Charles Haythe, 32, is charged with second-degree murder, carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business, and possession of a prohibited weapon for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 26-year-old Aaron Langford on Oct. 25, 2021, on the 1600 block of 18th Street, SE
According to court documents, a witness alleged Haythe and Langford had been in a hostile relationship for approximately five years.
Prosecution said no DNA profile was recovered from the bloody knife found at the scene, and there was no evidence to test.
Haythe waived his right for DNA testing.
Parties are expected to reconvene on Jan. 12 for a status hearing to set a motions schedule.
On Oct. 12, parties delivered closing arguments regarding a 2017 homicide case about a possible drug deal gone wrong in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun and a jury.
Cedric Alexander, also known as Tony White, 52, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed, two counts of possession during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside the home or place of business with a prior felony for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Daquan Hooks on the 1900 block of 13th Street, SE on March 23, 2017.
The prosecutors started by quoting one of Alexander’s recorded jail calls with his ex-wife.
“I’m gonna have to answer to God for that,”Alexander said on the call, to which the prosecutor said one would only say this if “something extremely serious happened”.
The prosecutor discussed Alexander’s ex-wife’s testimony, and reminded the jury she explained that she heard significant information in Alexander’s phone call in the early morning hours the day of the crime.
She heard him saying to someone that he “needs a ride and a gun”. There are messages from that morning that have been deleted, most likely coordinating pickup with an accomplice, the prosecution said.
The prosecutor insisted this was Alexander’s way of “laying his trap” for Hooks, and getting him to meet up.
According to phone records, the last person to speak to Hooks on the phone was Alexander, and the prosecutor exclaimed that this was “the last phone call he will ever take for the rest of his life”.
The prosecutor then referenced the impact of Hooks’ death on his loved ones. According to prosecutors, when Hooks died, the news spread throughout the community. “His loss was felt.”
Prosecutors also discussed what occurred after Alexander returned home the morning of the incident.
His ex-wife testified he had a large ziploc bag, full of smaller ziploc bags possibly related to a drug purchase.
According to Alexander’s ex-wife, that same morning, she witnessed her husband go outside and throw things away in the dumpster, including the jacket he wore the day of the incident.
The prosecutors brought up jail calls possibly about getting rid evidence, and going to extra lengths to get drugs from Hooks.
“What did I have to do to get that s***? You seen me throw them clothes away? What did that mean? That mean I broke the law. I gotta answer to God for that s***!,” he reportedly said in the call.
The prosecution played another jail call with Alexander’s ex-wife where he says “It’s trying to come back and bite me”.
The prosecution ended by referencing a metaphor the defense used in their opening statement. The defense counsel referred to a puzzle, and how this case has many missing pieces. The prosecutor said, “Even with missing pieces in a puzzle, you can still see the picture”.
Judge Okun then called upon defense counsel to deliver their closing arguments.
“[Alexander] is here because of his calls and his texts”, Sellano Simmons stated.
Simmons explained that Hooks’ family members described him as a drug dealer, and that there could be many people who could had a motive to kill him.
“There’s been no evidence to show that [Alexander] shot and killed Hooks”, Simmons said. According to Simmons, there was no report of gunshots by any witnesses or by the Shotspotter platform, which has several detectors throughout the city to alert the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of shootings.
Simmons said testimony from Alexander’s family was questionable because the two of them were estranged and he was unlikely to confide in that individual about committing murder. Simmons also said the family member took drugs from Hooks’ dead body, claiming he did want Hooks to get charged with possession.
Simmons questioned the real motivation behind taking these drugs. asking, “How does a dead man catch a charge?”. He also pointed out that Hooks sold his drugs with pictures of the devil on the containers, something Alexander’s ex-wife didn’t mention.
Simmons also discussed Hooks’ stolen vehicle. “If [Alexander’s] DNA was in that car, we would have known,” Simmons said.
As for Alexander’s deleted texts, Simmons says Alexander was afraid he would wrongly be accused of Alexander’s murder.
“There was no DNA, no fingerprints, and no ballistics,” Simmons claimed.
The jury then began deliberations, which are expected to last for several days.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect connected to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Aug. 23, on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was captured by surveillance footage and can be seen in the video below.
Terrance Stoney, 30, is being charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of Donte Tiller, 43. The incident took place on March 17 at the intersection of Naylor Road and Southern Avenue, SE.
Stoney’s attorney, Nikki Lotze, argued that because of his strong community support, compliance with release in an unrelated case, and dedication to his children, he should be released as he is not a danger to the community.
Prosecution argued that due to the violent nature of the crime, it would be a danger to the community to allow him to be released.
“He’s a complex person who does dangerous things in the community,” said Judge Marisa Demeo.
Stoney was denied release by Judge Demeo, who cited his severe criminal record and the severeness of the crime as the reasons.
Fontanelle, 20, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated, first-degree murder premeditated while armed, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and aggravated assault knowingly while armed.
These charges are for his suspected involvement in the murders of 19-year-old Reginald Lamont Cooper, Jr. and 19-year-old Davonte Berkley on Oct. 17, 2022 on the 1300 block of Congress Street, SE. He is also accused of shooting a third victim, who survived.
Fontanelle’s defense lawyer Kevin Mosley, alerted the court he is pleading not guilty to all charges, and asserted his constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.
Parties are expected back on Nov. 14 for a status hearing.
On Oct. 12, a defendant waived his right to independently test DNA evidence recovered at a homicide scene.
Malik Seltzer, 23, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged role in the killing of 37-year-old Paris Odemnson Sept. 15, 2021, on the 4000 Block of 1st Street, SE.
According to court documents, the homicide occurred after an alleged drug dispute.
Defense counsel, Kevann Gardner, informed the court that they will be waiving their right to independent DNA testing.
The prosecutors also informed the court that they had performed DNA testing on the shell casings involved in the case.
Spiro Stafilatos, 36, is charged with second-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and fleeing from a law enforcement officer for his involvement in the car crash that resulted in the death of 31-year-old Shuyu Sui. The incident occurred on Dec. 30 at the intersection of 14th Street and New York Avenue, NW.
According to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) documents, Stafilatos fled from police in his vehicle during a traffic stop. He collided with a car at the intersection which sent his vehicle spinning and struck Sui and another victim while crossing the street.
The defense motioned for Stafilatos to be released with GPS monitoring. Stafilatos’s attorney, Brian McDaniel, argued he could be placed under third party custodianship and his mother would be his custodian. According to McDaniel, Stafilatos’s mother has been present at all his hearings and is willing to be the custodian.
The prosecution read a letter she had received from the victim’s uncle, in which he asked the judge to not release Stafilatos. He discussed the grief their family is going through because of his niece’s death. In the letter, the uncle states he wants to ensure Stafilatos is not released so this does “not happen again to any other family.”
Judge Raffinan denied the defense’s motion for release, because of Stafilatos’ past driving record. He has had previous run-ins with law enforcement and charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence.
Oct. 12 marked the first day of a hearing to determine if a murder case can go to trial.
Pedro Funes, 33, is charged with first degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Arnold Humberto Solis on the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW, on July 26.
The prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective who identified the defendant in court as the suspect.
The prosecution introduced video footage showing two individuals arguing outside a liquor store close to the crime scene less than 30 minutes before Solis was fatally shot.
The MPD detective testified that the individuals were Funes and Solis, and that the defendant had an “angry tone and demeanor” while speaking.
According to court documents, immediately after exiting the liquor store Funes told Solis: “the next time you say that sh*t I’m going to make sure you leak out of your f*cking brain.” The exchange was allegedly caught on camera.
Shortly after the defense began its cross-examination of the MPD detective, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun stopped the hearing due to scheduling issues. The hearing is scheduled to resume on Oct. 18.
Jajuan Gripper, 20, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to the death of 34-year-old Rynell Bradford. The incident occurred on the 1500 block of Anacostia Avenue, NE on Dec. 20, 2022.
According to court documents, witnesses stated a verbal altercation occurred before shots were fired.
In court, Gripper’s defense attorney, Kevin Irving, made an oral motion to dismiss.
Judge Okun quickly denied the request without an explanation.
A bulwark of the U.S. criminal justice system is the right to have guilt or innocence decided by a jury of one’s peers. This is constitutionally guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment and has come to mean those in the jury box should be representative of the community.
The issue of who qualifies as a “peer” is at the forefront of an ongoing case in DC. It involves as many as 100 plaintiffs who claim their juries were racially biased during Covid, thereby depriving them of their rights. This Friday, DC Superior Court Judge Marissa Demeo could decide how much information the court has to turn over in this case about how racial balance is ensured by the Superior Court.
Friday’s hearing concerns a motion for evidence filed August 2022 by DC Public Defenders Service Lawyer Jason Tulley, He requested the names and addresses of the DC jury pool because he had been unable to determine from the court how it was selecting juries. His query followed an analysis his office commissioned by a Howard University statistician who found that, while data showed during the winter of 2021, 45.8 percent of the jury-eligible population in Washington, DC identify as Black, based on court information, only 35.3 percent of petit jurors were Black, and just 34.7 percent of grand jurors were Black.
Prosecutors deny that the plaintiffs were deprived of their rights and DC Superior Court insists it works to “effectively monitor and enforce nondiscrimination in the selection of jurors.”
But in a review of trials for homicides and non-fatal shootings, D.C. Witness found that as recently as this summer, selected DC Superior Court juries still did not match the racial make-up of the District.
In five violent crime cases during the six weeks between June and July 2023, attended by D.C. Witness, White jurors outnumbered jurors of other racial groups, 4-to-1.
For these five cases, 80 percent of the defendants were found guilty and are awaiting sentencing—the sentences range from one year of time served to life imprisonment.
The data is based on the juries including alternates rather than only deliberating juries.
FIVE CASES:
JALEN BROWNE:
Jalen Browne, 21, an African American, faced numerous charges, including two counts of first-degree murder while armed, for his involvement in a fatal shooting of Jovan Hill Jr, 22, and Tariq Riley, 19, on July 25, 2021. Browne was found guilty on all counts.
For Browne’s trial, the court called 80 potential jurors. Of these 80 potential jurors, 51 were White, 19 were Black, and 10 were of other races. The pool was whittled down to 40 potential jurors, 27 of whom were White, seven Black, and six of other races.
The final jury consisted of 12 jurors with two alternates. The jury’s racial makeup was 10 White, two Black, and two of other races.
The racial makeup of the jurors was:
Juror’s Race
Voir Dire
Juror Placement
Sitting Jury
White Jurors
51
27
10
Black Jurors
19
7
2
Jurors of Other Races
10
6
2
↓
Juror’s Race
Voir Dire
Juror Placement
Sitting Jury
White Jurors
63.75%
67.50%
71.42%
Black Jurors
23.75%
17.50%
14.28%
Jurors of Other Races
12.50%
15.00%
14.28%
Similar data were collected for other trials ongoing at the same time. The defendants in the other cases were also Black.
YOLANDA WALKER:
Yolanda Walker, 52, was charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to an assault that took place on Jan. 17, 2023, on the 1700 block of Columbia Road, NW . On July 14, Walker was acquitted on all charges.
Juror’s Race
Sitting Jury
White Jurors
8 → 61.54%
Black Jurors
4→ 30.77%
Jurors of Other Races
1→ 7.69%
ANDRE MILLER:
Andre Miller, 53, was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with two assaults that took place on Oct. 22, 2022. Miller was acquitted after a week-long trial.
Juror’s Race
Sitting Jury
White Jurors
10→ 71.43%
Black Jurors
3→ 21.43%
Jurors of Other Races
1→ 7.14%
TREVON HATCHERSON-ROSS:
Trevon Hatcherson-Ross, 21, was charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or a place of business for an incident that took place on March 20, 2023, on the 900th block of Spring Road, NW. He was found guilty.
Juror’s Race
Sitting Jury
White Jurors
11→ 78.57%
Black Jurors
1→ 7.14%
Jurors of Other Races
2→ 14.28%
Walker, Miller and Hatcherson-Ross were charged with crimes that were not related to a homicide or non-fatal shooting.
Even though these jurors didn’t reflect DC’s racial make-up,a multi-step selection process is an effort to ensure fairness and proportionate representation on the panels.
First, the court randomly selects citizens’ names from lists of registered voters and people with driver’s licenses in the District of Columbia and sends them a summons along with a questionnaire to determine if they are qualified .
When a trial is set those who have arrived at the courthouse are selected at random to make a jury pool. That group is then whittled down through questioning by attorneys to determine their suitability for that specific jury panel.
After the pool has been reduced to about a third of its original size, lawyers place prospective jurors in the jury box to see what the potential jury could look like. Both parties can swap jurors in and out until they agree on a fair jury in a process known as voir dire, French for “to speak the truth.”
The final jury is composed of 12-to-18 people, as each jury is allowed to have up to six alternate jurors. When the trial phase concludes, the alternate jurors are revealed and only 12 are sent into deliberations.
In spite of these efforts, there are reasons why it’s difficult to get enough jurors to balance the panels including exemptions for personal hardships or even inaccurate census data leading to skewed jury notices.
However, a major issue is non-compliance, according to a source familiar with how the DC Superior Court selects jurors who spoke to D.C. Witness on the condition of anonymity.
Jurors are summoned to report for service and face a contempt of court citation if they ignore the order. However, given the heavy enforcement burden on DC police, the source says it’s common for prospective jurors to ignore this legal requirement with impunity.
According to the source, as many as half of those called fail to show up at the courthouse.
With a limited pool of jurors, the task of creating panels that fairly reflect the community is logistically and demographically challenging.
While the cases D.C. Witness studied are noteworthy, there is no definitive evidence from the data that the racial make-up of the jury either leads to a greater chance of conviction or exoneration.
In response to requests from D.C. Witness, the Superior Court refused to provide demographic data used in jury selection or explain exactly how they recruit juries.
Similarly, public defenders, DC Superior Court judges, and the DC Superior Court juror offices declined to comment on D.C. Witness’ data.
It is not clear what measures the Superior Court could or should implement to better balance juries. One step taken this summer was that residents with criminal records can now serve on juries.
In response to the motion for evidence on jury data to be decided this week, courthouse officials said they believe they can show they don’t have their “thumb on the scale” when it comes to picking juries–that even though the outcome isn’t perfect. They say the process is fair.
Markeis Crandall, 20, was originally charged with two counts of 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 that left two individuals injured on Nov. 26, 2021, on the 2200 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE.
On Feb. 4, 2022, Crandall accepted a plea offer extended by prosecutors that required he plead guilty to one count of aggravated assault knowingly while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges and prosecutors not seeking an indictment.
On May 17, 2022, he was sentenced to 72 months for each charge concurrent to one another, with a suspended sentence, which enabled his release back to the community under a Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) probation sentence.
During his release, Crandall was required to be on GPS monitoring, attend anger management classes and frequently test for drugs, as well as refrain from the use of illegal drugs and maintain or seek employment. He was also required to pay $200 to the Victims of Violent Crime Fund (VVCF) and register as a gun offender.
Crandall has reportedly been non-compliant since he was released, being re-arrested May 9, and released again May 23.
During the Oct. 11 hearing, probation officers from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) alerted the court that Crandall’s involvement in an anger management class was terminated because he was non-compliant.
According to the probation officers, Crandall has also tested positive for fentanyl use various times, and has failed to be compliant with the GPS monitoring and his curfew. When told by the probation officers that he should go to an inpatient drug treatment, he refused their recommendation.
Prosecutors agreed with probation officers, arguing that the court had been generous to him with several opportunities, and had his sentence been fully suspended, to let him get himself together.
Prosecutors agreed he should be required to participate in an in-patient treatment, and if he refuses they request he be arrested and sentenced to the 72 months incarceration.
Sellano Simmons, Crandall’s defense attorney, agreed he should participate in the in-patient treatment, but alerted the court that he had not been made aware that Crandall was non-compliant in a previous conversation with his client and the probation officers.
Judge Brandt questioned Crandall’s use of fentanyl stating, “I don’t understand what makes people continue to use drugs when articles show people are dying… maybe you’ve got a death wish”.
“Your behavior is beginning to make me think you want to go to prison, this truly is the last straw,” she told Crandall.
Judge Brandt detained Crandall as they await CSOSA’s in-patient treatment placing recommendation.
“This is it. If you can’t pull it together, the next time we are together you will be sent to prison. This stops now,” said Judge Brandt.
Parties are expected back on Oct. 17 to find out which in-patient treatment CSOSA recommends he participate in.
Cedric Alexander, also known as Tony White, 52, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed, two counts of possession during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside the home or place of business with a prior felony for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Daquan Hooks on the 1900 block of 13th Street, SE on March 23, 2017.
The prosecution questioned a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who explained that he was the lead on the case and that he was involved in, the autopsy, and interviewing witnesses.
When prosecutors asked him to elaborate on the autopsy result he said the cause of death was a gunshot wound and the manner as homicide.
The detective interviewed a family member of Alexander’s who previously testified against Alexander during this trial, specifically not his ex-wife. The prosecution proceeded to play a video clip of the interview that showed the family member making claims of what Alexander said to him regarding a murder. The video portrayed the family member alleging Alexander made statements including, “I done’d him”, and then more specifically “I killed him”.
The prosecution then questioned the detective regarding his search of Alexander’s residence at the time. According to the detective, they recovered evidence from the scene, specifically a box full of live ammunition, as well as a shoulder holster.
During cross-examination, Alexander’s defense attorney, Sellano Simmons, questioned the detective who explained that when he arrived, Hooks had already been taken to the medical examiner. Simmons argued that no one had heard a gunshot, there was no ballistics evidence found on the scene, no guns were recovered, and simply based on that alone, it didn’t appear that Hooks had been shot.
Simmons said the detective was the one who had observed the gunshot wound, not the medical examiner. He questioned the detective about the surveillance footage of the vehicle that was recovered in this case, and if the person seen driving the truck matched the description of the defendant — the detective replied that it didn’t.
“Nothing in the truck was connected to Mr. Alexander?” Simmons asked. “No sir.”, the detective replied.
Vincent Williams, 32, was originally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon against a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm, and threat to kidnap or injure a person for his alleged role in a non-fatal shooting on Nov. 17, 2022. The shooting occurred on the 4000 block of 8th Street, SE, and left two victims, one being a minor, suffering from non-life-threatening injuries.
On June 15, Williams accepted an offer from the prosecution to plead guilty to assault with intent to commit robbery and unlawful possession, with a prior conviction of a firearm, in exchange for dismissing all other charges for this and another pending case.
Before sentencing, the prosecution played surveillance video of the incident depicting Williams entering a metro bus and shooting a victim in close range.
The prosecution urged the judge to consider these are Williams’ third and fourth convictions relating to firearm possession and cited this incident as an “escalation of the defendant’s behavior from previous convictions.” The prosecutor also emphasized the defendant has had past issues with compliance upon release.
Before asking for a lighter sentence, Williams’ attorney, John Harvey III, explained that he is “ready to turn his life around” for the sake of his family and young daughter.
In a short statement, Williams expressed remorse and apologized to the victims. He explained that he was under the influence of drugs during the incident and “reacted for my own safety.”
In response to Williams, Judge Hertzfeld urged him to “imagine if it had been your little girl on that bus.”
Before announcing her decision, the judge stated “I don’t think the community is safe if I put you back in it”.
Judge Hertzfeld sentenced Williams to 4 years for assault with intent to commit robbery, with a concurrent sentence of 32 months for unlawful possession of a firearm. These charges will run consecutively to an additional charge, carrying a pistol without a license, for which he received 32 months.
After his prison term, Williams will be on supervised release for a total of six years and will have to register as a gun offender once released.
Eric Beasley, 32, is charged with first-degree murder for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run that resulted in the death of 45-year-old David Farewell while he was riding his bicycle. The incident occurred on Sept. 4, 2020 on the 2100 block of Young Street, SE.
Beasley testified he heard and saw Farewell yelling and pointing his finger at his girlfriend, leading Beasley to ask if she was okay. Beasley claimed he was worried for Farewell’s girlfriend and cited Farewell’s behavior as “erratic.”
After the incident, Beasley stated he was moving Farewell out of the street to prevent him from being hit by other vehicles. When asked why he decided to flee the scene, Beasley claimed he was scared and didn’t expect to be treated fairly by police.
During cross examination, the prosecution displayed a video of a car driving towards Farewell, acknowledging that no brake lights could be seen, which contradicted Beasley’s earlier statement of, “I was trying to hit the brake.”
Prosecutors also presented a video from the gas station, indicating there was no altercation seen between Farewell and his girlfriend.
During the defense attorneys’ redirect, Beasley said, “I accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake. I feel horrible because the man lost his life.”
Defense attorney Patrick Nowak called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer, who had been one of the first on scene. Nowak argued cross-contamination may have occurred, as he displayed multiple clips from the officer’s body-worn camera footage, highlighting the amount of bystanders shown at the scene and a witness allegedly picking up a piece of evidence.
On Oct. 11, the defense continued its case in a murder trial before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun suggesting critical evidence could be missing.
Cedric Alexander, also known as Tony White, 52, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed, two counts of possession during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside the home or place of business with a prior felony for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Daquan Hooks on the 1900 block of 13th Street, SE on March 23, 2017.
Sellano Simmons, Alexander’s defense attorney, motioned for an acquittal, arguing that the case should be dismissed due to insufficient evidence. The prosecution countered that multiple people have testified that Alexander confessed to killing someone.
Judge Okun denied the motion, and stated there was sufficient evidence for the jury to reach a verdict.
The defense recalled the lead detective in the case to discuss issues with body-worn camera footage.
Simmons said many of the videos taken by the responding officers were mislabeled and ultimately expired. The detective acknowledged it was his responsibility to change the label so the footage would be preserved, which he failed to do.
The detective said there could be around 20 sets of body camera footage lost.
According to Simmons, the case was mishandled by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) investigators and argued that someone else committed the murder.
Following the lead detective’s testimony, the defense planned to call two other MPD officers who failed to appear because of an issue with the defense subpoenas.
