Detective Identifies Homicide Co-Conspirator From Surveillance Footage

On March 5, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt heard additional testimony from a detective regarding surveillance footage in connection to a homicide case.

Koran Jackson, 23, Tyiion Kyree Freeman, 24, and Stephen Nelson, 33, are three of five individuals charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, assault with the intent to kill while armed, first-degree murder while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes on March 1, 2020 on the 600 block of S Street, NW. The shooting also left a second juvenile victim located in the vicinity suffering from a gunshot wound to the right leg.

The case also involves alleged co-conspirators Reginald Steele, 24, and Aaron Brown, 27.

The detective, who previously testified was recalled to talk about the video footage he collected on March 15, 2020.

According to the detective, he said his team was able to retrieve surveillance from Trinity Towers, an apartment building on the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW.

The video, which was displayed in court, shows the suspect vehicle, a silver Kia with a rental car company logo on it, pulling up to the complex. One individual was seen leaving the apartment building and entering the vehicle through the rear passenger door on the driver’s side in the moments prior to the shooting.

The detective identified the individual entering the vehicle, wearing glasses, and light-colored jeans with tears as Brown.

Freeman’s defense attorney, Andrew Ain, said the detective’s previously testified at a preliminary that the vehicle could have been “several places.” including Freeman’s residence and Jackson’s family’s residence, on the 1200 block of Otis Place, NW, shortly after the vehicle left a gas station before the shooting.

The detective explained that he didn’t locate any cameras, on the 1200 block of Otis Place, to determine if an individual entered or exited the vehicle in the hours leading up to the homicide.

The prosecution also introduced footage of the 300 block of Georgie Ave, NW, where an individual identified as Brown and two other individuals were walking sometime after the shooting.

The detective could not recall the exact time the three individuals were walking in the area. However, he recalled one of the individuals was wearing a dark cap and shirt. The other individual was observed to be wearing a hoodie with a NASA logo on the back, as well as dark green shoes.

A search warrant was conducted on Jackson’s family member’s home, and the detective recalled a pair of “greenish” shoes being recovered. The detective did not identify who owned the shoes, but noted that they were similar to the shoes the individual wearing the NASA hoodie was wearing in the previous video.

Ain said the detective’s previous uncertainty is enough to question how evidence was collected at the beginning of this case.

“In a fast-moving investigation errors of judgment can be made,” Ain said. “And sitting here today you don’t recall specifically the questions and answers about Otis Place.”

The detective said he could not recall if he tested the video’s accuracy by comparing its time stamps to those of other devices.

This led Jackson’s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, to confirm that there was “no documentation” that anyone had checked the video’s actual time.

The prosecution countered by confirming with the detective that “not everything that happens in an investigation is always documented.”

The detective said he only documents something significant to the case.

“This report says ‘the 600 block of S Street, NW was negative for camera footage,’ so there was no footage,” Ain said. “But the absence of cameras does get noted sometimes.”

McDaniel followed by recalling the detective’s interview with an eyewitness on March 4.

According to the detective’s notes, the witness said four men exited the vehicle and one was wearing “a sweatshirt with a sports team on it.” However, McDaniel confirmed that the detective never took note of what team this was.

“That seems like something that would be good to know to identify a suspect,” McDaniel said. “But we don’t know because you never asked that question.”

McDaniel questioned the reliability of the surveillance footage that captured the sounds of the shooting.

“There is no video where you can see into the vehicle to determine who was driving at that time,” McDaniel said. “There is no video that tells us how tall they were or what they looked like, and there is no video of the actual shooting, only the sounds of gunshots.”

Parties are slated to return on March 7.

‘There Is a Dead Three-Year-Old Here,’ Says Judge Denying Release for Homicide Suspect

On March 6, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt denied a homicide defendant’s release request to mandatory in-patient drug treatment after her 3-year-old son overdosed on fentanyl.

Sasha McCoy, 27, is charged with first-degree cruelty to children, and first-degree murder for her alleged involvement in the death of her three-year-old daughter, Journey McCoy, on Oct. 28, 2022. The incident occurred in a neighbor’s home, on the 3400 block of Southern Avenue, SE.

According to the autopsy report, Journey’s death was due to the “accidental” ingestion of and intoxication from fentanyl and fluorofentanyl.

According to court documents, on Sept. 25, 2019, Journey was born with percocet withdrawal and experiencing a marijuana high.

In September of 2020, DC Child and Family Services Agency (CSFA) received a report of Journey’s ingesting marijuana. CSFA determined that there was inconclusive evidence to support the allegation, and the case was closed.

During the proceeding, Sasha waived her right to a preliminary hearing, and her defense attorney, Elizabeth Weller, said they are requesting she be released and placed in a mandatory in-patient rehabilitation center.

Weller said Sasha recognizes the severity of what happened, but the court should note that the death was purely accidental.

“While this is first-degree murder, there is no indication of any intent to hurt the child,” Weller said. “There was accidental conduct and an accidental death.”

Weller said Sasha’s background indicates that she has and still is in the “darkest recesses of her narcotics addiction,” and was never treated.

“When we look at McCoy’s case, there is no reason to believe she will be a danger,” Weller said. “The court needs to impose conditions of release that will deal with this very specific circumstance because she deserved an opportunity for drug treatment.”

Weller said it’s the best option.

“It does not benefit anyone to sit her in jail and be done with her,” Weller said. “In-patient [treatment] is the thing that helps everyone because, at some point, she has to walk through the door.”

The prosecution insisted that it’s inaccurate for Weller to argue that Sasha was never offered treatment, but this may be the first time she wants treatment.

Due to Sasha’s previous interactions with CSFA, the prosecution explained she was aware of the consequences of inadequately supervising her child.

“We’re passed reckless, we’re at conscious disregard,” the prosecution said.

According to court documents, when police approached Sasha after the incident and offered her treatment, she refused.

“Not right now, this is not the time, I’m not going to lie I’m going to get high as a mother f**ker when I leave,” she allegedly said to the police.

Judge Brandt responded this “all sounds like the blame game,” and Sasha can’t shift responsibility for the tragedy that occurred.

“At the end of the day there is a dead three-year-old here,” the judge said. “The only one person who stands responsible is McCoy.”

Judge Brandt said, based on the law, because Sasha waived her right to a preliminary hearing, the court has reasons to believe there is probable cause. This inherently establishes Sasha is a “danger to the community” and a “danger to her children.”

Considering Sasha’s drug use history and the weight of the prosecution’s evidence, the judge said this was a clear case of “parental neglect” and that she could see it no other way.

“I can’t believe that you could sit here and argue the release of this defendant,” the judge said to Weller. “A child is dead, and no amount of drug treatment can take that back.”

Weller stated “The court does realize this is my duty, correct?”

Judge Brandt acknowledged Weller as a good attorney, however, the court decided that Sasha would remain in custody and there would be no consideration of release.

Parties are slated to return on April 17.

Document: MPD Arrests Shooting Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an arrest was made in connection to a shooting that occurred on Nov. 29, 2023, on the 5900 block of Foote Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, the suspect shot the victim inside the hallway of the listed location. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

On March 6, 46-year-old Jerry Tyree was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Document: MPD Arrests Third Man in Mother’s Day Murder of 10-Year-Old Girl

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a third arrest was made in connection to the shooting that killed a 10-year-old girl on May 14, 2023, on the 3700 block of Hayes Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the sounds of gunshots, and located evidence of a shooting. A short time later, 10-year-old Arianna Davis was taken to a DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) station with gunshot wound injuries. She was transported to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on May 17.

On March 6, 24-year-old Charles Edward Owens was charged with first-degree murder while armed, in connection to an arrest warrant. Owens was already in custody at the DC Jail.

Previously, two 19-year-old men were arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Witness Testifies About Video Evidence of Suspect Vehicle

On March 5, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt heard the testimony of three witnesses regarding a 2020 fatal shooting case that involved the homicide of a 13-year-old boy.

They called an individual to testify about how and when he noticed the alleged suspect vehicle parked outside his house on March 1. A silver Kia, was previously identified by prosecutors as the vehicle in which the suspects were driving. It had been parked on Lamont Street for several days, according to the witness, as this is where the individuals allegedly left the vehicle after the shooting.

The witness said he noticed the car because he saw it being parked in a handicapped spot, which was normally vacant. According to the witness, the car was left there until police arrived outside his home on March 4, 2020.

“I had seen the car parked earlier that week and I had noticed the car had been there until police came a few days later,” the witness said. “I saw either three or four individuals get out of the car and they were walking west on Lamon Street.”

The witness said he was unable to recall specific details about what the individuals looked like, but he did remember noticing that their front left tire was flat. He said he volunteered to help the group of men with their tire, but his offer was quickly declined.

“I got the vibe that they were not interested and wanted to go about their business,” the witness said.

After talking to police, the witness said he reviewed his Ring camera home security footage to identify when the parking spot was last empty. According to the screenshots presented in court, the spot was last empty around 2 p.m. on March 1 and was occupied by 2:25 p.m. that same day.

Although he couldn’t say conclusively, the witness said he is “fairly certain” he saw the individuals walk onto 6th Street after leaving the car.

During cross-examination, Freeman’s defense attorney, Andrew Ain, said the witness’s inability to remember how many people exited the car and if they turned onto 6th Street suggests that he was not fully paying attention.

“Your attention was not laser-focused on this other car,” Ain said. “You didn’t see them turn on 6th Street so you’re making an assumption.”

The prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sergeant who was the lead of the electronic surveillance unit to testify. He was a part of a team that retrieved footage on March 1, 2020 which depicted the suspect vehicle’s route before Lukes was shot.

According to the sergeant, on March 2, 2020 he and detectives went to apartment complexes located on the 1700 block of 8th Street, NW, and on the 1700 block of 7th Street, NW, to collect footage of the roads surrounding the buildings. They also visited a church located on the 1700 block of 9th Street to obtain footage. The footage collected from each of the three locations showed the Kia driving in the area.

During cross-examination, Jackson’s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel asked the sergeant if he was able to identify any individuals from inside the Kia Soul. The sergeant explained he was not able to see people in the car.

The prosecution then called the detective who first responded to the scene of the shooting as their next witness.

Upon his arrival, the detective said he gathered surveillance footage around the area between 14th and Oak Streets to identify the silver Kia as the “suspect vehicle.”

According to the video footage, the car had the logo for a rental car company printed on its right side. The detective said this feature allowed him to easily identify the car in each surveillance video.

Due to time constraints, the detective’s testimony was put on hold.

Parties are slated to return on March 6.

Defendant Rejects Plea Deal for Triple-Fatal Vehicular Homicide

On March 5, before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun, a triple vehicular homicide defendant rejected a plea deal offered by the prosecution.

Nakita Walker, 44, is charged with three counts of second-degree murder for allegedly crashing into a car occupied by Mohamed Kamara, 43, Johnathan Alberto Cabrera Mendez, 23, and Olvin Josue Torres Velasquez, 22, on March 15, 2023, on Rock Creek Parkway near the intersection of 26th Street and P Street, NW. Walker is also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing from an officer.

According to court documents, a vehicle was stopped by a Park Police officer on Rock Creek Parkway and the driver fled towards the spot where the crash occurred.

Walker was identified as the driver, and it was reported that her blood alcohol tested well beyond the legal limit

At the hearing, the prosecution alerted the court they had extended a deal, which required Walker to plead guilty to three counts of involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges for maximum jail term of 30 years.

Albert Ammisah, Walker’s defense attorney, alerted the court that Walker was rejecting the plea deal, and requested a trial date be scheduled.

Walker pleaded not guilty to all charges during an arraignment on Feb. 22.

During that hearing, Judge Okun expressed concern that Walker didn’t fully understand the plea deal. Judge Okun granted a continuance to allow her attorney, Albert Amissah, to thoroughly explain the offer to Walker.

Parties agreed to a trial date on Aug.12, 2025.

Parties are slated to return May 3.

Shooting Defendant Accepts Plea Moments Before Trial

On Mar. 6, a non-fatal shooting defendant accepted a plea offer as a jury trial was scheduled to begin before DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian.

Raymond Stoddard, 59, was originally charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, and two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon outside of a home or business for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on July 22, 2022, at the 4900 block of Benning Road, SE.

According to court documents, the victim and a witness had been arguing on a bus when the suspect became involved and the argument turned physical. The suspect then pushed the victim out of the bus, pulled out a gun, and shot him.

One individual was left with gunshot wounds.

Moments before opening statements were set to begin, the defense and prosecution requested Judge Christian pass the case so that they could discuss a settlement.

Later, when Stoddard’s case was called again, his attorney, Susan Ellis, informed the court that the defendant wished to accept the prosecution’s offer and plead guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

The mandatory minimum for this charge would be 12 months in prison, while the maximum is ten years.

The prosecution stated that they were not pressing more serious charges, and would dismiss the remaining counts against Stoddard.

Judge Christian accepted the plea offer, and canceled Stoddard’s trial.

Parties are slated to return on May 13 for sentencing.

‘I Didn’t Want the Kids to Get Killed,’ Victim Testified in Non-Fatal Shooting Trial

On March 5, the victim’s testimony was presented in a non-fatal shooting trial before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan.

Kamara Hoffler, 32, is charged with assault with intent to kill, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, and multiple unlawful possession of a firearm charges, for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting. The incident occurred on Sept. 19, 2022, on the 800 block of Barnaby Street, SE. One individual sustained non-life-threatening injuries,

According to court documents, Hoffler and a woman allegedly tried to enter an apartment that was not their own. As a result of this disturbance, a physical and verbal altercation occurred with a resident in the apartment. The altercation escalated into a shootout, in which the resident suffered a non-fatal gunshot wound to his knee. No other injuries were reported.

The prosecution called the victim of the shooting to the stand. He testified about receiving a call from his girlfriend, and could hear loud banging through the phone.

When asked if the call worried him, he replied, “Absolutely.”

After retrieving his firearm from the apartment, the victim testified that he never raised it from his side. Instead, after the unknown man refused to leave or explain his presence, the victim claimed he pushed the unknown man from the apartment building, shouting at him to leave.

The victim testified that he specifically told the unknown man, “Why are you here? Why are you banging on my door at three a. m.? You need to leave.”

According to the victim, he followed the unknown man and woman outside to ensure they left the property. The prosecution corroborated these claims by displaying video surveillance footage of the apartment parking lot as the victim followed the strangers out.

The surveillance video then showed the unknown man leave the video frame before he allegedly started firing.

The victim testified that the third shot struck his knee, causing him to collapse behind a car. When he tried to stand up, the victim felt “like a baby giraffe” that was trying to walk. He claimed the unknown man fired “at least 20 shots” at him as he fled into the apartment building.

Only once he was back in his apartment he did call the police, the victim testified, fearing the unknown man would return.

“I didn’t want the kids to get killed,” the victim said.

On cross examination, Koehler questioned the victim about the location of his firearm the night of the incident. The victim testified that he usually keeps his firearm in a locked case inside his closet, but since he was working the night shift, he left it unlocked in the event that his girlfriend might need to access it for protection.

Koehler reminded the jury that six children resided in the apartment on the night of the incident.

The prosecution called a detective to the stand to do an in-court identification of Hoffler as the alleged perpetrator. Subsequently, they called two other responding Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, one who collected a cigarette butt and submitted it for DNA testing, and the other one who testified regarding his body-worn camera footage, that showed the officer walking into the apartment building and the victim holding a towel compress on the gunshot wound on his knee.

The prosecution also called the victim’s girlfriend, who was in the apartment at the time of the shooting..

She was awakened to someone knocking on her apartment door. When she looked through the peephole, she saw a woman wrapped in a blanket. The witness did not recognize her, and assumed the woman had the wrong apartment and returned to bed.

She then testified that the knocking turned into aggressive banging. When she returned to the peephole, a man had joined the woman outside.

According to the witness, she overheard the unknown man say into his phone, “I can hear her moving around in there.” She also saw him drop a cigarette butt outside her door.

Feeling “uneasy” for herself and her children’s safety, she called her boyfriend at work, believing his presence at the apartment would “scare them off.”

But when the victim arrived at the apartment, the unknown man and woman were not deterred.

Then, according to the witness, she heard shots coming from the parking lot and the victim yelled that he’d been shot.

On cross examination, Hoffler’s defense attorneys, Jamison Koehler and Karen Minor, questioned why the witness did not call police if she felt threatened, and instead gave the victim his firearm. The witness replied that she didn’t think the victim “would do anything” with the firearm.

Parties are slated to reconvene for further witness testimony on March 6.

Shooting Defendant Accepts Global Plea Offer

On Mar. 6, a shooting defendant accepted a global plea offer extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun.

Ivan Dixon, 19, was originally charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on Sept. 22, 2023, on the 1700 block of 53rd Street, SE.

According to court documents, Dixon fired 17 shots, missing the intended target, instead injuring a bystander.

The prosecution alerted the court that they had extended a plea deal, which required Dixon to plead guilty to assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license, in exchange for a dismissal of two other cases against Dixon.

They were in connection to Dixon carrying a pistol without a license and leaving the scene of an accident.

Dixon’s defense attorney, Johnathan Lanyi, alerted the court that Dixon would accept the offer, and requested Judge Okun order a Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) study. The YRA provides a reduced sentencing option as well as sealing the case upon successful completion of the terms.

Lanyi concluded by requesting that his client’s sentencing be delayed so he could finish his classes from Howard University and Georgetown University.

The Judge agreed.

Parties are expected to reconvene for sentencing on June 28.

Judge Holds Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant During First Hearing

On Mar. 5, DC Superior Court Judge Heide Herrmann detained a non-fatal shooting defendant during a presentment hearing.

Andre Harvey, 28, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE on Dec. 2, 2022.

The incident left one individual suffering from gunshot wounds.

According to court documents, the victim and the suspect had been in a verbal argument that turned physical when the suspect pulled out a gun and allegedly shot him. However, the victim stated he didn’t know who shot him, and later died from unrelated causes.

Harvey’s defense attorney, Gail Engmann argued that there was not sufficient evidence to find probable cause to hold Harvey, because there were no eyewitnesses to the crime, and the victim had also failed to identify Harvey as the shooter despite having known him for years.

Judge Herrmann found that since the lead detective in the case had identified Harvey in surveillance footage of the crime scene, there was enough evidence to determine probable cause that he was the shooter, and decided to hold him until his preliminary hearing.

The preliminary hearing is set for Mar. 8.

Judge Says Homicide Probable Cause Was a ‘Close Call’

On March 4, the preliminary hearing of two co-defendants concluded in DC Superior Court Judge Okun’s courtroom.

Na’eem Butler, 20, a Pennsylvania State University student, and Ashton Inabinet, 16, are charged with second-degree murder while armed for their alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Diamonte Lewis. The incident occurred on Oct. 21, 2023, on the 900 block of U Street, NW.

Inabinet is charged as an adult under Title 16.

According to court documents, Butler and Inabinet were with a group of friends when they were confronted by Lewis and his friends. Allegedly, several arguments followed as the antagonists moved down U street as Lewis and a friend followed Butler and Inabinet’s group.

Surveillance footage then captured two individuals, identified as Butler and Inabinet, show firearms and shoot in Lewis’ direction as he falls to the ground. Lewis died at the scene.

The preliminary hearing was a continuation of one that occurred on Feb. 29.

Butler’s defense attorney, Kevann Gardner, began by challenging a detective’s credibility based on her testimony compared to surveillance footage of the incident. Gardner believed the detective had misrepresented the case.

“I think it’s a black-and-white issue that she was dishonest,” Gardner stated. “We must hold detectives to a higher standard.”

Judge Okun ruled the detective’s credibility shouldn’t be challenged in this case, despite the detective’s testimony being “sloppy.”

“No doubt parts of her testimony were inaccurate,” Judge Okun said, but concluded the detective had not knowingly made false statements.

The prosecution then asked the judge to find probable cause for Butler and Inabinet. The prosecutor argued that Butler and Inabinet were the only ones to have discharged firearms, and this escalated the altercation, even if Lewis and his friend had initiated it.

“Were they bullies? Yeah, they were,” the prosecutor said in reference to Lewis and his friend.

The prosecutor also stated that Butler and Inabinet had discharged their firearms into a crowded street.

“The fact that no one else was killed was a miracle,” said the prosecutor. “You can’t bring a gun to a fistfight.”

Further, the prosecutor stated that a witness allegedly heard Butler exclaim, “I caught a body!” after the shooting.

Gardner argued that Butler was acting in self-defense of himself and others. He claimed that Lewis and his friend were acting as the aggressors, and Butler consistently walked away.

He also claimed that eyewitnesses saw Lewis and his friend “grabbing at their waistbands,” to indicate they possessed firearms.

“Butler never, ever pulled out a gun until he believed he was going to die,” Gardner argued.

He claimed that Butler had turned away from the group when Inabinet allegedly fired the first shot. When Butler turned around, he saw Lewis’s friend holding a gun, and assumed he had been the one to fire. Fearing for his life, Butler returned fire.

Surveillance footage then showed Lewis’ friend allegedly leaning over his body after he was shot, then quickly fleeing the scene. Gardner claimed that this showed a “clear opportunity” for the friend to remove a firearm from Lewis. He argued that if Lewis was in possession of a firearm, then Butler had been acting in self-defense because he felt threatened.

Inabinet’s defense attorney, Stuart Sears, also argued that Inabinet was acting in self defense of himself and others.

He alleged that, during one confrontation before the shooting, Lewis and his friend attacked Inabinet, who ran away with his friends at first opportunity.

“They didn’t retaliate,” Sears claimed. “They took their beating, and they tried to go home.”

He agreed with Gardner that Lewis’s friend had an opportunity to take a firearm from him before police arrived.

“He was not giving CPR, I know that,” Sears said.

The prosecution said a marked police car was visible on surveillance footage, so Butler and Inabinet could have approached officers if they felt threatened.

After brief deliberation, Judge Okun found probable cause for second-degree murder while armed, claiming it was a “close call.”

“The evidence is sufficient, but just barely,” he stated in his ruling.

He cited that self-defense did not apply because there was not enough evidence that Lewis and his friend had possessed firearms.

The parties then made arguments for the release of Butler and Inabinet.

Ultimately Judge Okun ordered for the supervised release of both Butler and Inabinet with home confinement and GPS monitoring based on family support.

“Evidence in this case weighs heavily in favor of release,” Judge Okun said.

Parties are slated to reconvene on May 31.

Eyewitness Follows Suspect Vehicle After Fatal Shooting

On March 4, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt heard witness testimony from an eyewitness who said she followed the suspects after a murder.

Driving home from church in her black SUV that Sunday, March 1, the prosecution witness explained that she was on the phone with a friend and had pulled over to let another car pass.

“When I looked up, the car was stopped and [two individuals]” get out of the passenger side of a Kia Soul and “shoot into a crowd of boys that were at the end of the alley.”

She described the two shooters as “black or brown” with “male build.”

The witness recalled trying to unlock her phone to take a picture of the license plate, but was unsuccessful.

“Something happened that wasn’t lawful and I wanted to document the vehicle,” the witness said.

She decided to follow behind the Kia Soul.

The witness recalled following the suspect vehicle for a few minutes, and ended up losing sight of it at a red light. The witness then called 911.

The prosecution played the 911 call during the hearing, where the witness is heard describing the suspect vehicle she followed as a “light-colored, four door sedan.”

Freeman’s defense attorney, Andrew Ain, asked the witness the manner of the Kia driving away. The witness explained that the suspect vehicle traveled at “normal speed” after the shooting.

Jackson’s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, confirmed the witness’ grand jury testimony from April 21, 2020, when she stated the two shooters were “really tall” in relation to the car, which she described as a “clown car” because “they had to fold themselves in.”

In their redirect, the prosecution asked the witness why she was interested in collecting information for the police. She said “because of the job that I do. It’s based on gathering as much detail as possible to help with the investigation.”

Prosecutors also called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer to testify about aiding the lead detective in collecting surveillance footage from two locations involving the suspect vehicle, a Kia Soul.

According to the officer, on March 11, 2020, he met with homicide detectives and the business manager of a gas station to download footage from the day of the crime.

It showed a Kia drive up to a gas pump. At 12:52 p.m., an individual got out of the front passenger seat and walked into the building. The individual in the driver’s seat followed.

The officer did not identify the individuals.

At 12:55 p.m., they return to the vehicle and drive away.

According to the officer, on March 15 he and homicide detectives met with the manager of an apartment complex 3000 block of 14th Street, NW, to extract footage from March 1 of the lobby and exterior street view of the entrance.

The officer explained that although the footage does not have a visible timestamp, it accurately showed what happened.

The footage shows “two males come into the screen” in the lobby who leave the building. The exterior camera showed what appeared to be “two people standing in front of that building.”

One walking southbound, and the other individual appears to walk to the cars stopped in traffic, “go to the driver’s side” and get into a Kia Soul.

Freeman’s defense attorney, Andrew Ain, asked the witness to identify characteristics of one of the individuals seen in the lobby videos. The officer replied, “He’s wearing glasses.”

Jackson’s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, asked the officer if he was sure the time stamp was correct for the videos from the gas station. The officer wasn’t sure and did not recall checking if the timestamp was accurate.

McDaniel questioned the authenticity of the edited footage.

Parties are slated to return March 5.

Non-Fatal Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea Deal In Assault Case

On March 5, a non-fatal shooting defendant rejected a plea offer extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.

Davida Johnson, 26, is charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and assault with a significant bodily injury while armed, for her alleged involvement in a shooting incident that occurred on May 8, 2023, on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE. The victim sustained two gunshot wounds, one in her left arm and one in her right buttocks.

During the hearing, Rachel Cicurel, who was standing in for Johnson’s attorney, Kavya Naini, informed the judge the prosecution had extended a plea offer to Johnson.

According to Cicurel, it required Johnson to plead guilty to one count of battery while armed in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges and the prosecution not seeking an indictment.

However, Cicurel alerted Judge Ryan that Johnson was rejecting the offer and wanted a trial date set.

The defense also requested the prosecution provide the victim’s medical records, witnesses’ grand jury testimonies, and text messages ahead of the trial.

Currently, there are no indictment charges filed against Johnson, but they are pending.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on March 15.

Opening Statements Delivered in Non-Fatal Shooting Trial

On March 4, opening statements were delivered in a non-fatal shooting trial before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan.

Kamara Huffler, 32, is charged with assault with intent to kill, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, and multiple unlawful possession of a firearm charges, for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting. The incident occurred on Sept. 19, 2022, on the 800 block of Barnaby Street, SE. One individual sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident.

According to court documents, Huffler allegedly attempted to enter an apartment and was involved in a verbal altercation with the individual who lived there. It escalated into a shootout, and the victim sustained a gunshot wound to his knee.

The prosecution claimed that the apartment Huffler was trying to enter forcibly was occupied by a woman and her children. According to the prosecution, at three a.m. the woman was awakened by knocking at the front door. When she looked through the peephole, she saw a woman wrapped in a blanket.

After going back to bed, the woman inside heard more knocking, again looked through the peephole, and noticed that the woman outside was joined by a man, who was later identified as Huffler. The prosecution claimed that the woman continued to ignore the knocking, but grew worried as the knocking became more aggressive.

According to the prosecution, the woman called her boyfriend, the victim of the shooting, who immediately left work to check on her. Upon his arrival, he saw Huffler and the other woman were still at the apartment. The victim tried to make Huffler leave, but he remained resistant, the prosecution alleged.

The prosecution claimed that the victim followed Huffler to the parking lot to ensure he was leaving the premises, and that’s when he allegedly drew his gun and began to shoot.

In the defense’s opening statements, Huffler’s attorney, Jamison Koehler, argued that the night of the incident was “a terrible mistake” and that Huffler had to act in self-defense.

Koehler claimed that Huffler was out partying, “having a good time”, and wanted to continue his “night of fun” by going to his friend’s apartment.

According to Koehler, Huffler mixed up the apartment numbers and accidentally ended up at the wrong door. Huffler even called his friend, letting him know that no one was answering the door, who advised him to keep knocking, Koehler stated.

Koehler alleged that the shooting victim showed a gun to Huffler who fired in self-defense.

“Keep an open mind until we tell you our side of the story,” Koehler said.

Parties are slated to return March 5 to resume trial.

Case Acquitted: Judge Grants Two Motions During Trial Readiness Hearing

Tierra Posey was acquitted of all charges on March 20, 2024.

On March 5, DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo granted two motions filed by the prosecution to admit various segments of surveillance footage and a majority of the audio which was recorded in the moments leading up to the incident and afterwards in a homicide case trial.

Tierra Posey, 24, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business, for her alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Tia Carey on Jan. 6, 2020, at a gas station on the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.

The prosecution presented a video captured by a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer’s body-worn camera of Carey’s body on the ground after the incident. At the end of the video, the camera moves closer to the side of Carey’s head which appeared to be covered in blood.

Posey’s defense attorneys, Kevann Gardner and Quiana Harris, requested that the court cut out the video before the camera moves closer to Carey’s head since it lacks relevancy and is graphic in nature.

The prosecution countered that the video corroborates the testimony they believe witnesses will give at the trial, saying Carey was shot in the head.

Judge Demeo ruled in favor of the prosecution and the video will be played by the jury.

The prosecution then presented four videos captured by surveillance cameras at the gas station, which recorded the crime as it occurred.

All videos allegedly depict Posey in her vehicle leading up to the shooting with audio of gunshots, including one sequence taken by a bystander showing the chaotic scene

Gardner and Harris objected to all of the videos arguing that none capture Posey’s demeanor before, during or after the crime, which was the prosecution’s reasoning behind using the videos. Harris added that the videos are cumulative as they all establish the same facts by capturing the same series of events.

Judge Demeo said that the videos are highly relevant because they were taken while the crime was being committed. She also mentioned that the videos recorded different angles of the crime so they are not cumulative.

Gardner and Harris then requested that some “inappropriate” audio be removed from the bystander’s recording, as the bystander can be heard laughing and talking.

Judge Demeo agreed with the defense and ruled that the prosecution must remove the audio of the recording where the bystander was making statements such as, “Y’all better get the f**k on!”

Parties are expected to return to court on March 11 for the trial.

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