘Last Chance’ Plea for Indecisive Stabbing Suspect

Prosecutors said they would rescind a plea offer for a stabbing suspect after he failed to decide on the deal at the fourth consecutive hearing on the matter before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 11.

Corey Bridges, 31, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, threatening to kidnap or injure a person, and tampering with physical evidence for his alleged involvement in a stabbing. The incident occurred on June 7, 2025 on the 1400 block of Morse Street, NE.

Bridges’ attorney, Molly Bunke, was not present at the hearing. Judge Kravitz told him that he did not have to accept the plea deal if he did not feel comfortable doing so without Bunke present.

Bridges was represented by stand-in defense attorney, Theodore Shaw.

The prosecution said this was a “last chance plea offer,” which they plan to rescind, because Bridges hasn’t declined or accepted or decline it on the record.

At three previous hearings, Bridges initially accepted the deal that required him to plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, but each time he stopped to discuss the decision further with Bunke.

Beyond the plea, Bridges said that he is requesting “immediate release.” When the judge denied the request, he asked if he would be released if he accepted the plea deal.

Judge Kravitz explained that he was “not prepared to reconsider release” at this time. He did, however, reassure Bridges that he would consider a release plan with an “open mind” at a later date.

Ultimately, parties decided to set another status hearing to discuss how they would like to move forward. Prosecutors explained that if Bridges did not take the plea offer, they were prepared to set trial dates.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 20.

Guilty Plea in Sexual Encounter Turned Armed Carjacking

A carjacking defendant, who after a sexual encounter threatened to shoot the victim in the head if he did not comply with a robbery, accepted a plea deal before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on March 12.

Da’Andre Pardlow, 31, was originally charged with carjacking while armed, kidnapping while armed, and robbery while armed for his involvement in a carjacking. The incident occurred on Sept. 13, 2024 at Fort Dupont Park, SE.

In court, Pardlow accepted a plea agreement that required him to plead guilty to unarmed carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and register as a gun offender. In exchange, the prosecution agreed to not seek indictment and drop all other charges.

Through the deal, parties agreed 84 months in confinement and three years of supervised release as appropriate for the charges against Pardlow. Judge Salerno will review the sentencing recommendation. Should Salerno reject it, Pardlow can rescind his guilty plea.

According to the prosecution, had the case gone to trial, they would have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pardlow knowingly, voluntarily, and without legal justification by force and violence stole a motor vehicle. The prosecution said Pardlow put a gun to the victim’s head and threatened to shoot him if he did not comply.

According to court documents, the victim and Pardlow reportedly met in the park for a sexual encounter. Pardlow threatened to shoot the victim while forcing him to surrender his phone. Then, he forced the victim into the passenger seat of his car, at which point Pardlow drove the vehicle to a bank, and withdrew money from the victim’s account.
Parties are slated to reconvene for sentencing on May 29.

Judge Continues Motions Hearing for Fatal Shooting

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz continued a pretrial motions hearing for a murder case on March 10.

The hearing opened with Judge Kravitz’s ruling on the defense’s motion to preclude a witness’ testimony.

The prosecutors wanted to call Emerson’s parents to testify before the jurors about Emerson’s life and his background as a teacher and a wrestling coach. However, the defense argued that testimony from both parents on the victim’s character would be duplicative and unnecessary.

Judge Kravitz said it was unfair to have two grieving parents on the witness stand, creating prejudice towards the defense.

The judge partially granted the motion, stating he would not let the father testify, because his would be duplicative to the mother’s testimony. Instead, Judge Kravitz would allow prosecutors to ask the mother questions that they would have asked the father.

According to court documents, security footage shows Macedo and Emerson allegedly walking together towards a park bench. Macedo is seen taking Emerson’s bookbag before returning it. Emerson then texted a family member he was being robbed at gunpoint. Macedo reportedly tried to snatch something else from Emerson, which resulted in Emerson tackling Macedo to the ground. It was at this point that Macedo allegedly shot Emerson in the abdomen before witnesses saw him flee the scene.

Judge Kravitz also brought up the prosecution’s motion to preclude the argument for self-defense, which was filed on Feb. 20, 2026.

Prosecutors stated that if the incident is brought to the jurors attention as an armed robbery turned murder, then Macedo’s defense attorneys, Jessica Willis and Rachel Cicurel, could not argue self-defense.

Judge Kravitz denied the motion to preclude self-defense out of concern for prejudice towards the defense.

Willis and Cicurel filed a motion to exclude asking potential jurors questions about their arrest records on Feb. 21, 2026.

Willis objected to the questioning of being arrested or being a witness to an arrest because it is racially charged. She said that in D.C. Black people are more likely to answer “yes” to the question than Caucasions. She said she believed that it ultimately leads to the prosecution being able to strike more Black people out of jury selection.

“We would want to know,” Judge Kravitz replied, denying the defense’s motion.

The prosecution also filed another motion for a toxicology report on Emerson.

Cicurel and Willis objected, stating that there are a lot of unknowns and that they didn’t have adequate time to ask questions to fully understand the report. Cicurel stated that problem prejudices the defense.

The prosecution stated that a toxicology report was not novel testimony and an investigation into the report could be done with a simple conversation with the toxicologist.

They said that they would help the defense get in touch with the toxicologist and push back his testimony until the end of the trial to give the defense more time to figure out the report.

Judge Kravitz granted the prosecution’s motion without prejudice.

Cicurel and Willis also presented a motion to sever mention of Macedo’s prior convictions from the charges in the current trial. They stated that it would be unfair to their client if the jury knew about his prior felon in possession conviction. However, the judge said that if Macedo were called to testify, the jury would need to know about the prior conviction anyway.

Judge Kravitz granted the defense’s motion in part, agreeing to sever the prior conviction, with the stipulation that if Macedo was called to testify, he would tell the jury about it.

Parties also discussed a motion filed by the defense to dismiss evidence allegedly destroyed by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to the motion, “the government intentionally and deliberately failed to preserve material.”

A former lead detective on the case was questioned about his decision to not classify Emerson’s tablet as evidence.

According to the detective, the glare from the tablet was seen in video footage. This footage took place one minute and 22 seconds before Emerson’s mother received a text message from her son that he was being robbed at gunpoint.

Judge Kravitz did not rule on the motion to dismiss the evidence during the hearing.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 12 to resume motions.

Jury Delivers Mixed Verdict in Non-Fatal Shooting Trial

A jury delivered a mixed verdict in a non-fatal shooting case before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on March 11.

Derrick Gladden, 55, was originally 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, and unlawful possession of ammunition for his involvement in a shooting on the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue, SE on April 15, 2024. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

Following less than two days of deliberations, jurors found Gladden not guilty of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

The jury found Gladden guilty of aggravated assault knowingly while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Following the verdict, defense attorney Alvin Thomas asked the court to release Gladden to home confinement pending sentencing. Thomas noted that Gladden spent approximately one year incarcerated for this case and wanted to spend time with his mother.

The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the convictions and Gladden’s prior criminal history raised concerns about community safety.

Judge Brandt denied the request, stating that the statute governing the firearm offense presumes detention after conviction. She said Thomas could file a written motion for release if they wished to revisit the issue.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 15.

Judge Denies Stabbing Defendant’s Request to Dismiss His Attorney

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz denied a stabbing defendant’s motion to dismiss his defense attorney on March 11.

Rubin Holman, 32, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and aggravated assault knowingly while armed for his alleged involvement in a stabbing on Oct. 4, 2022 on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Judge Kravitz said it was “good” that Holman was present in court today. For at least 12 hearings since the case was opened in December 2023, Holman refused to appear or was classified as a medical scratch, according to court records.

Holman’s attorney, Terrence Austin, informed the court that Holman wished to dismiss him as his defense counsel. Austin said he spoke to his client again, and Holman still wished to proceed with new counsel.

After a conversation with Holman and Austin that was put under seal, Judge Kravitz informed parties that he was not compelled to grant Holman’s motion for new counsel. However, the judge said that there is a possibility that the case could be transferred to another attorney within the Public Defender’s Service (PDS).

Judge Kravitz denied the motion without prejudice, meaning that Austin could refile the motion at a later date.

The judge told Holman that it was in his best interest to “cooperate” and attend his next court date. Holman is currently held at DC Jail.

Parties are slated to reconvene on March 27.

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