Carjacking Defendant Won’t Attend Third Straight Mental Observation Hearing

Rasheed Jenkins missed another mental competency hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro on June 5 after refusing transport from Saint Elizabeths Hospital for psychiatric patients to the courthouse.

Jenkins, 28, is charged with armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges stem from an incident on Jan. 31, 2022 on the 5700 block of Eads Street NE, in which prosecutors allege Jenkins carjacked a Kia at gunpoint.

According to court records, the hearing was the third consecutive time since Feb. 27 that Jenkins refused transportation to the courthouse for his mental observation hearing.

To stand trial, Jenkins must understand the charges against him and be able to assist his attorney in his defense.

Jenkins has now missed eight total hearings due to refusing transport in this case, court records indicate.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on June 17.

Murder Defendant Wants Unreleased Evidence, Rejects Plea Offer

A homicide suspect’s attorney rejected a plea deal from prosecutors and requested evidence withheld by the prosecution in his case on June 5 in DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park’s courtroom.

Tyquan Jennings, 27, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Vonte Martin on the 3000 block of Stanton Road, SE, on Aug. 19, 2024. Martin sustained three shots and an additional victim sustained a gunshot wound to the right shin.

In a prior hearing on May 15, Jennings’ attorney, Nathaniel Mensah, asked for more time to review the plea deal. The deal the prosecution offered would have required Jennings to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter while all remaining charges would be dismissed.

After Jennings rejected the deal, parties scheduled his trial for April 5, 2027.

In addition to the plea deal rejection, parties also discussed certain grand jury transcripts that Mensah said the prosecution was unwilling to share with the defense.

Judge Park asked the prosecution to file their argument for not sharing these transcripts by Oct. 2. The defense will write and submit their response two weeks later before parties reconvene for Judge Park’s ruling as to whether these documents must be turned over to the defense.

Similarly, Mensah also asked the judge to order the prosecution to disclose the identities of certain witnesses in accordance with statutory requirements that require the prosecution to share evidence that might favor the defendant.

Mensah said the defense previously demonstrated that these witnesses may qualify as favorable to Jennings. The prosecution argued that Jennings knows all of the witnesses and can provide this information to the defense. The prosecution said they were hesitant however to disclose these names to the public as they feared it might threaten witnesses’ safety.

Parties are set to reconvene on Oct. 23.

Sentence Suspended for Shooting Defendant, Allowed to Return to Virginia Farm

DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe sentenced a shooting defendant on June 12 to unsupervised probation, allowing him to return to a farm in Virginia.

Jory Sydnor, 26, pleaded guilty on April 8 to carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. The charge stemmed from his involvement in a shooting on the 1400 block of Trinidad Avenue, NE on April 10, 2025. Sydnor’s ex-step-father sustained a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Judge Pipe cited the mitigating factors in the case including that the shooting occurred after Sydnor learned that his ex-step-father was allegedly harming his mother and juvenile sister.

The prosecution also acknowledged that Sydnor was “struggling with mental health and substance abuse” at the time of the offense.

The prosecution requested Sydnor receive inpatient psychological support and three years of supervised probation.

Judge Pipe was concerned that supervised probation would require Sydnor to stay in DC, which Andrew Ain, Sydnor’s attorney, emphasized that was against Sydnor’s wishes. Ain explained that Sydnor simply “wants to go back to the farm” where he previously lived in Virginia.

Ain outlined a flow chart of the criminal justice system and argued, in his view, that more severe punishment leads to more restrictions and expectations which become more opportunities for defendants to reoffend. “That flow chart is particularly maladaptive for him,” said Ain

“I don’t see him as a danger to the community,” Judge Pipe expressed before handing down her sentencing decision.

Sydnor was given a fully suspended 10 month sentence and one year of unsupervised probation, during which he is not permitted to possess a firearm. Additionally he will need to register as a gun offender in DC for the next two years. If he fails to meet any of these conditions Judge Pipe can require him to serve the 10 month sentence.

No further dates were set.

Judge Maintains Release for Homicide Defendant With Jail Health Struggles

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz maintained his prior decision to release a homicide defendant due to his deteriorating health in jail during a pretrial hearing on June 5.

The prosecution requested a review of the defendant’s health condition. Judge Kravitz said he wouldn’t conduct an independent review, as long as the defendant remains compliant with the conditions of his release, but said the prosecution could file a motion.

Dione Dorn, 43, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jaydon Parson. The incident occurred on Feb. 18, 2025, on the 700 block of H Street, NE. Parson sustained five gunshot wounds, including three to his head.

Dorn attended the hearing remotely because of a dialysis appointment. Defense attorney Megan Allburn said he is ineligible for a kidney transplant and will require dialysis for the rest of his life. Based on her observations, Allburn said he is still suffers poor health, and uses a wheelchair.

A tentative trial date was set for Aug. 21, 2028, due to scheduling conflicts between the judge, prosecution, Allburn, and the defendant, who has limited availability because of dialysis appointments three times a week. Parties agreed to revise the trial date if an earlier time becomes available.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Sept. 11.

Case Acquitted: Homicide Defendant Testifies That Victim Was ‘Like a Brother’ to Him

Editor’s note: Juan Guerra was acquitted of all charges by a jury on June 15, 2026.

Before DC Superior Court Judge Milton C. Lee Jr. on June 9, a homicide defendant took the stand as the defense’s first witness.

Juan Guerra, 34, is charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the death of Peter Miller III, 32, who died from blunt force trauma on the 900 block of Maine Avenue, SW, on Oct. 6, 2021. Miller later succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 11, 2021.

Guerra’s attorney, Diana Yu, highlighted the extensive relationship between Guerra and Miller dating back to middle school, and up to their time living together in 2021.

Guerra testified Miller “was like a brother to me,” and described him as an “inspiration.”

During their time at college, Guerra said he got mugged, stabbed, and maced, resulting in a hand injury. After the incident, Guerra claimed, Miller helped in his rehabilitation, causing Miller to flunk out of school.

In 2019 the two moved to an apartment at the DC Wharf where they started a business, and created a friend group who loved to “socialize and party,” said Guerra.

Yu also asked Guerra about the night of Miller’s death and had the defendant demonstrate the altercation on his other attorney, Kevin Mosley. Guerra claimed he and Miller were arguing before Miller pulled out a gun, pointing it at Guerra’s head.

“It was like he was picking a spot to shoot me at,” said Guerra.

Guerra then showed how he lunged forward, causing his forearm to slam into Miller’s neck, smashing Miller’s head into a concrete pillar. They then stumbled to the ground with the gun falling out of Miller’s hand. “I wasn’t trying to hurt [Miller], I was just trying to take the gun from him,” Guerra said.

Yu then presented text messages between the defendant and a witness sent seconds after the altercation, explaining, “man come get him,” “I just beat tf out of him,” “we got in an argument,” “he pulled his gun on me cocked it and put it to my head,” “I beat the sh*t out him, get him out of here.”

The text presented by Yu was a point of contention between the prosecution and defense.

Judge Lee said he was “disturbed” and “disappointed” with the last-minute motion presented by the defense in an attempt to get these texts labeled as inadmissible hearsay, an out-of-court statement that can be presented to validate evidence. The defense sent the motion to the court at 10:27 p. m. the night before. Judge Lee asked the defense if this was “intentional,” stating the defense is not “giving the [prosecution] a fair opportunity.”

“It is not the way we should be practicing law in the superior court,” said Judge Lee.

Despite his frustration with the timing of the filing, Judge Lee determined the texts were admissible. The messages were intended to show Guerra’s actions to find help for Miller after the altercation, the judge determined.

During cross-examination, the prosecutor asked Guerra why he did not call 911 once Miller ended up on the floor. Guerra said he did not believe Miller was seriously injured at the time, and he believed his friend would wake up.

During the incident, prosecutors alleged Guerra picked up the gun Miller had dropped and placed it in Miller’s bathroom, not wanting the gun to be immediately accessible.

The prosecution questioned the order of events after the altercation, pointing out irregularities in the defense’s story. In his testimony, prosecutors noted Guerra said he sent a text to the witness first. However, in defense opening arguments, Yu claimed Guerra placed the gun in the bathroom first.

The prosecution contested that while opening arguments do not count as evidence, the order of events presented by the defense was different from what Guerra had testified.

When police arrived at the scene, Guerra initially told them that Miller had been stumbling drunk and had hit the concrete pillar in the apartment, even suggesting that Miller could be overdosing. Guerra told the prosecutor that he regretted lying to the police after the incident and that at the time he had hoped “it would all go away if Pete was okay.”

Guerra reiterated that his actions came from a place of fear rather than malice.

“I lied because I was scared,” Guerra said.

Guerra’s trial is slated to resume on June 10.

Case Acquitted: Detective Testifies About 2010 Suspect Identification in Homicide Trial

Editor’s note: Randolph Thomas was acquitted of all charges by a jury on June 11, 2026.

In a 2009 homicide trial before DC Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman on June 8, a former detective recalled the involvement of eyewitnesses in identifying the suspect.

Randolph Thomas, 43, is charged with felony murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery while armed, and first-degree burglary while armed. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Emmanuel Durant Jr, 19, on Dec. 31, 2009, on the 200 block of Webster Street, NE.

Thomas’ trial continued with the prosecution calling a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective who previously worked on the case. The former detective helped create three photo arrays, which he presented to eyewitnesses in January 2010.

These photo arrays were composed of nine faces, one of which was a suspect in Durant’s murder, and eight of which were “fillers,” or individuals who are not suspects.

The prosecution displayed several images of Thomas and asked the former detective if any of these images were in the 2010 photo arrays. While the former detective claimed that “number seven” looked “the closest” to the images of Thomas, none of the pictures matched with those in the photo array. Photo seven was not the suspect in the photo array, noted the detective.

Thomas’ attorney, Pierce Suen, pointed out that the former detective used yearbook photos to attempt to aid eyewitnesses in identifying the suspect. Shortly after the incident, one eyewitness claimed that a suspect may have been someone she attended high school with, prompting the former detective to acquire yearbooks.

The former detective was only able to retrieve the yearbook from 2006. However, he also sought to retrieve the 2007 yearbook.

When the eyewitness was presented with the 2006 yearbook, she was not able to pick out any individual which she believed to be the suspect. In a redirect examination by the prosecution, the former detective noted that the book could have contained over 200 photos. He also could not recall how thorough the eyewitness was when she reviewed the yearbook images.

The prosecution also called a forensic firearms examiner, who outlined his process of analyzing projectiles involved in the incident. Two fired 40-caliber cartridge cases recovered from the scene, he claimed, were consistent with being fired from the same firearm.

After his testimony, the parties disclosed a stipulation which specified that on New Year’s Eve in 2009, Randolph Thomas was in possession of a 40-caliber firearm from which bullets were later fired.

The prosecution also called two forensic DNA technicians from Bode Technology. Both of these individuals described their processes of handling, sampling, and analyzing pieces of evidence including nail clippings, a known blood card from Durant, and a known saliva sample from Thomas.

Both technicians confirmed they were not familiar with the significance of Thomas’ name.

The prosecution also called the medical examiner who performed Durant’s autopsy and said his injuries included an entrance wound on the front left thigh and an exit wound on the back of the same thigh. Durant also had graze wounds on his genitalia, stitches from the groin to the chest from therapeutic attempts to stop the bleeding, and small abrasions to his forehead and right leg.

According to the examiner, Durant’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the thigh, which led to injury of blood vessels. She determined the manner of death was a homicide.

The defense proceeded with a cross-examination of a latent fingerprint examiner who had previously testified on June 4. The examiner described the metrics he used to either identify or exclude the likelihood that a print belongs to an individual. He referenced that he was able to draw this conclusion in part based on the verification of another examiner.

Nine latent prints were examined for identification, and the examiner said that Thomas was likely excluded from the possibility of identification. Several of the prints were partially attributed to other subjects, although the examiner did not believe they were definitively identified. One print excluded all tested subjects, including Thomas. This conclusion was reaffirmed by the verifier.

Latent-to-latent comparisons were not done, which the witness explained are “unusual” and only done when specifically requested by the prosecution. Two prints could also have been uploaded by the investigators to a secure Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). When the defense asked if either of the two prints were uploaded to the database, the witness did not know.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on June 9.

‘Make That Make Sense,’ Says Defense in Stabbing Trial Closings

In a stabbing trial’s closing statements before DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld on June 4, the defense focused on the victim’s initial false statements about how the attack began.

Tavonte Graham, 33, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury, and attempted robbery for his alleged involvement in a stabbing that occurred on Dec. 22, 2025 at 4100 block of Ames Street, NE. The victim sustained multiple stab wounds throughout his body.

Graham is also charged with possession of an open container of alcohol for his alleged involvement in a Jan. 16 incident.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors noted the victim’s original report was that Graham posed as an Amazon driver and broke into the apartment after macing the victim at the door. However, prosecutors said the victim later revealed that the two met on a dating app. After engaging in sexual activity, the victim alleged Graham maced and stabbed him in an attempt to steal a pair of Louis Vuitton boots.

The prosecution claimed that “embarrassment and further stigmatization of homosexuality” is what hindered the victim from initially telling the truth.

“This is not a case of how two people met or what two people initially consented to do. It’s about a man who decided to attempt to rob a man who was taken advantage of,” the prosecution said.

Graham’s attorney, Craig Ricard, noted this initial lie multiple times during his closing statements saying, “If someone lies to you about something that significant, the next time that person speaks to you, don’t you pause?”

Ricard also emphasized that the boots were not part of the victim’s initial narrative but said he added them to his “inventive story.” The suspect escaped without the boots, the alleged motivation for the attack, noted Ricard. “Make that make sense,” he asked.

Before closing arguments, Ricard cross-examined the case’s lead detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who acknowledged that the medical staff initially told her the victim sustained seven-to-nine wounds. Later, the victim told the detective that he suffered 17 wounds, confirmed Ricard.

The detective confirmed on the stand that she drafted reports based on what the victim told her because no surveillance footage or witnesses were present during the incident.

In response to Ricard asking what occurred in the apartment, the detective said, “I know only what the [victim] told me.”

The prosecution also called an analyst from the Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) who explained more than 100 photos showing the victim’s wounds, crime scene, and other physical evidence.

In the photos, the victim had abrasions on the shoulder, neck, ear and back. The victim’s left arm had approximately seven open wounds. The victim’s back had multiple lacerations. Two of the wounds on his back were covered with tape and a paperclip.

The forensic scientist also brought physical evidence from the scene to present to the jury including the Louis Vuitton boots that the defendant reportedly attempted to steal.

According to the forensic scientist, one boot was located on the living room floor with suspected blood above the heel and the other boot was discovered wrapped in a bloody blanket on the living room couch, with suspected blood on the toe and tongue.

The victim’s pants worn at the time of the attack were also displayed in the courtroom and the forensic scientist identified four damage points on the pants. The analyst suspected the tears were a result of the attack and identified suspected blood on the tag and brand logo of the pants.

A can of pepper spray, a yankees hat, and the tag for the boots were also key pieces of evidence.

Parties will reconvene when the jury reaches a verdict.

Judge Grants Defense Request For Mental Competency Eval After Homicide Defendant’s Guilty Plea

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan ordered a mental competency screening on June 5 for a homicide defendant who already accepted a plea deal.

Jose Hernandez, 19, was previously charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in two drive-by shootings in the Petworth neighborhood on April 29, 2025. Zephaniah Wright, 19, was fatally shot and a second victim injured outside of the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station on the 3700 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. Less than five minutes earlier, another individual was shot in front of the Petworth Recreation Center on the 800 block of Taylor Street, NW.

Hernandez accepted a plea deal on Jan. 8 that required him to plead guilty to second degree-murder while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and aggravated assault.

At Hernandez’s scheduled sentencing, his attorney, Mani Golzari, requested a mental competency screening. This screening will determine Hernandez’s ability to understand the charges against him, as well as his ability to help in his defense. Judge Ryan explained this to the defendant before ordering the evaluation.

Judge Ryan asked if Golzari was citing the 14th Amendment to support his request for a competency finding. Under that constitutional principle guaranteeing due process, a defendant can only enter a guilty plea if they are mentally competent to stand trial. If there is evidence Hernandez was incompetent when he pleaded guilty, the defense can file a motion to withdraw his plea.

Golzari then told the court he would wait for the screening results before presenting any further issues or arguments. Judge Ryan agreed that this was the best course of action.

Parties are set to reconvene to discuss the screening results on June 17.

Judge Denies Release For Elderly Homicide Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan denied a defense request to release an elderly homicide defendant to home confinement in a hearing on June 5.

Morris Stokes, 72, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed for allegedly beating 70-year-old Maurice Rowe to death with a pole on Aug. 6, 2024, on the 1400 block of Downing Street, NE. Rowe succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 24, 2024.

At the hearing, Peter Odom, Stokes’ attorney, argued that due to the defendant’s age and cancer diagnosis, as well as a postponed trial date, Stokes should be released under 24-hour home confinement. Odom stated that Stokes has a place to stay in the city, and could be supervised by his romantic partner, a former health care aide.

The prosecution opposed Stokes’ release. They argued that his previous record of robberies and violent crime convictions, as well as the charges he’s accused of now, render him a danger to the community. The prosecution also emphasized that Stokes was elderly when he allegedly committed the crime, so his age shouldn’t impact his confinement.

Judge Ryan denied the motion for home confinement agreeing with the prosecution. The judge spoke directly to the defense, stating he had spent his life incarcerated, with brief periods of time out. In each of these occasions, a new robbery was committed, and Stokes was again charged and convicted, said the judge.

Parties also agreed to postpone the trial, as lawyers on both sides would not be prepared by the previously scheduled date of June 22. Stokes’ jury trial is now scheduled for March 8, 2027. Both parties expect the trial to last six days.

Parties are set to reconvene on Feb. 13, 2027.

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Fatal Shooting Charges on Release

A fatal shooting defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges in front of DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on June 5.

Korin Agnew, 37, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without license outside a home or business. All of these charges face an aggravating factor of allegedly being committed while Agnew was on release for a prior offense. Court records state Agnew was on release for alleged narcotics and weapons offenses at the time of the homicide.

The charges stem from Agnew’s alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 20-year old Korey Glasker on Sept. 11, 2024 on the 3700 block Alabama Avenue, SE. Glasker sustained one gunshot wound to his back and blunt force trauma injuries to his skull.

According to court documents, Glasker reportedly sold marijuana for Agnew.

At the hearing, the court formally arraigned Agnew reading the charges against him. His attorney, Sara Kopecki, entered into a plea of not guilty on his behalf, asserted his rights to a speedy trial, and requested all evidence in the case.

Parties set the trial for May 17, 2027. The proceedings are expected to last five days.

Parties are set to reconvene on Sept. 4. Meanwhile, the defendant is being held without bond.

Armed Carjacking Defendant Held After Waiving Preliminary Hearing

DC Superior Court Judge Charmetra Jackson Parker denied an armed carjacking defendant’s release after she waived her right to a preliminary hearing on June 8.

Ge’onnie Fields, 20, is charged with armed carjacking for her alleged involvement in a theft of an Uber driver’s Honda Civic at the intersection of 1st and V Streets, SW on May 27.

Fields’ attorney, Melissa Jackson, alerted the court to her client’s intent to waive her right to a preliminary hearing of the evidence, which Judge Parker accepted.

Jackson requested Fields’ release under strict conditions, arguing that no individuals were injured and pointing to a lack of evidence as to whether the gun was hers or, in fact, a real gun. She also emphasized Fields’ young age and self-improvement efforts since the incident, through mental health services, a summer employment program, and special education.

However, the prosecution sought continued detention, given the seriousness of the charge. They asserted the weight of the evidence supported a hold, including CCTV video footage of the Uber and Fields’ alleged presence in the pulled-over car.

Prosecutors also noted Fields’ prior criminal history of an attempt to commit robbery while armed, proving that imposing release conditions would be necessary but not sufficient to keep the community safe.

Judge Parker decided to keep Fields at the DC Jail because of the potential risk to her own safety due to prior mental health episodes. In addition, her non-compliance with the court’s conditions of intensive probation in her previous case could pose a threat to the community’s well-being, the judge determined.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 13.

Stabbing Defendant Gets Probation Instead of Jail

D.C. Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro sentenced a stabbing defendant to one year of probation on June 8, following an emotional hearing.

Jasmine Armwood, 34, pleaded guilty on March 19 to assault with significant bodily injury and possession of a prohibited weapon for her involvement in a stabbing on Nov. 29, 2025 at the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.

Judge Di Toro sentenced Armwood to one year in prison, all suspended, in favor of one year of probation. According to Judge Di Toro, Armwood already served approximately six months. She noted that while drugs and alcohol are often serve as a distraction, they also have the power “to turn things sideways, like we’re seeing now” in Armwood’s case.

The prosecution emphasized the severity of the attack by presenting evidence of the physical injuries the victim sustained of a laceration across her stomach.

They also read a note to the court from the victim who said that she was still in severe pain, lacked health insurance, and remained worried for her safety.

The note also indicated the victim’s desire to help Armwood move forward. “We want to provide a path to turn her life around,” according to a line in the note.

Armwood’s attorney, John Machado, described the challenging factors throughout Armwood’s life, including the she was abused as a child and grew up in the foster care system until she aged out.

Machado described how Armwood turned to drugs to cope with chronic mental health struggles and has endured a severe psychological toll after being separated from her newborn child for the last five months during her incarceration.

The defense emphasized Armwood’s active path toward rehabilitation, noting that she earned a certification while incarcerated and has been working toward her GED. Under the terms of her sentence, Armwood is required to attend vocational school if she does not finish her GED, and she must participate in mandatory substance abuse classes and utilize mental health resources.

Judge Di Toro ultimately denied the prosecution’s request for a formal stay-away order, as Armwood and the victim do not share a prior relationship. However, the judge gave a stern warning to the defendant regarding future conduct, noting that she may find herself living in close proximity to the victim after release.

However, if Armwood fails to live up to the terms of her probation, the judge could reimpose her jail sentence.

No further dates were set.

Defendant Considers Plea Offer in Fatal Shooting Case

Prosecutors allowed a fatal shooting and armed robbery defendant more time to consider two different plea offers before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on June 12.

Kenneth Coleman, 37, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, felony murder while armed, robbery while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of more than a year for his alleged involvement of the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Jireh Martinez on the 1300 block of Valley Place, SE, on Nov. 13, 2023 fatal shooting. Martinez sustained a gunshot wound to his head.

Prosecutors offered Coleman two agreements that would require him to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed in exchange for prosecutors dismissing all greater and remaining charges. In one agreement, parties would agree to a prison sentence of 18-to-22 years. In the other, there would be no restrictions on the sentence length the parties could request.

Parties are slated to reconvene on June 26 to determine whether Coleman accepts or rejects a plea deal.

Jail Stabbing Defendant Waives Prelim, Held on Other Matters

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Hildum accepted a jail stabbing defendant’s waiver of his preliminary hearing on June 9.

Dwayne Bean-Freeman, 22, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a stabbing on April 2 on the 1900 block of D Street, NE, at the DC Jail.

Bean-Freeman is currently incarcerated at the jail for a previous unrelated crime.

According to the arrest warrant, Bean-Freeman and other inmates were met at their housing unit to be escorted to the infirmary to receive medication. The correction officer escorting them was also scanning the inmates for metal detection but reported missing Bean-Freeman as he was further behind the group. The officer also said he missed hearing the metal detector go off at the second security screening at the infirmary since it was out of earshot.

CCTV video footage from the DC Jail allegedly shows Bean-Freeman retrieve an object from his waistband, strikes the victim, and the victim strikes him back. Both inmates were then transported to local hospitals for sustained injuries. Bean-Freeman reportedly stated to detectives at the hospital that he “did not know nothing” about the incident and what occurred.

In court, Bean-Freeman’s attorney, Kevin Robertson, alerted parties of his client’s intent to waive his right to a preliminary hearing of the evidence against him. Judge Hildum accepted the waiver and parties set a nominal bond in the present case because the defendant is already held for his other matter. The prosecution did not object.

The parties are scheduled to reconvene on July 15.

Defendant Charged With Robbery, Carjacking Pleads Guilty

A defendant pleaded guilty before DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe on June 10, to his role in a robbery, carjacking scheme.

Darryl Gladney, 18, was originally charged with armed carjacking, robbery while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in the robbery, kidnapping and carjacking of an individual who was lured to the 3500 block of 6th Street, SE, under the guise of buying a Cartier Santos watch on May 4, 2025.

Under the plea agreement, Gladney pleaded guilty to robbery, and the prosecution agreed to dismiss the remaining charges.

According to prosecutors, if the case had proceeded to trial, they would have proven that Gladney initially contacted the victim through Instagram direct messages, expressing interest in purchasing the watch. Gladney later created a group chat with friends from middle school and coordinated a plan to rob the victim after arranging a meeting location.

The prosecutors stated that after taking the victim’s watch, the group drove the victim to his residence and planned to steal additional watches as well as the victim’s vehicle.

Judge Pipe informed Gladney that robbery carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. However, as part of the plea deal, the prosecution agreed to limit its sentencing request to the midpoint of the guidelines.

Following the guilty plea, prosecutors requested that Gladney remain detained pending sentencing. They argued that Gladney was not a minor participant in the offense and described him as the individual who organized the group chat and “started the catalyst” for the robbery.

Gladney’s attorney, Charles Haskell, requested his client’s release pending sentencing. Haskell argued that Gladney demonstrated good character, noting that he hopes to attend summer school, sought Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) sentencing and previously expressed interest in joining the military.

The YRA allows sentencing flexibility for defendants under 25 and the potential to have their conviction sealed upon completion of specific requirements.

Judge Pipe questioned whether Gladney understood that a felony conviction could affect his ability to pursue military service. Haskell informed Judge Pipe that Gladney’s desire to enlist was meant to daemonstrate Gladney’s character, explaining, “So you know the type of person he is, even though he couldn’t do that.”

Judge Pipe agreed to release Gladney under a few conditions, including GPS monitoring, a curfew from 10 p. m.-to-6 a. m., no possession of firearms or ammunition, and a stay-away order from the victim.

The parties are slated to reconvene on Sept. 25 for Gladney’s sentencing.

Search