Fratricide Defendant Battles With Prosecution on Pre-Trial Motions

Defense attorneys for a murder defendant argued with the prosecution about pre-trial motions before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on Sept. 19.

Joseph Smith, 67, is charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the stabbing death of his 62-year-old brother, Arnold Smith, in their family home on the 600 block of Galveston Place, SE on April 9, 2019.

Smith is set to go to trial on Dec. 1.

Defense attorneys Molly Bunke and Joseph Yarbough filed several motions, including to suppress statements made by the defendant and DNA evidence from a cheek swab.

They argued that the statements the prosecution intends to use to prove previous bank fraud would violate the defendant’s Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. They also argued that the DNA evidence was collected based on alleged consent, not a warrant, which violates his Fourth Amendment against illegal search and seizures right if used in trial.

The prosecution also wants to question the defendant during cross examination about the alleged bank fraud and statements that may have included threats against the victim.

Yarbough argued that there is not clear and convincing evidence to include questioning about the threats and asked for three weeks to file a motion to preclude the cross-examination.

Parties are slated to reconvene to further discuss these matters on Nov. 7.

‘The Spirit of The Devil Left Him And Went Into Me,’ Says Homicide Stabbing Defendant

Prosecutors called the lead detective in a 2025 homicide case to testify about a relentless stabbing before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on Sept. 17.

Anna Hyman, 22, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for her alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 63-year-old Robert Dent, at the unit block of Galveston Street, SW on July 26..

The detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) testified that according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), the victim sustained 55 sharp force injuries to his face, skull, chest, back, scalp, and shoulders. Crime scene photographs showed blood smeared on the apartment door, walls, couches, and floors. A bloody knife was later found concealed inside a bathroom cabinet.

Court documents revealed that Hyman and Dent, who met at a facility where Dent worked and Hyman received treatment, allegedly had an ongoing relationship in which Dent paid Hyman for sex. Prior testimony explained that Dent allegedly became aggressive when Hyman refused sexual advances.

The detective explained that Hyman had previously claimed that Dent attempted to rape her and attack her five-year-old son that night, leading to a violent struggle.

During questioning, the prosecution alluded to court documents that detail a quote from Hyman, saying “The spirit of the devil left him and went into me,” in reference to Dent.

During cross-examination, Hyman’s attorney, Elizabeth Weller, referenced the same documents explaining that neighbors reported hearing a commotion around 4:30 a. m., followed by Hyman’s banging on a door, shouting, “He hurt me, call 911.” Officers arriving on scene noted blood on Hyman’s hands and face, and body-worn camera footage captured her requesting help.

Weller emphasized that Hyman had no prior criminal history and sustained defensive injuries, including cuts on her arms and face. Witnesses also described her as experiencing delusions and hallucinations at the time. Weller further pointed to Dent’s extensive criminal record, including prior convictions for sexual assault.

Judge Ryan ordered for a further review of interviews with Hyman’s children and body camera footage.

Parties are expected to reconvene on Sept. 23 as the case proceeds toward trial.

Document: MPD Makes Second Arrest in 2019 Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an update regarding a 2019 homicide, with the arrest of a second suspect. On April 27, 2019, 16-year-old Eberson Guerra-Sanchez was found deceased with multiple stab wounds in Northwest. Previously, Pedro Alexander Joya Argueta, 25, was charged with first-degree murder. Recently, Erick Palacios-Argueta, 26, was arrested and will face similar charges upon extradition to Washington, DC.

‘He Told You A Ridiculous Tale,’Prosecutor Tells Jury in Homicide Case

Lawyers on both sides made passionate closing remarks to the jury in a homicide case before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on Sept. 22.

Alphonso Oliver, 35, is charged with second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Levoire Simmons, 16, that occurred July 5, 2022 on the 700 block of Kenilworth Terrace, NE.

The prosecution and the defense recapitulated their theories about what really happened during the shooting.

The prosecution said the defendant murdered Simmons in that after the first interaction Oliver had with Simmons and his friends, he had time to deliberate and consider what he was going to do.

He was the aggressor, the one who approached Simmons, and was the one who drew the weapon during the tussle, according to the prosecution. The prosecution argued that he also had intent to kill, which was suggested by the fact that he had shot Simmons in the head, rather than the leg, stomach, or chest.

Oliver was angry, the prosecution said, while in a store in the time between the first and second interaction. The group had spooked him, and he did not like it. His behavior, erratic and pacing, reflected it as much as his companion’s. She was calm, the prosecution emphasized, stating her behavior did not align with the defendant’s testimony.

“This story’s ridiculous,” the prosecutor said, referring to Oliver’s story that he had been threatened by the group. Because his companion was “meandering” on her phone during the time the event would have taken place, the prosecutor said it simply wasn’t plausible that Oliver had been threatened.

Oliver himself was also seen on his phone by cameras just seconds as he walked to the store, though he was apparently behaving strangely and looking over his shoulder back down the street where the group was celebrating.

Additionally, the prosecution emphasized that there were a “number of ways” Oliver could have gone home, but he made the conscious decision to walk back down the street toward the group he claimed to be scared of during his testimony, supposedly to introduce himself.

Wole Falodun, Oliver’s lawyer, claimed that Oliver acted in self-defense. He argued that Oliver’s actions were in response to threats of violence and a gun that was pulled on him first, as he had testified earlier during the trial. Oliver found himself “fighting for his life” and resorted to deadly force when faced with imminent danger, according to Falodun.

Even if the jury didn’t believe Oliver’s testimony, Falodun proposed that the prosecution did not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Oliver had committed murder. Falodun claimed that there were still too many unanswered questions—from witness testimonies to the whereabouts of the gun Simmons and another person at the gathering had been firing into the air. The same gun, he had argued, that Simmons pulled on Oliver.

Falodun was adamant the jury find Oliver not guilty if there was any doubt in their minds that he had killed in cold blood and If the jury is not “firmly convinced,” then they can’t find him guilty.

“He told you a ridiculous tale,” the prosecutor said regarding Oliver’s testimony. She suggested that Oliver fabricated his testimony because he “has an interest in the outcome of this trial.”

She also reminded the jury that the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt was not proving the case beyond doubt of guesswork or speculation.

Parties are slated to reconvene when the jury reaches a verdict.

Document: MPD Arrests Northwest Shooting Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 24-year-old Antwon Lake, of Fort Washington, MD, in connection with a shooting incident in Northwest. On Aug. 2, officers responded to gunshots on the unit block of Florida Ave, NW, where a victim was shot at but not injured. Lake is alleged to have been involved and is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and destruction of property.

Attorneys Deliver Closings in Mass Shooting Including 5-Year-Old Victim

DC Superior Court Judge Dayna Dayson heard closing arguments on Sept. 24 in a jury trial involving a bus stop mass shooting that injured five victims, including a five-year-old girl.

Ronell Offutt, 36, is charged with five counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and five counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, on Feb 4, 2019.

One of the assault with intent to kill counts includes an enhancement for injuring a minor.

The prosecution used video evidence from various surveillance cameras, photos from key witnesses, and cell tower data to outline their theory of what occurred the day of the incident.

“He [Offutt] turned that street corner into a blood bath,” the prosecution said. “And for what, for what? He wanted revenge.”

The prosecution argued that Offutt decided to take matters into his own hands after he was physically assaulted with a bat by multiple suspects an hour before the shooting. His fiance and daughter were in the car and witnessed the attack.

The prosecution claimed that surveillance footage from a car wash, photos taken by a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) commander, and a piece of hair confirmed to be Offutt’s proves he was present during the initial altercation. During an interview with police, Offutt allegedly confirmed he was the one in the photos taken by the MPD commander.

“Think about how violent the altercation was for him to lose his hair,” said the prosecution. “Something awful happened to Mr. Offutt but that doesn’t justify a shooting.”

The prosecution claimed that, during the hour before the shooting, Offutt went home to retrieve a firearm and came back to the area where he was assaulted, proving that the shooting was premeditated. They used his fiancé’s cell phone data to track his movements.

The prosecution used video clips from local businesses of a man walking with a multicolored hat and white shoes to claim that Offutt parked two blocks away from the bus stop, walked past the bus stop, turned around, and opened fire at the pedestrians.

They claim he fired eight shots, with a brief pause after the initial three shots, arguing that he stopped to aim and reflect on the shooting.

According to the prosecution, there were five victims: one who was shot twice, one who was shot in the chest, a victim who was five years old, and two others shot once. The victim shot in the chest was allegedly wearing similar clothing to one of Offutt’s assailants who they allege was Offutt’s intended target.

The prosecution also claimed that surveillance footage and photos from a witness captured Offutt running from the scene of the crime with a firearm. The man in the footage wears what appears to be the same hat and shoes from Offutt’s initial assault.

The prosecution argued that a firearm recovered in a Maryland traffic stop was used in the shooting based on the eight shell casings and two projectiles examined by an expert. The DNA collected on the firearm was a likely match for Offutt.

The prosecution also argued that the projectiles retrieved from a car in the direct line of the shooting path demonstrate that the shooter aimed at human height.

To prove that Offutt had intent to kill, the prosecution must convince the jury that Offutt’s return to the scene of the assault and fire directly at people.

“This is a crowded bus stop, you don’t open fire at a crowded bus stop unless you intend to kill,” the prosecution said. “He didn’t walk around and trip on his gun, he walked around the block and shot at people.”

Donna Beasley, Offut’s defense attorney, argued that the surveillance footageis unreliable because the timestamps do not match the timeline outlined by the prosecution. She claimed that some of the footage is from before and after the shooting happened.

“The prosecution does not explain this in any shape, form, or fashion,” Beasley said.

In rebuttal, the prosecution argued that the time stamp variance should not play a role in the jury’s decision making because the sequence of events captured in the footage does correlate.

“There is timestamp variance,” the prosecution said. “But the video content matches up.”

Beasley took issue with the prosecution’s failure to maintain the metadata from the photos taken by the witness. Without the metadata, there is no way to confirm the date, time, or that the photos were not fabricated. When instructing the jury, Judge Dayson explained that they should consider this a prosecutorial failing.

Beasley doubted the credibility of the witness who took the photos. She argued that the photos demonstrate that the witness could not see the bus stop from his location. She also argued that he falsely identified the victims in his photos.

The prosecution argued on rebuttal that the metadata is not important when the witness can clarify any questions about the photos.

“[He] has no motive to lie, to fabricate,” the prosecution said. “You know who else can tell you that, the person who testified under oath. He had first hand knowledge of the contents.”

Beasley also argued that the prosecution had no way of proving that one of the victims was Offut’s assailant. Beasley explained that, without that confirmation, any arguments of motive or intent that connect Offutt to the crime are moot.

“The prosecution said [one of Offutt’s alleged attackers] was a target,” Beasley said. “There hasn’t been any investigation into who beat up Mr. Offutt.”

Challenging one of the five charges and its accompanying firearm charge, Beasley explained that the fifth victim may not be a victim of the shooting. She explained that there is limited knowledge of his identity and there is no way to connect the alleged victim to the shooting patient at Howard Hospital.

The prosecution argued that the bus stop footage shows a fifth man injured as he began limping and hopping as a result of a new wound.

Beasley also questioned the DNA evidence. She argued that the prosecution should have considered the DNA of the person in the traffic stop instead of only testing Offutt’s DNA.

“The [prosecution] decided who their suspect was and they were going to make a case for it,” Beasley said.

Beasley also argued that the projectiles were different colors and were most likely from different guns.

The prosecution argued on rebuttal that testing the firearm for another set of DNA doesn’t change the likelihood that Offutt’s DNA is on the firearm.

Lastly, Beasely reminded the court that there was no in court identification of the defendant. None of the witnesses were asked to identify Offutt as the shooter when testifying in court.

Before the jury entered the courtroom, Judge Dayson dismissed two of the original charges against Offut including aggravated assault knowingly while armed and the accompanying firearm charge.

Based on the testimony of one of the victim’s physicians, there was no evidence of “significant bodily injury” to meet the definition of aggravated result.

The jury is deliberating the case.

Document: MPD Makes Third Arrest in Double Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a third arrest in connection with a quadruple shooting on July 18, 2024, on the 2200 block of Alabama Avenue, SE, which resulted in the deaths of Lamont Street, 29, and Jermaine Proctor, 50. Two other victims, including one surviving victim, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Dionzai Parker, 21, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed. This follows the earlier arrests of Andre Greene, 25, and Jordan McClaine, 17, both charged with the same offense.

Phones, Guns, Ballistic Evidence Debated in Homicide Trial

The prosecution introduced technical evidence on several fronts in a fatal shooting in front of DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Sept. 22.

Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with conspiracy, first-degree murder, 10 counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

These charges stem from Steele’s alleged involvement in four separate shootings, including the murder of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes and injury of another juvenile on March 1, 2020, on the 600 block of S Street, NW. Steele’s accused of a separate shooting the same day with no reported injuries on the unit block of Channing Street, NE.

The other incidents Steele is accused of include a non-fatal shooting that injured two individuals on Feb. 22, 2020, on the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW, and a non-fatal shooting that injured three on Feb. 24, 2020, on the 1700 block of 9th Street, NW.

Investigators testified about the execution of a search warrant and the processing of evidence related to the 2020 homicide case. An investigator from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) described assisting in a 6 a. m. search at Steele’s apartment on the 2000 Block of Douglas Street, NE, where officers allegedly recovered firearms, electronics, clothing, multiple phones, and ammunition.

He noted that the purpose of the early search was to maintain the element of surprise. The items were documented but not handled by him directly, and several images of the evidence were shown in court.

A crime scene officer with more than a decade of experience testified, explaining how bullet casings were photographed and numbered to track their original locations. Eight casings were found at the Channing Street scene, and he noted that while he couldn’t recall exactly when he arrived, other officers were already present. He admitted on cross-examination that it was possible the casings could have shifted due to movement at the scene.

Prosecutors also called on a weapons specialist who explained the bullet fragments recovered were too damaged to be definitively matched to a specific weapon but were consistent with the type of firearm believed used in he shootings.

The firearms specialist identified two weapons, a Glock 9mm and .40 caliber semiautomatic pistols, and explained to the jury how he would connect them to a crime. He stated that he typically test fires the weapons and collects the casing to compare it with casings collected at the scene.

The witness testified that the bullet casings recovered at the scene could not have come from the guns presented to the court.

Defense’s cross examination consisted of confirming that the casings recovered at the scene did not come from the firearms presented to the jury and that bullet casings can fly in unpredictable patterns once ejected from the gun.

The jury was dismissed an hour early so counsel could discuss objections the defense had to rap videos and photos of the defendant that were going to be used for identification by a future witness.

The prosecution planned to present a younger picture of Steele to the witness because it would have been closer in time to the shooting. The defense argued this photo was prejudicial to the defendant because it depicted him wearing an ankle monitor and smoking what appeared to be marijuana. Judge Brandt tabled the issue for further consideration.

The next exhibit was a rap video in which a person said to be the defendant can be seen dancing in the foreground. The prosecution stated it was relevant because it took place near the 3500 neighborhood and describes the group’s mourning of Tahlil Byrd, 19, whose murder is alleged to have started the beef that led to the shooting that killed Lukes.

The defense argued that the actions depicted in the video, including drug use and brandishing of firearms, were again prejudicial to Steele since he did not make the video himself.

The court ordered counsels to convene and determine whether the videos should be edited or used at all.

Trial is set to reconvene on Sept. 23.

Document: MPD Arrests Wanted Suspect in Northeast Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 39-year-old Solaiman Richardson, alleged suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred on July 18 in Northeast. The victim, identified as 41-year-old Allen Shropshire, was found dead from a gunshot wound in an apartment on Fort Drive. Richardson was apprehended in Baltimore and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Document: MPD Makes Additional Arrest in 2024 Dunbar Road Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an update regarding the 2024 homicide on Dunbar Road, SE, with a third arrest made. On Nov. 8, 2024, the remains of 18-year-old Alexander Ariel Pavon-Rios were found, and his death was ruled a homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds. Previously, Miguel Antonio Hernandez-Orantes and Antonio Benahias Morales were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. On Sep. 16, 21-year-old Angel Manfredi Campos-Melendez was also arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed.

DOCUMENT: MPD Arrests Suspect in Martin Luther King Jr Avenue Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a 16-year-old male suspect in connection with a shooting incident on Aug. 18 on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE. The juvenile suspect has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after a juvenile male victim self-transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing.

Document: MPD Arrests Suspect in N Street Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 20-year-old Kamari Childs, of Southwest, DC, in connection with a shooting incident on Sep. 15 in the 200 block of N Street, SW. Childs is alleged to have been involved in the unlawful discharge of a firearm and has been charged with endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and destruction of property. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Document: MPD Makes Arrest in Benning Road Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 38-year-old Edgar Arrington, alleged to be involved in the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Daquane Johnson on July 5 in the 2000 block of Benning Road, NE. Arrington has been charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Document: MPD Makes Arrest in Fatal Southeast Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 31-year-old Andre Townsend, alleged to be involved in a fatal shooting on March 18 in SE. The incident occurred on the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, where 39-year-old Derrick Howard of Baltimore, MD, was found with a life-threatening gunshot wound and later pronounced deceased. Townsend has been charged with second-degree murder while armed.

MPD Makes Arrest in 2024 Fatal Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an arrest in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred on Aug 13, 2024. The victim, identified as 38-year-old Antowine Baker, was found with gunshot wounds in a park on the 500 block of Division Avenue, NE, and later pronounced dead. On Sep 15, 2025, Christian Ware was arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder While Armed.

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