Judge Accepts Request for GPS Monitoring

On Sept. 22, DC Superior Court Judge Sean Staples accepted a request from a non-fatal shooting defendant to decrease his release conditions to global positioning system (GPS) only.

Johnathan Dawkins, 41, was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on April 24 on the 700 block of G Street SE.

During a felony status conference on Sept. 22, Judge Staples accepted the defense’s request to decrease monitoring to GPS only. The defendant was originally on GPS monitoring and curfew confinements regarding his release at home.

“Given the defendant’s compliance with original conditions, court accepts defense’s request” Judge Staples said.

Parties are expected to reconvene for a status hearing on Nov. 17.

Judge Arraigns Murder Defendant on Six Charges

On Sept. 21, a homicide defendant was arraigned in connection to a 2021 murder case in front of DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Erin Sheffey, 28 is being charged with second-degree murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in the murder of Kiwyon Maddox, 32, on Aug. 15, 2021, on the 2100 block of 16th Street, SE.

Sheffey, through his defense attorney, pleaded not guilty to all counts and asserted his rights to a speedy trial.

According to prosecutors, Sheffey and multiple other men allegedly shot at Maddox and another man while they were riding on a moped.

The prosecution is alleging that Sheffey shot first, but the defense maintained that it was in self defense. The prosecution cited ring camera footage depicting Sheffey allegedly firing at the men

Sheffey is currently facing a federal charge of armed robbery for allegedly stealing $1.2 million from an armored truck.

Parties are expected to reconvene Sept. 27.

Defendant Waives Rights to Independent DNA Testing in 2021 Murder Case

On Sept. 21, a defendant waived his rights to independently test DNA evidence recovered from a homicide scene.

Nyjell Outler, 21, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with a dangerous weapon, for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Demetris Johnson on March 20, 2021, on the unit block of Madison Street, NE. The incident occurred at a gender-reveal party.

According to court documents, after arriving and speaking with a few guests attending the party, Outler leaned against a fence, pulled out a gun, and allegedly began firing at the guests. Two guests were injured, one of which succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

Outler is scheduled to reappear in front of DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe on Aug. 30, 2024 for a trial readiness hearing.

Non-Fatal Shooting Case Continues as Defense Introduces New Evidence

On Sept. 20, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt continued a motion hearing to consider new evidence introduced by the defense.

Kenneth Davis, 44, is charged with four counts of assault with intent to kill, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on May 19, 2021, on the 1600 block of Eastern Avenue, NE. The incident left one individual suffering from non life-threatening injuries.

Davis’ defense attorney, Marnitta King, introduced five new exhibits into evidence, asserting that these documents show the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) had a vehicle in its possession that contained necessary evidence for the defense that the prosecution failed to investigate and provide.

King stated that if the vehicle would have been processed and tested for DNA, that DNA would be proof that the shooter in this incident was not Davis.

On the basis of this argument, King asked the court for a dismissal of all charges.

The prosecution responded by stating that there is no way to know that the vehicle would even contain any evidence or DNA that would be exculpatory.

The defense asserted that another vehicle involved in this case was swabbed for DNA, so the vehicle in question should have also been preserved and swabbed.

Judge Brandt scheduled a continued hearing on Sept. 26 to deliver her ruling.

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Second-Degree Murder and Robbery While Armed

On Sept. 21, a homicide defendant was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to two charges before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt.

Duron Hudson, 23, is charged with one count of second-degree murder while armed and one count of robbery while armed for his alleged involvement in the murder of Nahzil Zaid Abdul Rahim on Nov. 29, 2019 on the 1200 block of U Street, NW.

Hudson’s defense attorney, Mani Golzari, asserted the defendant’s right to a speedy trial.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13.

Another Defendant’s DNA Found on Murder Weapon

On Sept. 21, defense attorneys for Ravel Mills stated that another homicide defendant’s DNA was found on the firearm used in a 2020 murder. Prosecutors also stated that Mills’ DNA was not recovered from the murder weapon.

Mills, 29 is charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license for his alleged involvement in the murder of 28-year-old Toussaunt Strong. The incident took place on the 3400 block of 24th Street, SE, on April 18, 2020.

The lead Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective was questioned about three other shootings that the gun was linked to. One of the shootings, a destruction of property on April 26, 2020, occurred before Mills was arrested. According to cell phone location data, Mills was in the area in close proximity to the time of the shooting.

The other two shootings the gun is linked to occurred after Mills was arrested.

The detective previously stated in court in 2021 that there was nothing connecting Mills to any of the shootings. The defense noted this inconsistency in her testimony.

A MPD officer was also questioned in regards to his involvement in the investigation.

Defense Attorney Kevin Mosley asked him about an alleged vial of PCP found in the area where Strong’s body was found. The officer is seen on camera speculating whether the altercation was over the vial. There is no evidence that the vial contained PCP.

The defense’s case relies on the claim that Strong was high on PCP and was murdered by a PCP dealer.

The officer also mentioned that vials of PCP are usually in the hands of dealers, not users.

Parties are expected to reconvene Sept. 25.

Document: Man Arrested in Homicide

On Sept. 20, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 28-year-old Erin Sheffey with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a homicide that occurred on Aug. 15, 2021, on the 2000 block of 16th Street, SE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located 32-year-old Kiwyon Maddox suffering from gunshot wounds. After all lifesaving efforts were made, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers also located two other adult male victims suffering from gunshot injuries. They were transported to a local hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Document: Man Dead, Another Injured in Northeast Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Homicide Branch is investigating a shooting that left one man dead and another injured on Sept. 20 on the 5200 block of Foote Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the report of a shooting at the location, where they located two men suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. After all lifesaving efforts were made, one of the individuals was pronounced dead. The other man was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The decedent was identified as 64-year-old Dwain Francis Day.

MPD is offering a reward to anyone that provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this incident.

Document: Man Arrested in Shooting That Injured an Adult Male

On Sept. 20, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 31-year-old Manaen Hines with assault with a dangerous weapon – gun, for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that left an individual injured. The incident occurred on Aug. 18 on the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE.

According to MPD documents, the victim approached officers stating he had been shot at the location, and that the suspect had fled on foot. The victim was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Homicide Defendant’s Motion to Remove GPS Tracker Denied

On Sept. 21, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan denied a homicide defendant’s request to remove his GPS tracker.

Julian Ruffin, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 38-year-old Alphonso Lee. The incident occurred on the 1500 block of Butler Street, SE, on Oct. 7, 2022.

Ruffin is currently on release under GPS tracking. The defense requested to remove the tracker, claiming it was an “undue burden” on Ruffin. The attorney cited Ruffin’s lack of criminal history before the incident and his having been in perfect compliance with release conditions.

“Inconvenience is not a reason to change conditions,” the prosecution said.

Judge Raffinan declared that because of the nature of the alleged crime, Ruffin would be kept under the same conditions. However, she suggested that if the defense were to submit a written motion, she would revisit his conditions.

Parties are slated to reconvene Jan. 24.

Relevance of Evidence Consumes Last Day of Arguments in Non-Fatal Shooting Case

During closing arguments on Sept. 20, counsel debated the relevance of evidence in a non-fatal shooting case.

Dominic Copeland, 33, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, robbery while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was allegedly involved in a non-fatal shooting on the unit block of N Street, NW.

Artie Byrd, 31, Copeland’s co-defendant, is charged with accessory for his involvement in helping Copeland leave the scene of the crime.

Before counsel concluded their cases, a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) testified about the surveillance footage he could gather from a Wendy’s restaurant on New York Avenue, where the victim and Copeland allegedly met before engaging in an exchange of narcotics on April 26, 2019, the day of the shooting.

When the detective went to the Wendy’s restaurant, he said he tried to obtain camera footage from a manager to get an understanding of what happened between the individuals before the shooting.

He said the manager told him that he didn’t have the password to the security system. To get the password, the detective was told he would have to get a technician to get access to the surveillance system.

The detective also testified regarding DNA evidence he gathered from a white Toyota Camry, one of the vehicles involved in the incident.

Michael Madden, Copeland’s defense attorney, questioned the detective on what was gathered regarding DNA evidence from the shooting.

The prosecution objected to Madden’s question of what the results of the DNA analysis were. When Madden rephrased his question, the detective said he received a report about the DNA analysis and that the prosecutors allegedly had access to the report.

Having had the report, the detective said he doesn’t recall what the findings of the DNA tests were.

During the closing arguments, the prosecution summarized the testimonial and video evidence and concluded that the jury should find Copeland and Byrd guilty of all charges.

However, the defense, during their closing statement, urged the jury to consider a verdict of not guilty for Copeland and Byrd as a result of weak testimonial evidence and misidentification with regard to Byrd.

Jury deliberations are slated to being on Sept. 21.

Document: Woman Dead After Being Struck by Vehicle in Northeast, DC

The Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Major Crash Unit is investigating a traffic fatality that killed a woman on the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Sheriff Road, NE, on Sept. 20.

According to MPD documents, a 2001 GMC Yukon was traveling northwest through the intersection and crossed the intersection with the green light. As the vehicle crossed the intersection, it struck the woman, whom passed away at the scene. The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene.

The victim’s identity is being withheld pending next of kin notification.

Document: Man Arrested in Shooting That Injured One

On Sept. 20, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 50-year-old Andrew Black with assault with a dangerous weapon (gun) for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Sept. 9 on the 4600 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.

According to MPD documents, Black approached the victim at the location and shot him as he was getting into a car. Black fled the scene, and the victim was transported to a local hospital for their treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Judge Calls Defendants Actions ‘Reckless,’ ‘Irresponsible,’ and ‘Dangerous’

On Sept. 19, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced a homicide defendant to 24 years in prison and three years of supervised release after the jury found the defendant guilty on multiple charges on March 22.

Shaka Haltiwanger, 24, was charged and convicted of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence while armed, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device while armed.

According to the police report on Sept. 10, 2021, police responded to the 1400 block of 29th Street, SE where they found 39-year-old Anthony Kelly suffering from a single gunshot wound. Haltiwanger was found guilty by a jury of his peers.

During the sentencing the prosecution asked for, “24 years for the senseless murder of Mr. Kelly”. While defense attorney, Howard McEachern, asked for Haltiwanger to be sentenced under the Youth Act, saying, “whatever time he gets today will be a substantial amount of time” and “he is only 24 years old”.

The prosecution also read one victim impact statement and the court heard another four victim impact statements from Kelly’s family and friends.

Kelly’s family expressed that he had been a caring father, son, family member, and friend and that they wanted the maximum time for Haltiwanger to serve.

McEachern explained how Haltiwanger had grown up in unstable living conditions with “rampant drug use” and that he is “someone who has been a loving brother, a loving uncle, and a mentor”. Haltiwanger also gave a statement in which he said, “a lesson has been gained from this tragedy” and “I am committed to making amends”.

“At the end of the day no one wins,” Judge Brandt said. Haltiwanger “made a choice to pull the trigger” and that “robbed four little babies of their daddy.”

Judge Brandt also described Haltiwanger’s decision to leave the firearm at the location for anyone to find as, “reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous”.

Judge Brandt sentenced Haltiwanger to 24 years for second-degree murder while armed, 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence while armed, 24 months for carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and 12 months for possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. All sentences would be served concurrently.

Haltiwanger is also required to serve three years of supervised release, register as a gun offender, pay a $400 fine, and receive transitional housing upon release.

Defendant’s Probation Revoked and sentenced to 8 months for non-fatal shooting

On Sept. 20, DC Superior Court Judge Christian revoked a non-fatal shooting defendant’s probation and ordered he be sentenced to eight months confinement and three years supervised release.

On Aug. 19, 2019, Richard Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on July 23, 2019, on the 1300 block of 7th Street, NW.

On Oct. 28, 2019, Johnson was sentenced to 38 months confinement with three years supervised release for the assault with a dangerous weapon charge, and 12 months confinement with three years supervised release for carrying a pistol without a license. Both sentences were to be served concurrently.

While on probation, Johnson was rearrested regarding a separate non-fatal shooting that occurred during his probation, to which he has now pleaded guilty. Johnson was sentenced to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release for this offense.

Johnson’s defense attorney, Steven Polin, conveyed to the court that Johnson hopes to mitigate any further time incarcerated with his acceptance of responsibility for both cases.

When Judge Christian asked the defendant what happened to him that resulted in these acts, Johnson responded by stating he “does not know what happened.”

Judge Christian said that Johnson has already served his time for the charge on carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, but further concluded that in addition to the eight-month sentence for assault with a dangerous weapon, Johnson must pay each victim $100 from prison pay if he has not already done so.

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