Two Misdemeanor Matters Dismissed for Homicide Defendant

During a March 3 status hearing, the prosecution began by requesting the dismissal of their client’s two misdemeanor matters before discussing her homicide charges.

Alisa Randall, 35, is charged with the second-degree murder of Ronald Jones, 59, that occurred on July 15, 2019, on the 1300 block of Euclid Street, NW. According to court documents, Jones suffered two superficial stab wounds on his left arm and one fatal stab wound to his upper chest.

Randall had previously been examined by a psychiatrist who determined that she was not competent and would not obtain competence.

Because of her incompetence, the prosecution expressed concerns regarding Randall’s ability to be committed in two other ongoing misdemeanor cases related to her failure to appear in court.

The prosecution requested the misdemeanor matters to be dropped. DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan agreed to dismiss them without prejudice.

The prosecution and defense attorneys Dana Page and Ashley Prather argued whether or not the court has authority to order another mental evaluation by the Department of Behavioral Health after Randall had already been found incompetent.

The defense also previously filed a motion for dismissal on Oct. 11.

Judge Raffinan determined that, although counsel will need to proceed with an oral argument at some point, it makes sense for them to contest these matters in writing as of now.

A status hearing was scheduled for March 31.

Case Acquitted: Multiple Witnesses Testify Regarding Stolen Car Associated with Homicide Case

Sutton was acquitted of murder and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on March 23, 2023.

On the second day of a jury trial in a murder case, multiple witnesses testified regarding evidence of a stolen car associated with the homicide.

Kaevon Sutton, 21, is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Aujee Tyler, 22. Tyler was shot multiple times on the 3500 block of Stanton Road, SE on March 19, 2018. Despite all life-saving efforts, he passed away at Washington Hospital Center later that day.

A witness testified on March 2 that a white Nissan Altima was stolen from her in February 2018. The same Altima was recovered after the homicide with evidence Sutton had been driving the car.

Court documents state that a different witness had an argument with Sutton because the car was stolen. The witness also said Sutton was seen after the homicide in the driver’s seat of the Altima about a block away from the scene.

An MPD detective testified that while executing a search warrant for a residence, Sutton was allegedly staying at, the Altima key fob and stolen license plate were recovered. The original owner of the car confirmed those were hers.

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan released the jury early due to a scheduling conflict with a witness.

The trial is slated to resume on March 6.

Judge Releases 2 Sex Abuse Defendants During Presentment Hearing

DC Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond released two defendants and held another facing felony charges during a presentment hearing on March 1.

One defendant is charged with first-degree child sex abuse for crimes committed against two victims. According to defense attorney Lisbeth Sapirstein, he was enrolled in a drug treatment program when the warrant for his arrest was issued. Judge Raymond granted him release into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP), so he could continue attending the drug treatment program.

His conditions of release include GPS monitoring and a stay-away order. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 23.

Another defendant is charged with assault with intent to commit first-degree sex abuse and assault with intent to commit third-degree sex abuse. The incident allegedly occurred on Feb. 28 on the 1900 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW. According to court documents, the defendant and victim were both staying in the same four-person hostel room. The defendant attacked the victim when the two were alone in the room together.

Although defense attorney Aubrey Dillon objected to the prosecution’s request for the defendant to be placed on GPS monitoring, Judge Raymond determined that electronic monitoring was an appropriate condition given the circumstances.

The defendant’s preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 17.

Evidence in an Assault Trial is Too Much for Defendant’s Mom To Bare

During the testimony of several witnesses in a non-fatal shooting trial, the defendant’s mother was seen crying in the courtroom.

Stefen Farmer, 50, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of an unregistered firearm, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for his alleged connection to a Feb. 25, 2021, non-fatal shooting that happened on the 4400 block of Gault Place, NE.

On March 1, when the prosecution displayed the video of the incident, the defendant’s mother could be seen crying. According to court documents, the victim and the defendant were lifelong friends.

A forensic scientist who worked at the scene of the crime testified about her experience to the jury. As part of evidence, the prosecution brought out clothing articles that were worn by the victim on the day of the assault that were saturated with the victim’s blood.

When the prosecution asked the witness to explain what the exhibit was, several jurors also visibly reacted to the items of clothing.

In addition to the scientist, the prosecution called several Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers and detectives that were dispatched to the scene.

During the lead detective’s testimony, the prosecution exhibited footage from a RING doorbell that had a captured surveillance footage of the incident. A RING doorbell is a doorbell that has a camera built into it, in which the owners have access through their phone to any of the footage that the doorbell records.

The lead detective said, on the day of the incident, the victim avoided telling officers who the shooter was. It wasn’t until a few days later that the victim’s sister told detectives that she had heard, from mutual friends, that “Stef”, a nickname Farmer goes by, had been the one to shoot her brother.

The victim then corroborated the story.

Trial resumed on March 2.

Witness Forced to Testify in Multi-defendant Murder Case

A witness was forced to testify after receiving a compulsion order in a March 1 multi-defendant murder trial.

Gregory Taylor, 26, Quentin Michals, 25, Qujuan Thomas, 24, Darrise Jeffers, 23, Isaiah Murchison, 22, and Marquell Cobbs, 21, are six of 10 defendants charged with first-degree murder, criminal street gang affiliation, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill, and other charges regarding a fatal drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson. The shooting happened on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018.

The prosecution called a rapper to the stand who had been shot in the leg in an incident on July 9, 2017. The incident was allegedly connected to various gang rivalries or “beefs” associated with this case.

The rapper was served with a compulsion order, forcing him to testify in this trial by the chief judge. The order was delivered after the prosecution had troubles with the witness’s testimony regarding the defendants.

On the stand, the witness said he did not know any of the defendants except Jeffers. He also stated that he did not have any “beef” with Wellington Park, which is the gang the defendants are said to be members of.

The prosecution also called four other witnesses to provide information on incidents that occurred in May, July, and August 2017 as evidence for conspiracy charges.

Witness testimony was pushed back after objections from defense attorneys regarding bodycam footage for an incident in Potomac Gardens in August. 2017, DC Superior Court Judge Okun dismissed the jury so he could review the video in depth.

Judge Okun said he would provide a resolution for this evidence and give parties the opportunity to resolve conflict over the admissibility of other content at the next hearing. Judge Okun said he does not expect to call the jury back until the afternoon.

The trial is scheduled to resume March 6.

Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Child Sex Abuse Defendant

During a March 1 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz issued a bench warrant for a child sex abuse defendant, who is on release.

The 42-year-old defendant is charged with one count of failure to register as a sex offender in the District of Columbia.

Stuart Johnson, the defendant’s defense lawyer, said he has not been able to get into contact with the defendant.

According to court documents, he was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in South Carolina involving a 12-year-old child on Nov. 11, 1998. He was required to register as a sex offender for 10-years upon release.

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the defendant failed to re-register as a sex offender.

He pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender on Dec. 14, 2022 and was sentenced on Feb. 10.

He received a 20-month suspended sentence and three years of supervised release, with one year probation. He was required to register as a sex offender within 24 hours of being released as part of his probation.

The prosecution claimed that the defendant did not register within 24 hours of release and still has not done so.

Sex Abuse Defendant’s Probation Compliance Improves, Judge Finds No Violations

After multiple hearings in which probation issues were raised, D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he is recognizing improvement in a convicted defendant’s ability to comply with his release requirements.

Marcus Frederick entered a guilty plea for attempted first-degree child sex abuse, simple assault, and violation of a civil protection order in September of 2019 for sex offenses with his juvenile neighbor.

Frederick, 53, was previously struggling to comply with his probation requirements including regular drug testing, submitting monthly payments to the Victims of Violent Crimes (VVC) fund, and attending psychological sexual offender treatments after his release in 2020.

The court was made aware of Frederick’s non-compliance issues in June of 2022 when he failed to attend his polygraph appointment as well as six consecutive drug testing appointments. He also repeatedly failed the drug tests he had taken up until that point.

Because he began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms hours before the hearing was scheduled, Frederick’s attorney, Jacqueline Cadman, made a last-second decision, advising him to remain outside of the courthouse and appear virtually.

Since June, Frederick has been able to improve upon these issues. He has been able to obtain and secure employment and has been consistently attending his scheduled probation appointments.

Though Judge Iscoe recognized his improvement, Frederick still has yet to pass his court-ordered drug tests and make any of his required VVC fund payments. However, Judge Isoce told Frederick he wants to see him succeed and did not find any probation violations.

Judge Iscoe ordered Frederick to begin attending the psychological sex offender treatments, resume making monthly VVC fund payments and requested he undergo an alcohol addiction assessment due to him repeatedly failing drug tests.

“Keep up the good work, and don’t give me a reason to revoke probation” Judge Iscoe told Frederick.

All parties are scheduled to return for another show cause hearing on May 18.

Non-Fatal Shooting Trial Continues Into First Day of Witness Testimony

A non-fatal shooting trial started with prosecutors calling several witnesses including an owner from a Shell gas station and a Metropolitan Police Department officer.

Travis Littlejohn, 37, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for a non-fatal shooting incident at a Shell Gas station located on the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE on July 5, 2019. According to court documents, there were four victims who sustained non-life threatening gunshot wounds after a confrontation.

Following the jury selection on Feb. 28, attorneys delivered their opening arguments. A prosecutor said a heated exchange took place, which led to the defendant to allegedly shoot four victims. Despite the fact that none of the victims’ injuries were life-threatening, they could have all easily died, he stressed.

A Shell gas station owner, the first witness to testify, said the gas station was equipped with six cameras that were pointed at Clay Place and Minnesota Avenue, NE.

Footage shown in the courtroom displayed an inaccuracy with the timestamp displayed.

Defense attorney Russell Hairston questioned who was in charge of fixing the cameras when they malfunction and who has the authority to alter the system’s dates.

According to the witness, the only people with access to the camera system are him and the maintenance man.

An MPD patrol officer discussed his body worn camera footage, which was shown in court.

“I been hit man. It didn’t go all the way through, it’s just burning,” the first victim is heard telling officers. The victim was discovered on the scene with a gunshot wound to the neck.

He is frequently overheard telling officers that a woman he considered to be a second mother was shot as well, but she had left the scene.

Dispatch is heard on the body camera footage informing officers that a second victim was discovered nearby, in front of a Chase bank. The victim was shot in the shin and inner ankle.

According to court documents, the third victim was found laying on a sidewalk with a gunshot wound to his right ankle and a fourth victim was located at Prince George’s Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right thigh.

In addition to witness testimony, a juror was dismissed after his electronic bike was stolen outside the courthouse shortly after the lunch break.

The trial is expected to resume on March 2.

Document: Arrest Made in Connection to a Non-Fatal Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives made an arrest in connection to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Feb. 6, on the 2600 block of Stanton Road, SE.

According to a press release, at about 9:03 am, the suspect brandished a handgun and fired at the victim. The suspect then fled the scene.

On March 1, 29-year-old Delonte Smith was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Document: 29-Year-Old Killed in Northwest

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on March 1, on the 1400 block of V Street, NW.

According to a press release, at about 9:28 pm, officers located 29-year-old Marvin Johnson Jr. suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

A second victim, an adult female, sought treatment at a local hospital for non-life threatening gunshot wounds.

Document: Homicide in Northwest

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on March 1, on the 6400 block of 8th Street, NW.

According to a press release, at about 7:53 pm, officers located 20-year-old Rasheed Biles suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Judge Sentences 21 Year Old To 40 Years In Prison for Murder

After the victim’s family gave their impact statement, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced the defendant to 10 years above the mandatory minimum.

Twenty-one year-old Malik Holston was found guilty by the jury of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license on Nov. 2, 2022. The charges are in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Gerald Watson on the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE on Dec. 13, 2018.

On March 1, Judge Brandt sentenced Holston to 40 years in prison with 5 years supervised release. Holston will be required to register as a gun offender when released.

Defense attorney Shawn Sukumar attempted to convince the court that it was possible to sentence Holston under the mandatory minimum due to the fact that he was 16 years old when he committed the crime. However, Judge Brandt did not tolerate the argument and stated that this will not be the case. The mandatory minimum sentence for first-degree murder in DC is 30 years.

“I will give anything and everything, even my own life, to get my son back” Gerald’s mother said during the sentencing. She said that she does not understand why he had to take her baby away from her. At the end of her statement she wished Holston mercy.

Gerald’s older cousin spoke about how hard it has been on the family to lose Gerald. He stated that his 12-year-old nephew is always scared that he will not make it past 15 before he is killed just like Gerald.

Gerald’s sister asked her cousin to read her statement. She wrote about how hard and traumatizing it was for her and her siblings to lose their brother. She told the judge that she is working on becoming a police officer, so she is able to protect people from gun violence since she was not able to protect her own brother.

The prosecution asked the judge to sentence Holston to 10 years above the mandatory minimum sentence, saying this murder is different because every shot that was fired hit Gerald leaving no chance to save him.

According to the prosecution, Holston was involved in violence for a long time before the shooting. The people who lived in the neighborhood heard gunshots every day and everyone who was involved with Holston had been killed, the prosecutor said.

“Getting locked up saved your life,” said Judge Brandt to Holston

Defense attorney Sukumar argued that just like Gerald, Holston was a child too when the shooting happened.

He said the circumstance that Holston was surrounded with along with the violence that started before he was even born resulted in him being where he is today. He also said Holston is trying to do better by earning his GED while in jail and is now taking college courses.

Sukumar argued that the mandatory minimum would allow Holston to have the chance to start over once he gets out of jail.

He also asked the judge to recommend that Holston be held at minimum security prison Beckley in West Virginia where he would be able to participate in the BRAVE program. The program is a violence prevention program for young African American males.

Judge Brandt offered her deep condolences to the victim’s family and wished them comfort, and told Holston that she hopes he will continue to exhibit the same behavior during his time in prison as he has in jail.

“Today justice was served for my son,” Gerald’s mother told D.C Witness.

Defendant Unsuccessfully Discharged for Physical Altercation Leading to Hospitalization

After a physical altercation, a defendant on probation was unsuccessfully discharged from a court-ordered residential drug treatment program.

On March 1, Markeis Crandall appeared in front of D.C. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt for a probation review hearing 10 months after he accepted a plea deal and was released from jail.

Crandall, 19, was charged and sentenced for aggravated assault knowingly and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Nov. 26, 2021, on the 2200 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE. There were two victims who survived the attack, both having since been treated and released.

As part of his plea and release, Crandall was sentenced to 24 months of probation, and five years of supervised release. In addition, Crandall was ordered by the court to attend and successfully complete a residential drug treatment program for his Fentynal usage.

Crandall was placed in a treatment program, where he was later unsuccessfully discharged for taking part in a physical altercation that caused another member of the program to be hospitalized.

Defense attorney Sellano Simmons shared with Judge Brandt that Crandall had not participated in the actual altercation. He was present when employees of the program intervened but refused to speak on “who did what,” according to Simmons, because he didn’t want to be involved, and his incorporation led to his discharge.

Judge Brandt accepted this explanation in part but said she believes that the truth lies in the middle of everyone’s side of the story.

As a result, Judge Brandt ordered Crandall to attend anger management counseling in addition to his current sentence requirements, including community service, regular drug testing, and grief counseling.

A successful discharge from a residential drug treatment program is required of Crandall under his sentence, so Judge Brandt also requested he be placed in a different treatment program and warned him to “steer clear of negative forces and energy.”

All parties are scheduled to return to court for another probation review hearing on Aug. 23.

Document: MPD Officer Involved Shooting in Northwest

On Feb. 27, at about 11:32 pm, officers responded to the 1400 block of Park Road, NW, for the report of the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, officers located several vehicles with flattened tires and evidence that a firearm was discharged.

Officers watched security camera footage from a place of business that captured the incident, giving them visual proof and a description of those involved.

According to a press release, the following day, Metropolitan Police Department officers observed an adult male who watched the description of the individual that was in possession of a firearm. The officers told the individual to stop at which time the subject turned around and fired multiple shots in the direction of the officers.

Two of the officers discharged their service weapons in response.

The suspect then ran into an alley and a single gunshot was heard. A nearby officer entered the alley and found the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The decedent has been identified as 40-year-old Savontae Dodie Perkins.

Document: Suspect Sought in Connection to a Non-Fatal Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect in connection to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Feb. 25, on the 2200 block of Savannah Street, SE.

According to a press release, at about 3:00 pm, officers located two adult males and one adult female suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

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