Judge Keeps Plea Offer Open for Child Sex Abuse Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo provided a child sex abuse defendant and his attorney with additional time to consider a plea offer the defendant said he did not understand.

The 34-year-old defendant is charged with second-degree child sex abuse for his alleged sexual conduct with two minors on Aug. 8, in a shower room of a public pool located on the 1800 block of Anacostia Road, SE.

During a Sept. 30 hearing, the prosecution presented a plea deal for second-degree child-sex abuse. If the defendant took the deal, the prosecution would remove any additional charges and exempt him from delivering a statement to the court.

According to court documents, Jones allegedly entered a shower with two minor boys in the bathroom of a pool where he caressed one of their backs, and then proceeded to place his hand beneath the same boy’s underwear.

Court documents also state that the defendant allegedly approached the other boy and asked to rub soap on both of their backs. He then exposed his genitals and started rubbing that area in front of the boys.

The prosecution proposed the plea offer before Jones and his defense attorney, Donna Beasley, but the defendant interjected, stating, “I don’t understand these fancy words.”

In response, Judge Demeo ordered that the plea deal stay open until parties reconvene, giving Beasley time to explain its meaning to the defendant.

The defendant is currently released under the specialized supervision unit of the pretrial services agency. The unit provides supervision to defendants with mental illness, mild mental retardation and/or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, according to the agency’s website. As part of the defendant’s release, he also has a stay away order.

Parties are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 14.

Upcoming Sexual Assault Trial Delayed

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee vacated a sexual assault defendant’s trial dates during an Oct. 3 status hearing.

The defendant, 53, is charged with first-degree sexual abuse for allegedly forcing himself on a woman in her apartment located on the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE on March 11, 2021.

According to a representative from the prosecution’s office, the case’s prosecutor is dealing with health problems that were not disclosed in open court. Due to the prosecutor’s unavailability, the prosecution moved to vacate the case’s Oct. 17 trial date. Judge Lee agreed.

The victim is currently being in the hospital and will not being able to appear in court for testimony.

“That has its own set of practical difficulties,” Judge Lee noted. “But it’s not an impossibility.”

With regards to the prosecutor’s health issues, defense attorney Wole Falodun expressed his sympathy and wished the prosecutor a speedy recovery.

But if the trial is to be delayed, Falodun said, the defendant should be considered for release.

It was supposed to be a “100-day case,” he said, and it has been more than a year and a half that the defendant has been held at the DC Jail.

He proposed a GPS monitor, with orders to stay away from the victim and whatever hospital that is treating her.

The prosecutors opposed the motion for release, saying the defendant still posed a danger to the community. However, as one of the prosecutors noted, “we never intend to hold [the defendant] just to hold him,” and that if the trial is further delayed, release may be in the cards.

Falodun said that if the defendant were to be released, he would likely need to stay in shelters because he lost his apartment when he was charged.

He has a friend that may be able to help him with money and a place to shower, Falodun said, but the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) would not be ideal for the defendant’s situation.

“There is a point where I have to look at some other options for [the defendant],” Judge Lee said, informing the Falodun that there would need to be more tangible living arrangements than a plan to stay in shelters.

He asked Falodun to direct the defendant’s friend to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), so the agency can determine the feasibility of release.

According to court documents, the complainant called the Metropolitan Police Department from the lobby of her apartment building, telling officers the defendant confronted her in her hallway with a knife and forced her to let him into her apartment.

He hit her several times on her head, chest and back, and raped her, according to the documents.

The victim said she was able to escape when the defendant allowed her to use the restroom, running down the stairs to call the police.

When officers arrived, they escorted her back up to her apartment, where the defendant was located. He opened the door for officers and was arrested. The complainant confirmed to officers that he was the man who had raped her.

The parties are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 18 for a status hearing. According to the DC Court website, a jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 19.

Sexual Abuse Defendant Awaits Non-Jury Trial

On Oct. 3, release conditions for a domestic violence defendant were reviewed.

The 33-year-old defendant is charged with first-degree sexual abuse for allegedly raping his girlfriend.

The defendant is currently release on personal recognizance. His release was switched on Feb. 17 from the personal recognizance under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) where he had to undergo drug testing and frequent check-ins.

According to court documents, on Aug 13, 2018, the defendant got into an altercation regarding the destruction of his ex-girlfriend’s car.

The defendant and the victim had gone to get an appraisal for the ex-girlfriend’s car and the defendant then got out of the car and left his phone behind. The defendant’s girlfriend, at the time, went through his phone to discover that her name was listed as “mom” among his contacts where she then got very upset and began to argue with the defendant.

The two returned to the defendant’s house where they continued to argue. The defendant then picked up the victim and carried her to the bedroom where he threw her on the bed, held her hands above her head and began kissing her chest, according to court documents.

She began to cry and scream and asked him if he really was going to rape her. He responded by saying it wasn’t rape. He then forced his penis inside of her vagina.

As she fought back, he allegedly began to choke her until she vomited, documents state. The victim was taken to the hospital for having an asthma attack. The police were then contacted by hospital staff.

After DNA testing, results showed three different contributors, including the victim, the defendant and an unknown, unrelated individual.

Defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman asserted the defendant’s 6th amendment right to a speedy trial.

DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer Anderson set a non-jury trial for Feb. 7.

Document: Arrest Made in an Assault with a Dangerous Weapon Offense

Metropolitan Police Department detectives made an arrest in connection to an incident that occurred on Sept. 29, on the 1200 block of Morse Street, NE.

According to court documents at about 10:42 pm, the suspects approached the victim, brandished a handgun, and fired at the victim. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

On Sept. 30, 22-year-old Alexys Hebron and 22-year-old James Lindsay were arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Document: Vehicle Sought in an Assault with a Dangerous Weapon Offense

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a vehicle in connection to an assault with a dangerous weapon offense that occurred on Sept. 28, on the 4600 block of Hillside Road, SE.

According to a press release, officers located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatning injuries.

Document: Suspect Sought in Misdemeanor Sexual Abuse Offenses

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in connection to sexual abuse offenses that occurred on Sept. 26.

According to a press release, at approximately 9:30 a.m on the 1000 block of 17th Street, NW and at 10:00 a.m on the 1100 block of New Hampshire Avenue, NW, the suspect engaged in unwanted sexual contact with a victim then fled the scene.

The suspect is described as a white or hispanic male, approximately 30-40 years old.

Document: Homicide in Northwest

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Oct. 2, on the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, NW.

According to a press release, at approximately 11:55 a.m, officers located 22-year-old Antonio Waller suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Document: Homicide in Northeast

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Oct. 1, on the 1300 block of Adams Street, NE.

According to a press release at approximately 8:24 p.m., officers located 18-year-old Ronald Porter suffering from a apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Judge Rejects Homicide Defendant’s Request for Home Confinement

On Sept. 28, a homicide defendant rejected the prosecution’s plea deal, arguing for his release.

David Hahqwon Beale, 24, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, armed carjacking, and assault with intent to kill for allegedly shooting 43-year-old George Johnson Jr. on the 800 block of Oglethorpe Street, NE on May 7, 2018.

Beale’s attorney, Julie Swaney, said they were ready to move forward with the case after Beale turned down a global plea deal of 19 years in prison.

The murder case is Beale’s only active case. However, in July of 2021, he pleaded guilty to a bail violation. According to the DC Courts, the other cases Beale was charged with were dismissed.

Court documents state that 20 rounds of shots were fired on the 800 blocks of Oglethorpe, NE. Johnson was hit on the left side of his back puncturing his lung, aorta, esophagus, and trachea. A surviving victim was also wounded in his left arm.

Beale allegedly stole a car and $300-$400 from a pizza delivery driver. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found Beale and his girlfriend in the stolen car several hours later.

Beale requested to be released on 24-hour home confinement.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee rejected the request because Beale has a record of not appearing in court. Judge Lee cited missed hearings for his previous felony and misdemeanor cases.

A motions hearing is scheduled for Oct. 11

Beale’s trial is set for June 2023.

Murder Case Continues Amidst Discussion Over Motion to Supress Evidence

D.C. Superior Court Judge Milton C. Lee set the date for another hearing to discuss a motion to suppress evidence and denied the defense’s request to modify the defendant’s release conditions.

Gregory Green is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of Derrick Williams who, according to court documents, was robbed and shot in front of his Southeast, DC, home on March 29, 2014.

Defense attorney Pierce Suen requested a status hearing at a later date to give the prosecution and defense time to address the motion to suppress evidence on the defendant’s cell phone. Judge Lee complied with the request.

Before the hearing concluded, defense asked Judge Lee to modify the defendant’s release conditions, citing his eight months of perfect compliance with the high intensity supervision program (HISP) conditions, ability to find a new job, and dedication to his family who was present in the courtroom.

In response to the defense’s request to lift Green’s electronic monitoring, Judge Lee immediately denied it and stated that he will not take the defendant off HISP.

Green was first charged with murder in April 2014. His first trial ended with a hung jury. The second time around, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder while armed and armed robbery. He was sentenced to 35 years for murder and seven-and-a-half years for robbery. But in 2020, his convictions were overturned, and he was granted a new trial.

The next hearing is set for Dec. 16.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Murder and Kidnapping

A defendant who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and escaping prison was sentenced Sept. 30.

On Dec. 19, 2019, Bernard Coleman III, 29, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of his 43-year-old father, Bernard Coleman Jr. on the 4000 block of Cole Boulevard, SE, on March 18, 2017. Coleman was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed, first-degree burglary, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and robbery while armed. Coleman also pleaded guilty to prison breach, kidnapping while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon for an incident that took place in October 2020.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe sentenced Coleman, who was represented by defense attorney Dominique Winters, to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release for the murder charge. The sentence runs concurrent with two other charges for robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.

On March 17, 2017, police arrived at Coleman’s home at 4000 block of Cole Boulevard., SE, where police found his father’s lifeless body, according to court documents. On the night of the incident, March 16, Coleman fired the gun at his 43-year-old father who appeared to be asleep. The victim suffered from two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Coleman fled the scene after taking his father’s car keys.

“I didn’t mean to shoot [the gun] the first time, I was playing with [the gun] behind his back,” Coleman told police.

In another hearing later that Friday, D.C. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ruled the defendant, who was represented by defense attorney Janai Reed, guilty on two charges in connection to a 2020 kidnapping case.

For the first charge, prison breach, the defendant was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three months of supervised release.

For the second charge, receiving stolen property of $1000 or more, the defendant was also sentenced to 18 months in prison and three months of supervised release. The two sentences are set to be served consecutively but will run concurrent to the murder case.

On Oct. 4, 2020, staff at St. Elizabeth Hospital, the location where Coleman was being detained after his sentencing date was rescheduled amidst the COVID pandemic, went to check on him in his room to find the room empty, according to court documents. Surveillance footage revealed Coleman leaving the premises on Oct. 3 and could not be found on the hospital property.

On Oct. 7, 2020, Metropolitan police officers responded to a request from US Marshals for assistance in regard to an apprehended individual on the 4600 block of Southern Avenue, SE. The individual was identified as Coleman and as a suspect in a robbery while armed, theft of an automobile, and simple assault.

Prior to being apprehended, Coleman III was observed carrying a black bag that contained a laptop and other items that belonged to the victim of the offense.

Read more about the defendant’s court proceedings, here.

Document: Police Arrest Suspects for Non-fatal Shooting

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department arrested two 22-year-olds on Sept. 30.

According to a press release, the suspects are being charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (gun) for their alleged involvement with shooting a victim on the 1200 block of Morse Street, NE.

Police recovered a handgun at the time of arrest.

Co-Defendants Enter Not Guilty Plea in Homicide of 13-Year-Old Boy

On Sept. 30, co-defendants on track for a 2024 trial were scheduled for a hearing to discuss DNA evidence in the case.

Koran Jackson, 22; Reginald Steele, 23; Tyiion Kyree Freeman, Stephen Nelson, 21; and Aaron Dequan Brown,26, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, assault with the intent to kill while armed, murder in the first degree, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes.

Jackson and Brown are also charged with tampering with evidence and possession of an unregistered firearm or destructive device. Nelson is also charged with being an accessory after the fact while armed.

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt also arraigned the five defendants Friday. All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the hearing, counsel also discussed DNA testing. The prosecution is expected to receive all DNA testing back towards the end of October.

The defense requested additional evidence and suggested waiting longer to give the prosecution more time to have it all available.

A hearing on Dec. 9 to discuss the results and whether the defense will test DNA independently.

Prior to the start of the hearing, Judge Brandt addressed the courtroom’s robust security, namely the increased number of marshals, attributing it to a “security concern” with having all five defendants in one hearing.

On the 600 Block of Rhode Island Avenue, NW where the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) found Lukes lying in an alley not breathing and suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the neck, court documents state.

Police also found another minor victim within the area suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. According to an autopsy report, a bullet entered Lukes’ left torso and pierced the lower left lung and the heart’s pulmonary artery.

According to court documents, the defendants were involved in the “3500” and “Really Ready Gang.” They are located within Park Morton, Columbia Heights Village, and Rock Creek Church Road. The defendants were allegedly getting revenge for the killing of a fellow gang member in the same area.

Judge Grants Continuance in Homicide Case As Prosecution Awaits DNA Evidence

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo granted a continuance for counsel presiding over a homicide as they work to obtain evidence.

Marcel Jackson, 35, is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the stabbing of 22-year-old, Antonio Jones, also known as “G-Baby,” on May 8, on the 2800 block of Hartford Street, SE.

During the Sept. 30 hearing, the prosecution said DNA evidence was submitted to the lab and results are expected in December.

Jackson allegedly stabbed James 27 times and did not sustain any defensive wounds, according to court documents.

Court documents also allege that the incident ensued after James asked Jackson for a cigarette. Jackson allegedly proceeded to follow James up the street when he left the scene.

An unknown individual reportedly ran down the street, yelling “that dude just stabbed up G-Baby.”

Jackson’s defense attorney, Dana Page, requested additional time to pursue the case.

Judge Demeo granted a continuance to parties, providing them with more time to settle matters.

The next hearing is scheduled on Oct. 27.

Prosecution and Defense Argue Over Validity of Evidence in Murder Case

In a Sept. 29 jury trial, the prosecution presented photos and DNA evidence tying a defendant to murder. The defense refuted these claims, asserting that the evidence is only circumstantial.

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 the week before.

During the trial on Thursday, two expert witnesses took the stand. One displayed photos captured from Ooro’s apartment, where the murder is alleged to have occurred, while the other discussed the results of DNA tests.

A carpet cutting collected from the rear center of Sterling’s car reportedly contained “male DNA” that “cannot be visually excluded as the defendants.”

In addition to a carpet cutting, forensic scientists also conducted DNA testing of blood found on the right wall of Ooro’s apartment. Tests revealed the presence of a female contributor that a scientist said matches Ooro’s DNA.

The prosecution used this evidence to suggest that Sterling killed Ooro. They also used security footage from the night of her disappearance to further corroborate this argument.

Security footage from the night of July 17, 2020, shows a black man who reportedly resembles Sterling exiting the elevator of Ooro’s apartment with a cart. The cart appears to be holding a body-shaped figure wrapped in a blanket.Sterling is then seen placing this item in his car.

In response to the prosecution’s claims that Sterling murdered his girlfriend, his defense attorney, Howard McEachern, stated that their assertions are “so devoid of evidence for the court to even consider a charge.”

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan set the trial to resume on Sept. 30.

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