Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Aug. 10, on the 5100 block of Call Place, SE.
At approximately 3:41 p.m., officers located 25-year-old Aryeh Wolf suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Aug. 9, on the 100 block of Irvington Street, SW.
At approximately 4:52 p.m., an off-duty MPD officer was stopped at a specified location regarding a shooting victim. When the off-duty officer arrived, he discovered 20-year-old Brian Buxton suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Buxton succumbed to his injuries the following day and was pronounced dead.
The Metropolitan Police Department announced an update to a homicide that occurred on Aug. 10 on the 200 block of Savannah Street, SE.
According to a press release, 52-year-old Leslie Simpson was found suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Police believe the death was domestic in nature.
During the investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 65-year-old Steven Dreher. Dreher was found dead in Laurel, Md from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Detective begins testimony during an Aug. 10 preliminary hearing.
De Andre Brewer, 25, is charged with first degree murder while armed in connection to the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Douglas Jerome Johnson in the 4800 block of North Capitol Street, NE on April 6 at around 10:21 a.m. According to court documents, Brewer was arrested in a stop near the crime scene at around 10:39 a.m.
During the preliminary hearing on Aug 10, the prosecution called a detective from the homicide branch of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who led the investigation. According to the detective, Brewer’s clothing at the time of the arrest matches witness’s descriptions of the shooter.
The prosecutor also showed photos taken from surveillance video showing an individual wearing the same clothing as the defendant at the time he was arrested.
During cross examination, defense attorney, Sylvia Smith, emphasized the discrepancies between witness testimonies.
The detective said the “descriptions were largely consistent.”
Smith also brought up Johnson’s extensive criminal record, including his many domestic disputes and protective orders. According to the DC Court, Johnson was convicted of carrying a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of ammunition in 2018.
Parties were not able to finish the preliminary hearing on Aug 10. DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo scheduled the proceedings to resume on Aug 11.
At an Aug. 8 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt accepted the prosecution’s request to delay a probation violation ruling by two weeks.
Todd Anderson, 27, pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2020, to charges of assault with significant bodily injury and misdemeanor sex abuse for sexually assaulting and punching a dog walker in the face when she tried to escape on the 1400 block of Longfellow Street, NW on Aug. 22, 2019.
Under the Youth Rehabilitation Act, a DC law that allows the court to impose more lenient sentences on offenders under the age of 25, DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Anderson to two years of probation on Dec. 30, 2020.
Anderson violated this probation when he was convicted of a crime in Essex County, N.J. on Dec. 3, 2021. He was arrested for the offense in April 2021 and remained detained for the matter until December of that year. He has yet to be sentenced despite a scheduled sentencing last June.
Anderson was released for approximately three months before he was arrested for an additional incident that occurred in Hudson County, N.J. in March. He is currently incarcerated in Hudson County, and he appeared in court virtually.
Judge Brandt emphasized that the discussions around probation violation should be solely focused on the Essex County matter because the Hudson County case is currently pending trial.
“Mr. Anderson was in violation of his probation long before Hudson Country rolled into the scene,” she said.
The prosecution asked Judge Brandt to revoke Anderson’s probation, stressing the severity of Anderson’s sentence in the outstanding New Jersey case.
Defense attorney Aubrey Dillon argued to dismiss the probation violation, referring to “significant pretrial punishment and detainment” and “a number of systemic failures” that contributed to Anderson’s recidivism.
“This is a treatment issue,” he said.
Diillon said Judge Dayson released Anderson into a partial hospitalization program that offered mental health treatment at Rutgers. However, Anderson was discharged to an out-patient program that “was not able to meet his needs” at the height of the pandemic.
Anderson was forced to go off of his medication when he encountered issues with his health insurance, counsel explained.
Dillon stressed that if Judge Brandt revoked Anderson’s probation, he would be sent to DC and lose eligibility for a treatment program called Integrity House at the Hudson County Jail. The program provides support services for participants while they are incarcerated and after they are released.
Anderson is currently on a waitlist for the program.
“The program has the ability to do re-entry the way re-entry is supposed to be done,” Dillon said.
The prosecution asked Judge Brandt for two more weeks to further investigate the Integrity House program and to await any updates from a scheduled court appearance for the Hudson County matter on Aug. 23.
Dillon indicated that Anderson could accept a plea deal and be sentenced at the Aug. 23 Hudson County hearing.
Judge Brandt granted the prosecution’s request for additional time but emphasized the urgency with which she wants to close the case.
“New Jersey is going to do whatever New Jersey is going to do,” Judge Brandt said. “It’s time for DC to make a decision.”
“I like to be in control of my own cases and right now I feel the state of New Jersey is driving where this case goes,” she added. “If they’re in the driver’s seat, what do you need me for?”
Judge Brandt scheduled the parties to return to court on Aug. 25 to close the case.
A murder defendant gets a new date for his retrial.
Chad Hawthorne, 41, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in connection to the shooting of 35-year-old Antonio Bassett on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE on May 22, 2017.
In a March trial, jurors deliberated for more than a week but could not come to a decision on any of his charges. On March 21, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ruled a mistrial.
Hawthorne’s retrial was originally scheduled for Aug. 7. However, during an Aug. 9 hearing, Hawthorne’s defense attorney, Jonathan Zucker, asked for a new date due to a scheduling conflict.
The retrial is expected to last five days.
DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo rescheduled the retrial for Aug. 9.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives made an arrest in connection to a homicide that occurred on July 9, on the 3500 block of Hayes Street, NE.
At approximately 5:26 p.m., officers located 17-year-old Damari Deon Wright suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Aug. 9, 18-year-old Marquelle Hodges was arrested and charged with second degree murder while armed.
Parties announced that they are beginning negotiations to resolve a stabbing case at an Aug. 8 hearing.
Cana Browne, 25, is charged with second-degree murder while armed with a sharp object for allegedly stabbing 42-year-old Ebony Morgan on May 10 on the 100 block of P Street, NE. Police officers found Morgan unconscious and unresponsive with an apparent stab wound to the right side of her neck, according to court documents. Morgan succumbed to her injuries on May 15 at Washington Hospital Center.
DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz found substantial probability at a July 8 preliminary hearing after two witnesses identified Browne from video surveillance.
The attorneys asked for one to two months to review materials and begin negotiations. DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun scheduled Browne’s next court appearance for Oct. 7 to review the status of negotiations.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on Aug. 7 at approximately 12:17 a.m., on the 300 block of 50th Street, NE.
Officers located 31-year-old Adrian Mack suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead after all life-saving efforts failed.
A suspect has been arrested in relation to a sexual abuse offense.
The 41 year old is accused of brandishing a handgun, forcing the victim into a vehicle and engaging in forced sexual acts with the victim at approximately 8:30 a.m., on Nov. 28, 2005.
The suspect was arrested on Aug. 4 and charged with first degree sexual abuse while armed.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives have made an arrest in relation to a homicide.
On Aug. 4, at approximately 3:32 p.m., officers responded to 1800 block of Good Hope Road, SE for reports of a shooting inside a conference room of a DC Public Library. Officers located 25-year-old Maurica Manyan and despite all life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead.
Officers arrested 58-year-old Jesse Porter and charged him with involuntary manslaughter.
During an Aug. 5 hearing, a defense attorney filed a motion to withdraw as counsel in a 2018 homicide case.
Marquette Jordan, 31, is accused of stabbing 40-year-old Ivan Lynch to death on April 18, 2018, in an apartment on the 900 block of 5th Street, SE. Jordan is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed, 2 counts of threat to kidnap or injure a person, assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, and carrying a dangerous weapon.
Jordan was first tried in April and the jury found Jordan not guilty of first-degree murder while armed but were still deliberating over the lesser-included charge of second-degree murder while armed. As a result, the prosecution requested to retry the case.
During the Friday hearing, defense attorney Elliott Queen explained that he has been experiencing extreme difficulty with Jordan.
“In spite of all my efforts to represent and protect the interest of the defendant, irreconcilable differences have emerged and continue to exist between counsel and defendant, which preclude the maintenance of trust and confidence and require counsel to withdraw,” Queen wrote to the judge.
Queen is Jordan’s fourth attorney over the last four years and the prosecution expressed concerns about finding a fifth attorney for Jordan.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt said she will reach out to the Public Defender Service but will not be able to find a lawyer until August. Until then, Queen needs to stay on the case.
“It may take me a moment to find different counsel,” Judge Brandt said. “It is my intent to grant your motion, but I’m not going to grant it until I speak to one or two other attorneys.”
Judge Brandt scheduled the next hearing on Aug. 22. By then, Judge Brandt said she hopes to have found at least two other lawyers who can take over.
The retrial was initially scheduled for Aug. 16 but had to be rescheduled to give new counsel more time to prepare.
Jordan expressed frustration with having the trial pushed back further.
“I don’t see what the hold up is,” Jordan said. “I’m just ready to go to trial please.”
During an Aug. 5 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt allowed a defendant accused of killing her 16-month-old child to be taken off GPS monitoring while on pretrial release.
Faneshia Scott is charged with two counts first-degree murder for a heinous crime where the victim was especially vulnerable due to age or physical infimity and 7 counts of first-degree cruelty to children for her alleged role in the death of her 16-month-old daughter, Rhythm Fields, on the 6400 Block of C Street, SE in 2017.
Scott was initially released under the high intensity supervision program (HISP) on Feb. 22, 2019.
During the Friday hearing, defense attorney Steven Kiersh requested for the defendant to be removed from the program and have her 24-hour GPS ankle monitor removed.
Judge Brandt granted the defense’s request as there was no opposition from the prosecution, but Scott must still stay away and not initiate contact with her two other children unless the children or their caretaker initiates contact first.
Scott is currently scheduled to stand trial on June 17, 2024. The defense and the prosecution made representations that the trial would last at least 2 months because of each party having more than 10 expert witnesses.
The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2023.
During an Aug. 4 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt found probable cause in a 2020 child sex abuse case.
The defendant is charged second-degree child sex abuse for allegedly engaging in sexual contact with his step-daughter on the 900 block of Euclid Street, NW from late 2019 to March 2020. The defendant was 31 years old at the time and the victim was 10 years old.
The events were reported to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Youth and Family Services Division by the victim’s school teacher after the victim relayed the events to her. The defendant was arrested on March 13, 2020, and immediately released with 24-hour GPS monitoring. The defendant was also issued a stay-away order from the victim and her mother.
During the Thursday hearing, defense attorney Joseph Yarbough argued that the victim was making a false-allegation because of the inconsistencies in her testimonies to the detective.
During the initial interview, the victim said she and the defendant were both fully clothed. However, during a later interview, she claimed that the defendant’s underwear was down, but her underwear was on.
“I don’t think you can credit anything the victim says,” Yarbough told the court. “This story was just wildly different every time it was told.”
However, during the prosecution’s redirect, the lead detective of the case said that victims of a younger age are often reluctant to tell all parts of the story at once.
The lead detective, who has been working for the MPD’s Youth and Family services division for 8 years, said that different information trickling in slowly is a common theme in other child sex abuse cases she has worked.
“The court understands why the victim embellished or mistold parts of her story,” Judge Brandt said. “The court can find that probable cause has been satisfied.”
The next hearing is scheduled for March 6, 2023.
A DC Superior Court judge continued a felony status conference as the prosecution confirmed they were moving towards returning an indictment.
Marktwan Hargraves, 23, is charged with second-degree murder while armed. On July 16, 2021, members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to reports of gunshots. Upon arriving at 355 Parkland Place, SE multiple victims were found suffering from gunshot wounds. Nyiah Nicole Courtney, 6, was found suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Despite advanced life-saving measures, the victim was pronounced dead.
The prosecution asked DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan for at least two more months to continue investigative work before returning with an indictment. The 9-month deadline for the indictment is January 2023.
The defense said that although the prosecution is within its legal limit to hold out on the indictment until then, they would prefer it be sooner.
The defense raised issue with how long Hargraves has had to wait, saying with the rising COVID-19 infection rates at the DC jail, Hargraves is being subjected to “inhumane conditions.”
The defense said the prosecution’s departure from the case is also complicating things. A new prosecutor is slated to take over the case after the current prosecutor departs.
The next status conference is scheduled for Oct. 11.
