Counsel Prepares for Murder Trial

As the prosecution and defense prepared for trial, DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo issued new dates for motion proposals and objections on Jan. 18.

Warren Tyson, 52, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, carrying a dangerous weapon and enticing a child in connection to the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Michael Johnson on Oct. 22, 2021, on the 4900 block of East Capital Street SE. According to court documents, Johnson sustained two stab wounds to his abdomen and two cuts to his left arm.

On Wednesday Tyson was accompanied by his attorneys David Akulian and Julie Swaney.

Akulain said the defense is waiting for an expert witness to review DNA evidence, but they are ready to proceed with the trial.

Judge Demeo set the deadline for all motion and expert notices is July 7. The deadline for responses was set on July 21.

The next hearing is scheduled on April 21 at 9:30 a.m. The defendant is currently being held at the DC Jail.

Sex Abuse Case Resumes After Defendant Misses Numerous Court Hearings

D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe decided Jan. 17 to continue a bench warrant release hearing for sex abuse defendant.

The defendant is charged with sex abuse and simple assault after allegedly following a woman, making sexual comments towards her, and grabbing her groin around the 12th and 13th blocks of Alabama Avenue, SE.

The defendant was ordered to return to court on Jan. 24 by Judge Pipe, as D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan, who initially issued the warrant, was not available Monday.

The defendant missed court several times between July 2021 and January 2023, as well as violating his probation. The warrant was issued by Judge Ryan on Jan. 10 when the defendant failed to appear to a probation show cause hearing. The defendant was first charged in this case in 2020.

He was initially found to be incompetent to stand trial on the basis of mental health in August 2021.

However, it was later discovered that the defendant was competent during February 2022.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, which he has received credit for. The assault charge was ultimately dropped in the plea bargain.

The defendant was released on his promise to return to his next court date, as well as being required to check in with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA).

Trial Date For Murder Case Set Three Years After Initial Charge

As a result of a felony arraignment held on Jan. 17, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein set a date for a homicide case to go to trial.

Javon Duckwilder, 25, pleaded not guilty to his charges of first-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license in the alleged shooting of Juwan Smith on Oct. 23, 2021, on the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE.

The trial date was set for Oct. 15, 2024, three years after Duckwilder’s initial charge, due to Judge Epstein’s schedule being full until then.

The parties are scheduled to return to court on Sept. 27, 2024, for a trial readiness hearing.

Document: Vehicle Wanted in Connection to a Non-Fatal Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating a vehicle in connection to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Jan. 16, on the 3300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

According to a press release, at about 6:14 pm, officers located an adult male victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

Document: Arrest Made in Southeast Homicide

Metropolitan Police Department detectives made an arrest in a homicide that occurred on Jan. 15, on the 200 block of 37th Street, SE.

According to a press release, at about 7:25 pm, officers located 53-year-old James Brooks suffering from apparent puncture wounds from a stabbing. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Jan. 16, 45-year-old Sherman Holley was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Judge Raises Concerns After Meeting with Defendant

A homicide defendant requested one-on-one meeting with DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun at a Jan. 17 status hearing.

Jacobi Williams, 35, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting of Phillip Roache, 38. Roache was found with 10 gunshot wounds on the 7000 block of Blair Road, NW on Sept. 17, 2020.

Defense attorney Marnitta King was not present due to medical reasons. However, a stand-in attorney filled in for King and represented Williams.

After the meeting, which was closed to the public, Judge Okun informed King that he would need to speak with her about the concerning nature of his meeting with Williams during the next scheduled court date. Information on what the defendant and judge referenced during the meeting, and the judge’s concerns were not publicly addressed during the hearing.

The case was transferred to Judge Okun on Dec. 30, 2021.

A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2, where the parties will discuss forensic evidence and DNA testing.

Document: Traffic Fatality in Northwest

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a traffic fatality resulting from a traffic trash on Jan. 15, at the intersection of 15th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

The decedent has been identified as 24-year-old Carlos Enrique Christian.

On Jan. 15, 30-year-old Reginald Johnson was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, driving under the influence, and reckless driving.

Document: Homicide in Southeast

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Jan. 15, on the 3200 block of 15th Place, SE.

According to a press release, at about 12:49 am, officers located two adult male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. One of the victims was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The decedent has been identified as 34-year-old Renaldo Griffin.

Defense Requests Murder Defendant’s Release Due to Indictment Issues

On Jan. 13, during a felony status conference, an issue over an indictment led to the defense’s request for release of a murder defendant. The indictment deadline was initially set for Jan. 15.

Marktwan Hargraves, 24, was arrested for the murder of six year old Nyiah Courtney. This was allegedly the result of a gang related drive-by shooting, which happened on July 16, 2021 on the 300 block of Parkland Place, SE.

Defense Attorney Anthony Matthews claimed he was not aware of the full extent of the charges being brought against his client, since he had not yet received the indictment.

Upon hearing this, the prosecutor expressed she did not know if she was legally allowed to say the charges in open court before the indictment. Despite this, she told the defense the charges being brought against Hargraves included second-degree murder.

During the hearing, the prosecution also requested a trial date.

Matthews called this suggestion “problematic”, as he did not yet have access to the indictment. He expressed that if he did not receive the indictment by the end of the day, then Hargraves should be released.

“Nine months is nine months”, said Matthews.

Towards the beginning of Friday’s hearing, the prosecution said the indictment would be ready two days before the deadline. However, the prosecutor also stated that she was unsure if the hard deadline was Sunday. She said she was under the impression that this deadline only counted business days.

The prosecutor insisted the indictment would be filed on Friday, and that she would be willing to schedule the arraignment for later in the day. The defense and DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan concurred.

The arraignment occurred, and Hargraves pleaded not guilty to all charges including second-degree murder. A trial date was set for April 29, 2024.

An IPA hearing is set to happen on March 27.

Delays in DNA Testing Stall Homicide Trial

Defense counsel stated Jan. 13 that the current trial date is “not ideal” due to the lack of progress in DNA testing.

Terrence Prue, 22, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly killing 39-year-old Bruce Wayne Gilmore.

The incident, which occurred on the 300th block of 22nd Street, SE on June 5, 2019, also left another victim injured. Prue was arrested in connection to this incident on Nov. 25, 2019.

During the Friday hearing, defense counsel said he was still awaiting funding for DNA testing. The motion for defense to receive funding for proper DNA testing was filed, yet no progress has been made, he said.

Defense Attorney James King said he believes that DNA evidence will prove Prue’s innocence in this case, yet delays in DNA evidence testing have caused the defense’s case to lag.

When asked by DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan for a status update, King admitted that the defense is falling behind because of these delays.

Conversely, the prosecution expects to be ready on time.

The trial date, which was initially set for Feb. 13, has been moved to Sept. 4 2024, due to delays surrounding DNA testing.

A status hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15 at 9:30 a.m. in order to discuss the standing of the DNA testing and ensure progress in the case is being made.

Prosecution Works Towards Indictment In Co-Defendant Murder Case

On Jan. 13, the prosecution confirmed that they are moving towards returning an indictment by the end of the day.

Damonta Thompson, 26, Erwin Dubose, 28, and Kamar Queen, 25, are charged with first-degree murder while armed on Sept. 4, 2021, on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW. The men are accused of allegedly shooting 31-year-old Donetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Braxton and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner and injuring three others.

Toyia Johnson, 50, was charged with tampering with evidence.

During the Friday hearing, the parties set an arraignment date for Jan. 20.

Document: Suspects Wanted in Connection to a Non-Fatal Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating suspects in connection to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Jan. 11, on the 6000 block of 14th Street, NW.

According to a press release, at about 4:09 pm, officers located a 6-year-old female and a 9-year-old male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. A third male victim was located by officers suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

As a result of the investigation, 32-year-old Stephen Perdomo was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Document: Suspect Wanted in Connection to a Third-Degree Sex Abuse Offense

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in connection to a third-degree sex abuse offense that occurred on Jan. 10, on the 1300 block of Otis Place, NW.

According to a press release, at about 11:10 am, the suspect forcefully engaged in unwanted sex contact with the victim then fled the scene.

Document: Homicide in Southwest

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Jan. 11, on the 3900 block of South Capitol Street, SW.

According to a press release, at about 9:39 pm, officers located two adult male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. One of the victims was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The decedent has been identified as 23-year-old Anthony Richardson.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in Congress Street Homicide

Nearly three months after the homicide of 19-year-old Reginald Cooper and 19-year-old Davonte Berkley on the 1300 block of Congress Street, SE on Oct. 17, 2022, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested 19-year-old Amarii Fontanelle.

On Jan. 12 Fontanelle was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed.

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