Witnesses Recount Day of 81-Year-Old Man’s Attack During Murder Trial

Bobby Poole was 81 years old when he became the victim of a deadly attack on a spring day in 2020. During the third day of trial proceedings for the man charged in his death, five witnesses pieced that day together.

Surveillance footage from 11:30 a.m. on March 29, 2020, shows Poole walking into a 7-Eleven on the 900 block of Division Avenue, NE. A witness who knew one of Poole’s children said he saw Poole almost every morning. The next time he saw Poole that day, “he was laying on the ground,” the witness said during the May 24 trial.

Poole was found bleeding from the head by the iron gate of a condominium complex next to the 7-Eleven. Tyrone Williams is accused of assaulting Poole with another unknown individual while trying to rob him.

Poole was taken to a local hospital and was sent home with hospice care on May 5 but died the following day, more than a month after the attack. That July, a doctor deemed Poole’s primary cause of death to be complications of a subdural hemorrhage due to blunt force trauma to the head, according to court documents.

“You were always looking for two people, is that correct,” Williams’ defense attorney, Steven Logerfo, asked the day’s first witness, a Metropolitan Police Department detective.

“Yes,” the detective responded.

Williams, 52, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to commit robbery the same day as the attack. He is now on trial for felony murder and attempted robbery. The detective worked on the case until Poole died and the MPD’s homicide branch took over. During his direct examination, a prosecutor played footage of the detective asking Williams what happened after he and the other individual turned a corner near the 7-Eleven.

“You told Williams that everything was on video before you read his Miranda Rights, is that correct,” Logerfo asked.

The detective agreed.

Williams insisted during the interview that he was alone, despite surveillance footage showing him with someone else. He said he walked to Lowest Price, a nearby gas station and convenience store on Sheriff Road in Capitol Heights, Md., after leaving the 7-Eleven. The detective was not able to access any surveillance footage from Lowest Price. The first time he visited the store, the manager was not there. By the time he visited for a second time, the footage had been overridden.

The 7-Eleven where Poole and Williams could be seen is no longer open for business as of the May 24 trial day. During direct examination, a prosecutor walked through surveillance footage from the store with the detective.

When the prosecutor paused the footage at 11:30 a.m., Poole could be seen towards the back of the store’s parking lot while Williams was right outside the door. Poole approaches the store and walks in.

Williams could be seen walking into the 7-Eleven at about 11:32 a.m. and leaving the store less than 10 minutes later.

Outdoor surveillance footage of the side of the store shows Poole walking along a sidewalk towards the condominium, where he’d eventually be found bleeding from his head. Williams and the other individual walk behind him.

After Poole was attacked, the witness who said he saw Poole almost every day went with the victim’s son to search for the assailants, although he did not see the incident himself. Upon returning to the 7-Eleven, the witness said he saw Williams and alerted the police. He said he saw Williams there almost every day and went on to pick him out of a photo lineup.

Officers stopped Williams outside the 7-Eleven. An MPD officer testified that bystanders were trying to fight him.

An MPD sergeant retrieved Williams’ bag for him before he was led into a police car. During her testimony, the sergeant affirmed that nothing that happened outside the 7-Eleven influenced the decision to arrest him.

In total, the day’s proceedings featured testimony from three law enforcement witnesses and two civilian witnesses. DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo instructed jurors to return to court on May 25 to continue with the trial.

Man Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Woman After Breaking Into Her Home

A man was sentenced for sexually assaulting a woman after breaking into her Carver-Langston neighborhood apartment.

Datwain Green was initially charged with first-degree sex abuse, assault with intent to commit first-degree sex abuse and kidnapping. On March 22, he pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree sexual abuse.

Green took an Alford Plea– a plea in which a defendant does not admit to committing a criminal act but accepts that there is enough evidence to convict them.

During the March 24 sentencing hearing, defense attorney Matthew Hertz said Green has a history of mental health issues and at the time of the assault, was experiencing a mental health crisis. His health has since improved.

“He doesn’t seem to be someone who has violence in his blood, in his bones,” Hertz said. “His behavior is going to change if he takes care of himself.”

“Mr. Green, I wish that I could be outraged or whatever else comes to mind, but, there’s something about your history that makes it understandable that there is some mitigation here in this tragedy,” DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt said. “I have to admit you are a mystery to me to a certain extent.”

Green’s Static-99 score, an evaluation instrument used to assess a person’s probability of reoffending in sexual abuse cases, judged him to have a medium to high risk of reoffending. Attorneys debated the merits of this score because Green only has one prior violent offense.

“I hope the victim can forgive me for what I’ve done,” Green said, explaining that he had never done anything like this before.

Green was in a relationship with the victim’s friend, who was temporarily living with the victim at the time of the assault. She left her door unlocked so that the friend could enter her apartment while she was gone. This is believed to be how Green was able to enter the home while the victim was away.

“Not only mom did you lose on that day your piece of mind and security, but you lost your best friend,” Judge Brandt told the victim, who was in the audience and submitted a written victim impact statement but chose not to speak.

Green sexually assaulted the victim soon after she returned home. She yelled to the voice assistant on her iPhone, Siri, to call 911. This call was recorded and used as evidence in the case.

“Allegedly, your best friend has taken it upon herself to shame you on social media, that is wrong, wrong wrong, to you (the victim),” Judge Brandt said. ”I want you to hear me and hear me loudly. You did nothing wrong, you did not bring this upon yourself. You are nothing more than a victim, a brave victim because I listened to that 911 call and it made me sick to my stomach. It also made me want to stand up and applaud you.”

Officers removed Green from the victim when they arrived. Hertz said seeing the body-worn camera footage made Green become emotional.

“If only the public could see law enforcement at its best and most courageous,” Judge Brandt said.

Green was sentenced to three years in prison with one of those years suspended. He was sentenced on the lower end of the DC code sentencing guidelines since he only has one prior offense.

Judge Brandt said in her experience the longer someone stays on probation, the more likely they are to fail. She sentenced him to serve three years of probation after his prison sentence and register as a sex offender for the remainder of his lifetime.

There Were 63 Homicides Between January 1 and May 20

D.C. Witness mapped all 63 homicides that occurred between January 1 and May 20, 2022.

Judge Releases Domestic Violence Defendant from Home Confinement

A domestic violence defendant accused of trying to kill his now-former significant other was released from home confinement with GPS monitoring and a curfew.

The defendant was charged with assault with intent to kill while armed in February 2020. During his most recent hearing on May 19, a prosecutor told DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun an indictment was coming soon, and charges were already before a grand jury.

A judge ordered the defendant held at DC Jail during his initial hearing on Feb. 6, 2020. Later that month, he was released to a halfway house until March 23, 2020, when he was released into home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program.

On Feb. 28, 2021, the court relaxed the defendant’s release conditions so he could leave his home for work. Since then, he has been working two jobs while wearing a GPS monitor.

Defense attorney Ronald Resetarits asked Judge Okun to transfer his client from HISP into standard pretrial release with a curfew. Resetarits cited the defendant’s long history of compliance with his release conditions. He said the defendant remained employed during his time on HISP without any violations.

An attorney for the victim was present during the hearing and said the victim was still fearful of the defendant’s alleged violent behavior. They asked that he remain in home confinement.

Judge Okun said the defendant had been largely compliant with the stay away, no-contact order for the past two years. He noted one violation of the home confinement order during which the defendant stayed overnight at a new girlfriend’s home.

Judge Okun released the defendant from home confinement and instituted a curfew requirement that befitted the defendant’s two job schedules, which includes night shifts.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court for a felony status conference on Oct. 24.

Judge Releases Domestic Violence Defendant from Home Confinement

A domestic violence defendant accused of trying to kill his now-former significant other was released from home confinement with GPS monitoring and a curfew.

The defendant was charged with assault with intent to kill while armed in February 2020. During his most recent hearing on May 19, a prosecutor told DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun an indictment was coming soon, and charges were already before a grand jury.

A judge ordered the defendant held at DC Jail during his initial hearing on Feb. 6, 2020. Later that month, he was released to a halfway house until March 23, 2020, when he was released into home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program.

On Feb. 28, 2021, the court relaxed the defendant’s release conditions so he could leave his home for work. Since then, he has been working two jobs while wearing a GPS monitor.

Defense attorney Ronald Resetarits asked Judge Okun to transfer his client from HISP into standard pretrial release with a curfew. Resetarits cited the defendant’s long history of compliance with his release conditions. He said the defendant remained employed during his time on HISP without any violations.

An attorney for the victim was present during the hearing and said the victim was still fearful of the defendant’s alleged violent behavior. They asked that he remain in home confinement.

Judge Okun said the defendant had been largely compliant with the stay away, no-contact order for the past two years. He noted one violation of the home confinement order during which the defendant stayed overnight at a new girlfriend’s home.

Judge Okun released the defendant from home confinement and instituted a curfew requirement that that worked with the defendant’s two job schedules, which includes night shifts.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court for a felony status conference on Oct. 24.

2022 Sexual Abuse Defendant Ages Analyzed

D.C. Witness analyzed the ages of all sexual abuse defendants at the time of their arrests in 2022 cases. This data shows no correlation between age and case, with the youngest defendant being 18 years old and the oldest defendant being 70 years old.

Homicide Arrests by Year

In 2020, more people were arrested in reference to Washington homicides than in the two years prior, according to D.C. Witness data.

Homicide Victims are Mostly Men in 2022, Data Shows

A majority of the homicide victims in 2022 were male, data shows.

Document: On-Duty Special Police Officer Killed in Southeast, DC

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of an on-duty special police officer in Southeast, DC.

At approximately 12:23 a.m. on May 22, officers responded to the 2500 block of Elvans Road, SE, for the sounds of gunshots, according to a press release. There, they found 33-year-old Shawn Minor suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Document: Deadly Shooting in Southeast, DC

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a deadly shooting in Southeast, DC.

At approximately 1:28 p.m. on May 20, officers responded to the intersection of Poplar Street and Oak Drive, SE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found 34-year-old Cedric Williams suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Document: 1 Killed, 2 Injured in Shooting

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a shooting that injured two men and killed another.

At approximately 9:26 p.m. on May 19, officers responded to the 1500 block of V Street, SE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found the three victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One of them, 41-year-old David Christian Spencer, Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fate of Plea Deal Uncertain for Man Charged in Shooting of 27-Year-Old Father

A DC Superior Court judge decided he needed more time to determine if he should accept a plea deal for a man convicted in the shooting of a 27-year-old father.

“I think justice is oftentimes an elusive concept,” Judge Milton Lee said.

Several members of Jamal Bandy’s family addressed the court on May 20 during the sentencing hearing. They spoke about the person Bandy was and the life he lived before he was shot to death on July 21, 2019.

“I want him to not just be a number on your case file,” Bandy’s mother told Judge Lee before thanking the prosecuting attorneys for their efforts to pursue justice for her son.

Bandy’s grandmother described him as a soft-spirited young man who “had just started getting his life together.” He recently started a job at a plumbing company and had three children with another on the way.

“When he passed, he never got a chance to see his child born,” Bandy’s father said.

The deadly shooting occurred on the 1300 block of Congress Street, SE, in what prosecutors believe was a revenge-based attack. Romiel Hightower, who was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed in Bandy’s death in December 2019, was shot on that same block the year before, according to court documents. Bandy is thought to have been associated with the person suspected of having shot Hightower in 2018.

Bandy’s aunt is a retired police officer who spent 25 years with the Metropolitan Police Department. In her victim impact statement, she referenced the time she has spent with families enduring the type of loss she now has to live with, too.

“We have to stop smacking people on the wrist, and they have to realize that when you pull a trigger, there’s consequences for that,” she said.

This sentiment was echoed by Bandy’s grandmother. “I know the young man is a human being too, but he needs to realize what he did and what he took away from us…these kids today, they have to start being accountable for what they do,” she said.

Hightower, 30, accepted a plea offer for voluntary manslaughter while armed in February. As part of the deal, parties agreed to recommend a six-and-a-quarter-year prison sentence. Judge Lee asked the prosecutor why he agreed to this.

The prosecutor said much of the evidence they had was circumstantial. Witnesses either did not cooperate or did not see much since they ran when they heard the gunfire. Their primary evidence was a white vehicle seen in surveillance footage that was connected to Hightower’s girlfriend. Instagram messages from Hightower also suggested an intention to retaliate, according to court documents.

“No one is trying to value Mr. Bandy’s life at a number,” defense attorney Jason Tulley said.

Judge Lee remained unconvinced.

“I’m disappointed that I learned so much about the background today…I cannot say in good conscious at this point that six-and-a-quarter years is a correct sentence,” he said.

Judge Lee said he needs more time to decide if he will accept the plea deal. He scheduled parties to reconvene on June 21.

Domestic Violence Defendant Sentenced to Probation, Community Service Under Youth Rehabilitation Act

A domestic violence defendant was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 90 hours of community service under the Youth Rehabilitation Act.

Michael Marqele Briscoe was indicted on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, threats to kidnap or injure a person, carrying a pistol without a license and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence for brandishing a gun at his uncle during a family dispute in 2020. Briscoe pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license and a lesser charge of misdemeanor threats to do bodily harm in March. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors dismissed the two remaining charges.

DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell said he would implement a recommended intervention plan during the May 20 sentencing hearing. He imposed fully-suspended sentences of nine months for threats to do bodily harm and six months for carrying a pistol without a license. Under this sentence, Briscoe will have to serve the full 15-month term in prison if he violates his probation and has it revoked.

“I would like to say I still feel ashamed, like, what I did [sic],” Briscoe said. “I definitely do feel sorry. Me and him talked. We’re alright. Next time, I’ll walk away. I won’t even engage in that nonsense.”

Defense attorney Kevin Kassees said the victim’s mother reported Briscoe and his uncle were on good terms and moving forward from the dispute. Additionally, he said the trauma of getting shot in a previous incident served as a “wake up call” for Briscoe.

“It was after that incident – I think his uncle helped him at the time – he decided he was going to get his life turned around. He got hooked up with Life Deeds, which trains youth to make better choices, and he worked really hard,” Kassees said.

The prosecution said they had spoken with the victim and his family, and would no longer be pursuing a no-contact order. They did ask Judge Crowell to impose a no Harass, Stalk, Threaten or Assault order. Judge Crowell granted the request.

Briscoe must register as a gun offender for two years following his period of supervised release. He is also required to pay $150 to the Victims of Violent Crime compensation fund.

The prosecution said Briscoe had recently started his own LLC and wished him the best in his business endeavors.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Killing Man with Wooden Board, Assaulting Others with Bed Frame

A defendant pleaded guilty to killing a man in 2019 and assaulting two others in 2020.

Andre Dubose was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed for beating 37-year-old Ahmad Simms to death with a wooden board and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for attacking his aunt and uncle with an iron bed frame. Dubose, 32, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon during his most recent hearing on May 19.

“The defendant was not legally justified in using a wooden board to hit the decedent,” court documents read. Simms died from his injuries that same day.

In June 2020, almost one year after he was arrested and charged with murder, Dubose was released from DC Jail into home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program. He lived with his aunt and uncle until the following December, when he was rearrested and returned to DC Jail for assaulting them.

The victims told detectives that Dubose had appeared to be on an unknown substance. They barricaded themselves in their bedroom with the iron bed frame to keep Dubose out. Dubose eventually broke through the barricade and “forced his way into a bedroom to hit a 72-year-old man and his wife with a metal bed frame,” according to court documents read by the prosecutor during the hearing.

Simms’ sister took the opportunity to address the court in a brief statement.

“This man, Andre Debose, committed a lot of violence in our community,” she said. She asked DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan not to accept the plea offer because of the violent nature of the offenses.

“I know that there is nothing that can bring your brother back to you,” Judge Raffinan said, explaining that she would accept the plea, but the sister’s statements would contribute to her decision in sentencing.

As part of the pre-indictment plea offer, the parties agreed to recommend eight years in prison for the homicide charge and six years in prison for each of the assault charges. These will be served concurrently, meaning Dubose will be in prison for a maximum of eight years if the judge adopts the recommendation.

Dubose is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5.

Defendant Arraigned on Murder, Weapons Charges

A murder defendant was arraigned on a four-count indictment and scheduled to go to trial.

Shaka Haltiwanger is accused of killing 39-year-old Anthony Kelly, who was found in the foyer of a Greenway neighborhood home suffering from a gunshot wound on the morning of Sept. 10, 2021.

Haltiwanger, 22, was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device during his most recent hearing on May 19.

Defense attorney Kevin Irving pleaded not guilty to the charges on his client’s behalf.

The prosecutor said he has turned various items of evidence over to the defense but is still waiting on more. There is not much surveillance footage in the case, and they are still waiting for DNA testing results from the Virginia-based scientific consulting firm Signature Science, he said. Body Worn Camera footage and grand jury exhibits and transcripts have been given to the defense.

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled Haltiwanger to go on trial in October. Haltiwanger will remain detained at DC Jail as he awaits his June 9 trial readiness hearing.

Search