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Judge Grants One Homicide Defendant’s Request to Modify Release Conditions, Other’s is Still Pending

During an Oct. 5 status hearing, two homicide defendants requested to modify their release conditions.  

Alonzo Brown, 25, and Naquel Henderson, 25, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in connection to allegedly shooting 21-year-old Michael Taylor on Jan. 12, 2019, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE. 

Two other individuals, one of them being a child, sustained significant injuries from the shooting.

During the status hearing, defense attorney Lisbeth Sapirstein said Henderson found employment constructing highways with his father. The defendant requested permission to begin working.

Henderson’s father addressed DC Superior Court Judge Milton C. Lee on his son’s behalf to explain that his son would work night shifts. “I’m not a young man no more,” he said, arguing that he needed his son’s help since he could no longer work night shifts in the cold weather. 

The prosecutor requested more details about the location and work hours. 

“I’m not going to have Mr. Henderson kind of go out,” said Judge Lee, emphasizing that Henderson would only be allowed to leave his home to work. If he began working and violated his home confinement, he would be sent back to jail, Judge Lee said. 

Judge Lee did not decide on whether he would modify Henderson’s conditions because he is waiting for the prosecutor to research the victim’s perspective on the release.

“Do you expect us to be on 24 hours [home confinement] our whole two years before trial,” Henderson asked Judge Lee.

Judge Lee said he does not know yet. He said confinement conditions would depend on whether or not the defendants comply. 

Additionally, defense attorney Steven R. Kiersh stated that Brown sought to change his home confinement to his mother’s address. The prosecutor expressed curiosity about the move, but Judge Lee granted the defendant’s request.  

The next status hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2023. 

Judge Finds Probable Cause in Domestic Violence Case, Denying Defendant’s Motion for Release

During an Oct. 5 preliminary hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Dorsey Jones ruled that evidence against a defendant accused of threatening his girlfriend with a gun is enough to bring his case to trial.  

The defendant is being held on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful firearm possession during a crime of violence for an incident that occurred in September.

A witness, who was the detective that executed a search warrant on the case, said the defendant barricaded himself in his apartment, where police officers observed him breaking all the windows.

Before allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, the witness confirmed a warrant was issued for the defendant because he damaged property and threatened the property manager. 

Defense attorney, Darryl Daniels II, testified about the mental and physical health of the defendant, saying the defendant has kidney disease and heart atrophy. Daniels said the ailments would be best treated if the defendant were released under home confinement.

Probable cause was found due to witness’s testimony and the defendant’s involvement in separate dangerous incidents included in the warrant.

Judge Jones scheduled a felony status conference for Oct. 20. 

Counsel Questions Detectives on Destruction Process and Custody Chain of Murder Weapon

During an Oct. 4 motions hearing, two detectives were questioned on the destruction of a gun identified as the murder weapon in a 2017 homicide case.

On Aug. 10, 2017, at around 3:30 p.m., Robert Moses and James Mayfield approached the intersection of Montana and Saratoga Avenues, NE while armed with .40 and .45 caliber handguns. Collectively, the defendants fired over ten rounds at people standing on Saratoga Avenue. One of the bullets struck 17-year-old Jamahri Sydnor in the head as she was driving, killing her. Three other bystanders were also struck by bullets.  

During the hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan reviewed a motion to exclude all references to the intentional destruction of a .40 caliber handgun, one of the identified murder weapons, during the upcoming trial. 

The defense called in two detectives, one from the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and another from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The prosecutors asked the first detective a series of questions pertaining to when, how, and by whom the gun was destroyed.

According to the detective, the gun was originally held in Prince George’s County’s custody as evidence for an investigation of an illegal gun purchase. 

Although officials initially suspected the gun was linked to Sydnor’s homicide’s back in August 2017, the connection was confirmed through a federal ballistics database that identified a match between the casings fired by the gun and the bullet which killed Sydnor. 

Through a series of emails, the detective was aware of that gun’s status as a murder weapon, which a forensic examiner soon confirmed. At that time, the gun was transferred to the ATF Task Force’s vault. 

In 2019, the defendant in the Prince George’s County investigation pleaded guilty. After his sentence, the prosecution’s office filed a motion asking the court to forfeit all property related to the case, including the gun. The officer asked the ATF to schedule the gun’s destruction for the “near future” as this would make “much more room in the vault.”

Per the request, the detective switched the gun’s status from “evidence” to “seized judicially” in the ATF database, which prompted officials to formally approve the gun’s destruction. However, MPD was not copied in these emails and not updated when the gun was destroyed in August 2019.

When questioned by prosecutors, the detective said the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) never explicitly asked him to preserve the gun. He claimed that if they had, he would’ve included a note in their weapons database to preserve it as evidence.

The next witness was a MPD detective who had been directly involved in Sydnor’s case since 2017. Once he learned of the database match in February 2018, he notified DC prosecutors immediately. After that, he said he had kept no contact with Prince George’s County regarding the gun for two years.

Then, in February 2020, the detective said he reached out in hopes of retrieving the gun for evidence in Sydnor’s case. He said his contact in Prince George’s County was under the impression they still had custody over the gun, despite it having been transferred over two years earlier. 

The detective soon learned that ATF had destroyed the gun back in 2019, which prevented him from reconfirming the database results or including the gun as evidence in the case.

The detective said it never occurred to him that the gun might have been destroyed because DC standard practice was to retain evidence for 65 years. In his 10 years with the homicide division, he said he’d never encountered a scenario wherein another jurisdiction destroyed a murder weapon that was evidence in a pending murder trial. 

He expected that Prince George’s County officials or the ATF would have alerted him prior to the destruction. If they had, the detective said he would have requested the gun be preserved.

However, in his cross-examination by prosecutors, the detective admitted that he lacks any personal access to the evidence room, database or case files in Prince George’s County. He said he does not have any direct authority over whether a weapon or piece of evidence is held or protected within the ATF.

In order to request the gun’s preservation as evidence, a local prosecutor would’ve needed to sign off on the request. 

The detective said there is not a direct line of communication between the jurisdictions.

Moses, 23, was arrested on Aug. 10, 2017. Mayfield, 22, was arrested on Dec. 28, 2017. 

Moses is charged with 13 counts, including first-degree murder while armed in a drive-by or random shooting offense during release, assault with the intent to kill during release, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence during release, conspiracy while armed during release, and obstruction of justice.

Mayfield is charged with 25 counts, including first-degree murder while armed, assault with the intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, threat to kidnap or injure a person, robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and attempt to commit robbery.

Judge Raffinan continued the motion hearing for Oct. 6.

Jury Finds Defendant Guilty of Second-Degree Murder 

On Oct. 3, a jury found a murder defendant guilty of second-degree murder.

On July 24, 2020, 57-year-old Darnell Sterling was arrested and charged with murdering his 34-year-old girlfriend, Olga Ooro and violating a stay away order in connection. Sterling was the last known person to see Ooro before she was reported missing on July 17, 2020. Her body has still not been located.

While jury deliberations took place, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan reviewed Sterling’s motion for acquittal. She denied the motion.

When making her decision, Judge Raffinan considered whether there was sufficient evidence that Ooro was in fact dead, that Sterling was connected to Ooro’s death, and that Sterling was in a culpable mental state when he murdered Ooro.

Judge Raffinan concluded that Ooro was in fact dead based on the fact that she was last seen through surveillance footage as being inside her apartment with Sterling and her son on July 17, 2020. There are no recordings nor witness reports of her ever being spotted since then.

Judge Raffinan highlighted several key pieces of evidence to establish a connection between Sterling and Ooro’s death, including contradictory statements to police regarding when and where Sterling said he was last with Ooro and a spot of Ooro’s blood found in her apartment. 

She also referenced footage that showed Sterling leaving Ooro’s apartment building, the night after she was last seen, carrying a black garbage bag that may have held incriminating crime scene objects. In addition, footage shows him returning the following day, wheeling a blanket-covered cart that presumably concealed Ooro’s dead body.

Based on the combined weight of this circumstantial and forensic evidence, Judge Raffinan concluded that there was sufficient evidence linking Sterling to Ooro’s death.

Judge Raffinan determined that Sterling displayed a culpable mental state and motive when he allegedly murdered Ooro. In April 2019, Ooro reported Sterling for acts of domestic violence, bearing a busted lip and injured knees. A neighbor had witnessed Sterling assaulting and shouting at the victim. 

This report developed into a domestic violence case. When Ooro disappeared, a status hearing had been scheduled for the following week, July 22, 2020.

Judge Raffinan declared it reasonable to presume that Sterling was attempting to avoid incarceration for this case, indicating his potential motive for murdering Ooro.

Upon return, the jury mirrored Judge Raffinan’s stance. They found Sterling guilty of second-degree murder and content.

Sterling is currently being held at the DC Jail without bond. A sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2023.

Sex Abuse Defendants Sentenced Higher in Non-Domestic Violence Cases Than Cases Involving Domestic Violence

Sexual abuse cases that are not domestic in nature carry a higher average sentence time in prison than those that are domestic in nature, according to D.C. Witness data.

The average sentence for defendants in a sexual abuse case that is domestic in nature is 2.31 years. The average sentence for a sex abuse defendant involved in a case that is not domestic in nature is 3.13 years.

The average time in prison for both types of cases is still under five years.

Graphic by Julia Yan, Grace Guzzo and Tiffany Word

See more of our data, here.

Serial Groper Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

On Oct. 4, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun sentenced a sex abuse defendant to a total of three-years in prison, three-years supervised release and 10 years as a registered sex offender. 

The Frank Borden, 30, sexually assaulted at least eight women in the Dupont Circle area between Jan. 21 and Feb. 5, grabbing each woman’s buttocks and in several cases, grinning or signaling for the victim to shush afterwards.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, defendant groped women at the following locations:

Jan. 21:

  • 900 block of New York Avenue, NW

Feb. 3:

  • 1700 block of Q Street, NW
  • 1600 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW
  • 17th and P Streets, NW

Feb. 5:

  • 2400 block of 18th Street, NW
  • 1900 block of 17th Street, NW
  • 1700 block of 17th Street, NW

The defendant was arrested and charged on Feb. 7 with assault with intent to commit third-degree sex abuse and two counts of misdemeanor sex abuse.

“Eight months later, I am still trying to learn how to walk by myself,” the first victim said in her victim impact statement. She said she sought counseling after the incident. “I could not walk my dog alone, I could not walk to work.

“Women’s bodies are not Mr. Borden’s toys. Women’s bodies are not up for grabs.”

The first victim, who had just finished law school, said the first case that landed her in a courtroom had been her own assault.

She said she endured “victim-blaming” when officers questioned why she didn’t report the assault earlier. The victim said she called the police within 48 hours.

“People don’t report [sexual assaults] because prosecutors don’t actually care about what happened to them,” she said, emphasizing her frustration with prosecutors.

The second victim said the incident left her feeling “anger and confusion.”

“I wondered if making eye contact prompted him to follow me,” she said, trying to understand why Borden would do such things. “Was it to make us feel scared? Was it to assert power over us just because he could?”

Borden could be seen shaking his head as she asked these questions.

Judge Okun noted, in his decision to give the maximum sentence, that Borden did not show remorse for his actions, either in the way he reacted to the impact statements or in his comments in the pre-sentencing report.

According to Judge Okun, Borden said “everyone gets the business,” which indicated his lack of remorse.

Borden’s defense attorney, Todd Baldwin, requested that the judge consider a sentence of 14 months and one day, saying “there are worse sexual assaults.” Baldwin brought to attention that Borden’s criminal history only started after he found his mother deceased. Baldwin also said the defendant had sexual trauma in his past. 

“The first time I met with him, he was out of control,” Baldwin said, explaining that the defendant, at the time of the incident, was homeless and having a manic episode.

Judge Okun agreed that Borden had improved but was still in need of mental health help. As part of his sentence, Judge Okun said he would request that Borden receive mental health treatment, sexual assault counseling and anger management.

When Judge Okun made his ruling, Borden became visibly animated. He began cursing loudly, saying “what the fuck you talking about, man?” The marshals removed him from the courtroom, but he could be heard through the door as Judge Okun concluded the sentencing.

Hearing Continues for Sex Abuse Defendant in Quarantine

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun rescheduled a trial readiness hearing for a sex abuse defendant who is currently quarantined at DC Jail.

The 38 year old defendant is charged with assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping, burglary one, third-degree sex abuse, and lewd, indecent, or obscene acts for his alleged sexual conduct with a stranger on Sept. 6 on the 800 block of Quincy Street, NW.

During the Oct. 3. hearing, defense attorney, Howard McEachern, said Oct. 4 marks the end of his quarantine period, informing Judge Okun that proceedings involving his client can resume after this date.

According to court documents, the defendant allegedly assaulted a woman he met on a train coming from Union Station. While at the station, he offered to pay her money to “do something.” The victim declined his offer.

After declining his offer, Williams reportedly followed her off the Georgia Avenue Metro Station onto Quincy Street and struck her from behind with his hands. The defendant then proceeded to punch and kick the victim, pulling down his pants and her pants in an attempt to rape her.

Two witnesses walking their dog intervened and called the police for help.

Parties are expected to return to court on Oct. 6.

DNA Links Suspect to 2018 Homicide Case

On Oct. 4, the prosecution said DNA evidence linked a murder defendant to a 2018 homicide case.

Daquan Gray is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of firearm during a crime, and carrying a pistol without a license in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Jaylyn Wheeler on the 600 block of Alabama Avenue, SE on May 16, 2018. 

The prosecution said partial DNA matched the 20-year-old defendant, finding there to be at least one more contributor. The other individual has not yet been identified. 

The prosecution said video evidence showed Gray fleeing the scene with two other individuals. In the footage, Gray is seen disposing a weapon. 

Gray was released to home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). He has been compliant with his conditions of pretrial release since July of 2018. 

The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30, where DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan said she expects to set a trial date. 

May Stands As D.C.’s Deadliest Month So Far

May still stands as the most deadly month in DC this year, according to D.C. Witness data.

Homicides in the city rose by 73 percent from April to May, and has been on a steady trend where one month rises while another declines since.

September saw 16 homicides, an approximately 7 percent increase from August. August saw a nearly 29 percent decrease from July.

Grace Guzzo, Julia Yan and Tiffany Word created this graphic.

Check out additional data on our site.

Document: Vehicle Sought in a Non-Fatal Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives seek the public’s help in locating a vehicle in a non-fatal shooting offense that occurred on Oct. 3, on the 1300 block of Half Street, SW.

According to a press release, at about 5:00 pm, officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Judge Sets Date for Trial Readiness Hearing 

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo presided over parties as they discussed matters regarding a murder defendant’s case as his trial date approaches. 

Kenneth Stewart, 60, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to the stabbing of 54-year-old, Courtney Jones on July 23, 2020, on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

During the Sept. 30 hearing, Stewart’s defense attorney, Dominique Winters expressed her desire for a trial readiness hearing.

Stewart is currently quarantined at the DC jail after contracting coronavirus. The quarantine is to set end next week.

According to court documents, the stabbing transpired hours after Stewart and Jones allegedly engaged in a physical altercation outside of a McDonald’s parking lot. 

The two men are reportedly acquaintances, with witnesses stating that Stewart “has had to whoop the defendant in the past.”

Witnesses referred to the stabbing as “totally unnecessary” as their earlier fight was “not that serious.” They also mentioned that Stewart is believed to use drugs but not on that particular day.

Police found the knife used in the alleged stabbing in Stewart’s right pocket. It was bloody and contained pieces of flesh on it.

At the hearing, Judge Demeo agreed to set a trial readiness hearing, intending to provide parties with additional time to prepare for trial.

The hearing is scheduled to occur on Nov. 4.

Read more about this case, here.

Judge Denies Defense’s Request for Temporary Release of Child Sex Abuse Defendant 

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo denied a defense attorney’s request for temporary release on behalf of a child sex abuse defendant.

The 45-year-old defendant was placed under arrest on Sept. 13 and charged with first-degree child sex abuse, second-degree sex abuse, stalking, and enticement of a child and minor for his alleged sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl on the 200 block of Carroll Street, NW from 2019 to 2022. 

During a Sept. 30 hearing, defense attorney, Howard McEachern, asked Judge Demeo to grant his client temporary release, stating that he needs to “get his affairs in order.”

According to court documents, Lopez first approached the victim at the Takoma Park Metro station when she was just 13-years-old. There, he allegedly called her “beautiful,” and the two exchanged phone numbers, initiating contact between them.

After exchanging phone numbers, the two began communicating with each other consistently and eventually started to meet in person at multiple different locations.

Court documents also state that the defendant performed oral sex on the victim in various hotels, a park in Silver Spring, Md., and both of their residences from 2019 to 2022.

McEachern argued in favor of temporary release for the defendant, regarding his criminal history as “negligible.” 

In response, the prosecution contended that the defendant is “dangerous,” citing his prior voluntary manslaughter conviction in 1993 as proof of this claim.

Additional evidence from court documents further the prosecution’s argument as they allege the defendant reportedly stood outside the victim’s home with a card reading “love you” after she ended contact with him in July 2021.

Judge Demeo agreed with the prosecution and rejected McEachern’s request for temporary release, referring to the defendant as a “danger to the community.”

Parties are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 20 as the defense considers a plea offer the prosecution proposed during a previous hearing. 

Prosecution Lays Out Timeline Before and After Murder During Closing Arguments

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan presided over closing arguments in which the prosecution laid out a timeline of events before and after the murder of a woman who has been missing since 2019.

Darnell Sterling, 57, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on July 24, 2020, in connection to the sudden disappearance of his girlfriend, 34-year-old Olga Ooro. Sterling was allegedly the last person seen with Ooro before she was reported missing on July 17, 2019.

During the Sept. 30 trial, Sterling’s defense attorney, Howard McEachern, and the prosecution presented their final arguments. McEachern asserted that the prosecution does not have sufficient evidence to prove the alleged murder beyond a reasonable doubt, while the prosecution suggested otherwise. 

Sterling and Ooro allegedly first started dating around 2019, and the first ever 911 call was made on July 13, 2019, according to the prosecution.

The prosecutor said that one of the neighbors in the apartment building heard Oora yelling for help as she and Sterling engaged in an argument that evening. Ooro was left with a busted lip. 

The prosecution played security footage to the jury Friday, showing a car pulling up to the victim’s apartment building on July 17, 2020, at 12:17 am. 

The defendant, who was wearing a white and blue striped polo, was seen following the victim and her son into the elevator.

Later, that evening, at 3:53 a.m., the defendant was seen leaving the apartment in a completely different outfit. He was wearing black clothing, while carrying a trash bag the prosecution said contained materials to clean up the murder. 

At 4:11 a.m., the defendant drove from the victim’s building to his own apartment. Rather than entering the building through the main door, the defendant was detected by the cameras walking down the parking ramp. He changed his attire again that night. 

At 9:35 a.m., the defendant went to a supermarket ATM to withdraw $500 and then later headed East on Route 50 towards Ocean City, where the prosecutor said he believes Sterling likely disposed of Ooro’s body.

In response to the prosecution’s argument, McEachern told the jury the prosecution’s claims were “convoluted theories without evidence.”

To strengthen his argument, he referenced DNA testing conducted by forensic scientists at Ooro’s apartment, where the alleged murder occurred. 

The blood spot the prosecution said resulted from the murder was unable to be dated or identified. McEachern asserted that it could have been left by the last tenant as Ooro only lived there for seven months.

In reference to the argument that ensued on July 13, 2019, and Ooro’s busted lip, Sterling’s attorney said he believes it is unlikely that an altercation of that nature occurred if neighbors never called 911 or reported it that evening.

“Do not spend time on these red herrings,” McEachern told the jury.  

Judge Raffinan excused jurors from the courtroom to begin deliberations.

The jury is expected to continue deliberating on Oct. 3. 

Motion Hearing Continued for Murder Defendant in Quarantine

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun rescheduled a motion hearing due to the defendant being quarantined at the DC Jail. 

Alonzo Lewis, 33, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed against a minor, and three counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence.

He allegedly shot 40-year-old Jaquon Helm and 35-year-old Venous Badgett on the 4600 block of Galveston Street, SW, on May 26. 

The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13.

Read more about this case, here.