The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced they are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on Oct. 3 on the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE. The victim, identified as 17-year-old Jermaine Durbin of Northeast, DC, was found unconscious and not breathing, suffering from a gunshot wound, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with a fatal shooting on the 1600 block of 14th Street, NW. On May 27, Henry Crutchfield, 35, was found dead from a gunshot wound. Damari Brown, 23, and Antoin Whitehead, 24, have been charged with first-degree murder while armed.
DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz is considering whether to release a non-fatal shooting defendant after she waived her right to a preliminary hearing on Oct. 6.
Meyona Rorie, 25, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and aggravated assault while armed for the non-fatal shooting of a victim on Aug. 20, at the 3600 block of Ames Street, NE. Though she is not accused of pulling the trigger, prosecutors say she instigated someone else to commit the crime.
According to court documents, the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the arm, and told a family member, “Mimi got me shot.”
During the hearing, defense attorney Michael Lawlor alerted Judge Kravitz of Rorie’s intent to waive her preliminary hearing of the evidence against her.
Lawlor also argued for Rorie’s release from pre-trial detention, proposing electronic monitoring and confinement at her mother’s residence.
According to Lawlor, Rorie is a single mother of two children, employed, and currently in school. She has a clean record and her family was in the courtroom as a show of support.
Lawlor insisted she would not be a danger to the community, claiming she didn’t shoot and could only be charged as an aider and abetter.
The prosecutor argued that release should be denied due to the serious nature of the crime. She argued that aiding and abetting carries the same burden of guilt as the person who pulled the trigger.
Additionally, the prosecution expressed concern about Rorie’s “escalation” of violence for someone who doesn’t have a past history.
Furthermore, the prosecution claimed, the shooter has not been identified and Rorie’s release could compromise the ongoing investigation.
Judge Kravitz stated he was taking the request for release under submission. He ordered written statements about the strength of the evidence by Oct. 10.
Parties are set to reconvene Oct. 10.
A stabbing defendant rejected a plea deal and opted to proceed to trial before DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro on Oct. 9.
William Chambers, 41, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing on July 22 on the 700 block of Langston Terrace, NE.
According to court documents, Chambers and the victim were neighbors engaged in an ongoing dispute. The victim reportedly confronted Chambers and struck him in the face. Chambers then allegedly retrieved a butcher knife and stabbed the victim in his right thigh.
The prosecutor informed Judge Di Toro that they offered Chambers a plea deal that would require him to plead guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. In exchange, the prosecution would not pursue an indictment and request a sentence in the bottom third of the applicable guidelines.
“I’m rejecting it,” said Chambers and parties set a trial date in April 2026.
Following the rejection, Chambers’ attorney, Chidi Ogolo requested Judge Di Toro modify his release conditions. The stay-away order imposed by the court required Chambers to stay away from the victim and the incident location. Ogolo said the order restricted Chambers ability to live where he previously resided with his mother.
“I understand that you need to live somewhere,” said Judge Di Toro and granted the request. She issued a “NO HATS” order restricting Chambers from harassing, assaulting, threatening, or stalking behavior towards the victim. “That means stay away from [the victim],” said the judge.
Parties are set to reconvene on April 10, 2026.
A jailed witness testified about a defendant in a teen homicide, serial shooting case before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Oct. 2.
Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, ten counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, and five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm.
The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in four shootings, including the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, at the 600 block of S Street, NW, on March 1, 2020. Another individual sustained injuries during the incident.
Steele was also allegedly involved in a non-fatal shooting on March 1, 2020 at the unit block of Channing Street, NE, and a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 22, 2020 at the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW. No individuals sustained injuries.
Additionally, Steele faces charges for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 24, 2020 at the 1700 block of Ninth Street, NW. Three individuals sustained injuries during the incident.
A 2024 trial proved that Steele’s co-defendants, Tyiion Freeman, 26, Koran Jackson, 25, Stephen Nelson, 34 and Aaron Brown, 29, were involved in the Channing Street shooting and homicide. Prosecutors claim Steele was part of the group.
Prosecutors presented a photo of an individual to the witness who then stated that he didn’t recognize this person.
Prosecutors then played an audio recording of a call between the witness and “Tiiyon”. In the call the witness referred to Brown by his nickname – Stae. When questioned by prosecutors he stated that he learned of Brown through the news and knew his nickname through the “streets” and by process of elimination having known “everybody else”. He stated that he has not had any interactions with Brown.
The prosecution also presented a picture of a call log which included a call between Brown’s phone number and the witness’s phone number. The witness testified that “Tiiyon” has used his phone multiple times, inferring that this could’ve been one of those times.
The witness also testified that he did not remember if he was in any of “D4’s” rap videos. After being presented with a photo of him in the individual’s music video, he testified that people were rapping and dancing in the video.
Prosecutors stated that they would ask the witness about certain aspects of the video including t-shirts the individuals are wearing and the lyrics rapped.
Megan Allburn, Steele’s attorney, argued that the witness should not be confronted regarding someone else’s words.
Judge Brandt stated that because the witness associated himself with the video by signing up for it the prosecution can ask questions about the lyrics.
Additionally, the prosecution pointed out some of the visuals used in the music video, including a writing of “Happy Slatt Day” on the rear window of a car, and a yellow t-shirt with the caption “#LLTheRealNWGoon.”
The witness claimed he never heard of the name Slatt but he identified 19-year-old Tahlil Byrd, who was killed on Sept. 29, 2019 as the “NW Goon.” Throughout the trials, prosecutors have claimed Steele and his co-defendants acted in retaliation for Byrd’s murder. Byrd, was also known as the “North West Goon,” a rapper said to be involved a dispute over who could claim the actual title of his name.
The witness confirmed that the music video was a “D4” song, but when asked if the song was a diss record, he said he did not recall it being a diss track. The prosecution pointed out the lyrics, “B**** I’m the trap Lord,” but the witness stated that he did not know who those lyrics referenced.
Allburn asked the witness if he had any contribution in the making of the song or the lyrics. The witness stated that he did not and was only in the music video for a short period of time.
Prosecutors called a custodian of records for Meta who interpreted data pulled from the Instagram accounts of Steele and co-conspirators. Through the records, prosecutors attempted to establish a connection between the individuals. Allburn noted that some people have Instagram notifications turned off or are public and may not be notified when someone follows them or tags them in a post.
Prosecutors called a retired crime analyst with the Department of Forensic Science (DFS).
The witness confirmed that he participated in a search warrant in a townhome on the 1800 block of Bruce Place, SE, on May 29, 2020.
The witness took several photographs inside the home and collected substantial evidence that was presented before the jury.
The evidence consisted of a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun, a magazine with smith and wesson ammunition, and several bullet casings. A ballistic vest was also collected from the home.
Additionally, several key fobs, car keys, cell phone, and cell phones were shown before the jury.
The witness also recovered an obituary with the title “In loving memory of Tahlil Byrd,” which had Byrd’s picture on the cover.
Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 6.
Two teen carjacking defendants accepted a plea deal before DC Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur on Oct. 9.
Fadil Compaore, 17, and Kamari Montgomery, 16, were originally charged with two counts unarmed carjacking, two counts of robbery while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges stemmed from their involvement in two carjacking incidents: on May 2 on the 3600 block of 12th Street, NE, and May 31 on the 3500 block of 12th Street, NE.
They’re charged as adults under Title 16.
During the hearing, Brandon Burrell, Compaore’s attorney, and Lauren Morehouse and Madhuri Swarna, Montgomery’s attorneys, alerted the court of their intent to accept a plea deal.
The deal required the defendants to plead guilty to robbery, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment in connection to the two incidents, and additional charges in connection to ten uncharged incidents.
The maximum penalty each defendant faces is 15 years of imprisonment and/or a $37,500 fine.
According to the prosecution, had the case gone to trial, they’d have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that on May 2, Montgomery and an accomplice robbed an individual of their motor scooter outside a CVS pharmacy on the 3600 block of 12th Street, NE. The prosecution claimed the defendant used force, and acted without a right or legal justification.
The prosecution also stated they would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that on May 31, Compaore and an accomplice robbed an individual of a motor scooter on the 3500 block of 12th Street, NE. One of them brandished a firearm and used force to remove the owner off the scooter. He did so without a right or legal justification.
Both defendants accepted the plea deal.
Parties are scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 9.
DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe, displeased with a defendant for continued non-compliance on release despite previous reprimands, ordered him detained on Oct. 8.
Jory Sydnor, 26, is charged with aggravated assault knowingly while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, for his alleged involvement in a shooting that occurred April 10 on the 1400 block of Trinidad Avenue, NE.
Judge Pipe last saw Sydnor on Sept. 8 and had been understanding of his drug testing non-compliance, according to the Pretrial Service Agency (PSA). However, since that hearing, Sydnor has failed to report for drug testing repeatedly and has not contacted his assigned officer. Nor has he participated in required mental health reviews.
A representative from PSA alerted Judge Pipe that they recommended revocation of his probation.
As a result, Jude Pipe stepped him back, meaning she returned him to the custody of the DC Jail.
The judge said she made it very clear to Sydnor that he needed to get back into compliance when she saw him last. The defendant arrived late and the judge thought was “unlikely to materialize” for the hearing due to his continued non-compliance.
The prosecution made mention of a plea offer they plan to extend to Sydnor, which would include bed-to-bed treatment for him rather than imprisonment.
Defense attorney Andrew Ain spoke briefly to Sydnor privately. He was assigned to the case after Sydnor requested a new lawyer.
Ain told the court that Sydnor is willing to perform a spot narcotics test after the hearing and that he is also experiencing depression, which has led to the defendant “sticking his head in the sand” and falling into non-compliance.
Ain asked for an assessment to determine if Sydnor qualifies for bed-to-bed treatment before they proceed with the case. Along with stepping him back, Judge Pipe ordered the evaluation and the spot testing for Sydnor. The spot test came back positive.
Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 10.
In a felony status conference before DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld on Oct. 1, where defense attorneys reported progress in negotiations to resolve the case but the defendant was denied a bail review to consider conditions of his pretrial release.
Robert Lance Harris, 59, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a stabbing that took place on the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE, on July 1.
During the hearing, defense counsel Adgie O’Bryant Jr. told the court that “the gulf between us has narrowed” and requested a two-week continuance for further negotiations with the prosecution.
O’Bryant Jr. also moved for Harris’ release, emphasizing his community service and employment. The prosecution, however, argued that financial consequences were not to justify his release and could pose a danger to the community. Judge Hertzfeld ultimately denied the motion for bond review and Harris remains detained. .
Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 16.
A double-homicide defendant received an extension to file an insanity plea from DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman on Oct. 3.
Ronzoni Jackson, Jr. 26, is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence.
Jackson’s charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in the fatal shootings of two brothers, 28-year-old Octavio Quintano and 35-year-old Osmine Quintano, on Dec. 12, 2023, on the 2300 block of 4th Street, NE.
According to court documents, the suspect was initially identified through distinctive facial features captured on surveillance footage.
Sellano Simmons, Jackson’s defense attorney, first told Judge Edelman on Aug. 1 that he was working on an insanity defense for trial.
Simmons said that while he had been consulting an expert who will evaluate Ronzoni to determine whether to use an insanity defense during trial, he is currently awaiting medical records from Mercy Hospital, Washington Medical Center, and the DC Jail.
The prosecution argued that a trial date has already been set for Feb. 9, 2026, and that the defense had previously received two extensions to go forward with pursuing an insanity defense.
Judge Edelman asked the prosecution how would respond if Jackson were convicted and the outcome challenged based on an insanity finding. The prosecutors responded they would seek their own mental evaluation.
The prosecution motioned to begin the process now. The defense argued that they had not yet decided to go forward with the insanity plea, and that Jackson was not required to speak to any other mental health experts.
A criminal responsibility exam requires a specialized assessment by a mental health professional to determine if a defendant’s mental state at the time of the crime allowed them to understand the wrongfulness of their actions or conform their conduct to the law.
Judge Edelman chose not to rule on the prosecution’s oral motion at this time, and asked for the defense to late-file their motion regarding their insanity defense, and to disclose the delayed timeline by Oct. 22.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 24.
Surveillance footage of a vehicle involved in a 2020 fatal shooting case was presented to the jury before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Oct. 7.
Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, ten counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, and five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm.
The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in four shootings, including the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, at the 600 block of S Street, NW, on March 1, 2020. Another individual sustained injuries during the incident.
Steele was also allegedly involved in a non-fatal shooting on March 1, 2020 at the unit block of Channing Street, NE, and a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 22, 2020 at the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW. No individuals sustained injuries.
Additionally, Steele faces charges for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 24, 2020 at the 1700 block of Ninth Street, NW. Three individuals sustained injuries during the incident.
A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective was recalled to the stand to complete his testimony from the day prior. The witness reviewed live footage that he obtained from various locations that depicted four men in a Kia Soul with a prominent Getaround car company logo on the side.
A 2024 trial proved that Steele’s co-defendants, Tyiion Freeman, 26, Koran Jackson, 25, Stephen Nelson, 34 and Aaron Brown, 29, stole the same Kia Soul seen on the video footage and used it in the Channing Street shooting and the homicide. Prosecutors claim Steele was part of the group.
Prosecutors reviewed videos from 14th Street and Columbia Road, NW, a BP gas station on the 3400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW, Trinity Towers on the 3000 block of 14th Street NW, and Lamont and 6th Streets, NW.
In all four of these videos that prosecution showed to the witness, he noted that when the Kia Soul was in view, the same Getaround logo was visible, indicating it was the same car at all described locations.
Additionally, the detective described the specific articles of clothing seen on the men in each video that later helped identify multiple of the co-defendants.
One man was wearing a sweatshirt with a NASA logo on the front and back, who was later identified as Jackson, according to court documents. Another wore a sweatshirt with Tokyo and Japan written on the front, later identified as Freeman, according to court documents.
The detective then described a third man in the videos wearing a sweatshirt with the word RAW written on the front, and wearing unique sneakers. The witness confirmed that this man was allegedly identified as Steele.
“Was there a nickname that was given?,” prosecutors asked the witness in reference to Steele. “Gordo,” the witness replied.
After identifying the clothing items in each video, prosecutors brought out both the NASA sweatshirt and a pair of sneakers for the witness to identify in front of the jury.
A compilation of surveillance footage was shown to the jury after the witness testified that he had compiled and verified it. The video tracks the Silver Kia Soul for a period of 90 minutes from the BP gas station to the scene of the shooting on Bryant and North Capitol Street and the homicide. The witness further testified that the men identified earlier can be seen exiting the vehicle around the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Lamont Street, NW.
Prosecutors also called on a monitoring specialist and custodian of records for the DC Department of Corrections (DOC) who testified that she was responsible for compiling calls from the DC jail phone system for subpoena.
The witness asserted that every inmate in the DOC has a unique PIN code and voice recognition that allows them to access the phone, and this is how the data was retrieved for specific individuals.
Detailed reports of calls made by Brown, Jackson, and Steele were admitted into evidence after being verified by the witness.
A call between Steele and a man alleged to be his father was played before the court, where they can be heard briefly discussing his arrest earlier that day. Calls from the other individuals were played for the court for purposes of voice identification of each of the men.
Trial is set to reconvene on Oct. 8.
A last minute plea offer was introduced in a shooting case before DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman on Oct.6.
Nigel Pulliam, 32, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition in connection to a non-fatal shooting and robbery. The shooting took place on the 2000 block of Benning Road NE on Aug. 29, 2022, and the robbery took place on the 700 block of 14th Street, NE on Sept. 23, 2022.
At the end of the proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that they had extended a plea offer and the defense stated they needed more time to discuss it with their client. The offer would require Pulliam to plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and serve eight years imprisonment.
Problems in the prosecution’s case became apparent that a Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) officer that recovered the shell casings from the scene was unavailable to testify, which compromised the notion that the evidence hadn’t been altered police custody.
The prosecution called the officer that responded to the Aug. 29 shooting to testify. He stated that he was called out for a shooting alert and reviewed security footage from a nearby convenience store.
According to the officer, the footage showed the suspect walking in and out of the establishment, before pulling out a gun and firing twice across the street. He said that the victim came up to the police as they canvassed the area and identified Pulliam as the shooter.
A surgeon from the Washington Medical Center also testified to removing what appeared to be bullet fragments from the forearm of the victim. The witness testified that the wound seemed to be old, and had already mostly healed, but that he was worried about potential nerve damage from a foreign body in the arm. He removed the remnants under local anesthetic and ordered a nerve test but stated that he never received the results, and did not see the victim after that.
The police officer who allegedly recovered a firearm from Pulliam testified that he responded to a traffic stop and found the weapon under the Pulliam’s seat. The witness testified that the stop took place on Sept. 6, 2022, which would have been a week after the shooting. The witness testified that he confiscated the firearm from the vehicle.
According to police documents, Pulliam was arrested after this stop but not charged. He was not formally accused of anything until he was picked up following a Sept. 23, 2022 robbery.
A ballistics expert came in to testify that bullet casings he was provided and test firings from the weapon recovered from Pulliam had consistent markings. The witness also identified the firearm as a Polymer 80 9mm, otherwise known as a “ghost gun”, which was built with second-hand Glock components and a 3D printed frame so that it can not be registered or traced through a serial number.
Trial is set to reconvene on Oct. 7.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt granted a mass stabbing defendant’s motion for a competency screening on Oct. 3.
Kevin Andrade, 34, is charged with six counts of assault with intent to kill for his alleged involvement in the stabbing of six people on the 1200 block of Meigs Place, NE on April 3.
According to court documents, four women and two men were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the incident.
Judge Brandt apologized several times to defense attorney Steven Kiersh for missing the competency screening he requested on Aug. 13.
“That was totally my fault,” Judge Brandt said.
Judge Brandt ordered the evaluation.
Parties are slated to reconvene for Oct. 10.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt admonished a defense attorney for claiming prosecutors were lying about evidence on Oct. 6.
David Pena, 48, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Maurice Robinson. The incident occurred on the 2900 block of Southern Avenue, SE on June 12, 2023.
During the hearing, the prosecution and defense made arguments regarding body-worn camera footage. Dana Page, Pena’s attorney, requested body-worn camera footage that allegedly links an act of arson to the shooting. Page claimed that officers in the footage stated that the arson was in retaliation for the shooting two days prior.
The prosecution argued that associating the arson and shooting is not evidence of anything and is common.
Page claimed that the assertion that the only other evidence in this case is testimony made by a witness to a grand jury is a lie. The prosecution objected to that characterization.
Judge Brandt stated that the claim was “uncivil” and made it clear that the claim would not be tolerated. She insisted that it is not the job of the prosecution to decide what is helpful to the defense and it is not the defense’s responsibility to disclose what is helpful to them.
Prosecutors also took issue with the defense’s expert witness specializing in trauma. They stated that the type of testimony is not well established nor do they understand its content.
Page stated that the prosecution is aware the testimony’s content and that there is case law supporting it.
Judge Brandt noted that the scheduled trial date appears to be at risk as this is a complicated matter and the government shutdown is impacting the prosecution’s ability to obtain their own expert witness.
In response to the Page’s request for audit logs pertaining to body-worn camera footage as well as the body-worn camera footage itself, Judge Brandt ordered that they be turned over to the defense. She stated that the defense is not asking for anything unreasonable and it does not matter how the prosecution views evidence, what matters is whether or not the defense is entitled to it.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 10.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered a prosecutor on Oct. 3 to destroy all records in relation to a murder defendant’s mental competency proceeding as mandated by law.
Stephon Shields, 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, first-degree burglary while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a prior convict, and carrying a pistol without a license, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 58-year-old James Samuels. The incident occurred on the 2900 block of Nelson Place, SE, on June 2, 2023.
To stand trial, a defendant must show enough mental competency to understand the charges he faces, as well as be able to help his attorney.
According to court documents, Shields allegedly confronted Samuels, his ex-girlfriend’s fiance, in his apartment where they got into a heated argument. The incident quickly escalated, and Shields reportedly shot Samuels 22 times, including once in his penis.
Defense attorneys Sylvia Smith and Ashley Prather withdrew their opposition to the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) mental health evaluation results on Sept. 4, which determined Shields was competent to stand trial.
At the Oct. 3 hearing, Judge Brandt noted that the competency evaluations had been ongoing, so “it’s like [the case] is coming to life again.”
Smith added that, because the defense withdrew its opposition, the prosecution should have already destroyed all records in relation to competency proceedings in their possession or should have returned them to the court.
The prosecutor indicated he had yet to do either and wanted time to check the rules on the destruction of records.
“Let’s talk about it because those are very sensitive records,” Smith said and found it “troubling” the prosecution requested time to review.
Smith asked Judge Brandt to order the prosecutor to destroy all competency and DBH-related reports according to the protective order, but the prosecutor argued the defense never made a formal motion.
Judge Brandt refuted the prosecution’s point about a formal notion and told him he must abide by the protective order.
A murder defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges on Oct. 2, before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park.
Quateze Moore, 47, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm less than one year after conviction for allegedly fatally shooting Martinez Robinson, 25, multiple times on the 1300 block of Girard St NW on Aug. 23, 2024.
Peter Odom, Moore’s attorney, alerted Judge Park of his intent to plead not guilty to all charges and asserted his constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.
The parties are slated to reconvene on Feb. 13.
