Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a Nov. 14 homicide.
At approximately 4:49 p.m. officers arrived at the 2000 block of Bruce Place, SE, due to sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, officers located two adult male victims on the 2000 block of Bruce Place, SE, with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a nearby hospital. One of the victims, 52-year-old David Williams, succumbed to his injuries, according to the press release.
A DC Superior Court judge ruled that the case of a fatal stabbing at a Southeast, DC gas station has enough evidence to go to trial, but agreed to release the defendant into the High Intensity Supervision Program.
Tywan Morris is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the death of 27-year-old Danielle Stuckey on Oct. 17 at a gas station on the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE.
During the Nov. 15 preliminary hearing, the prosecution showed surveillance footage of the stabbing and the confrontation that preceded it.
In the footage, a green vehicle, which court documents identify as a 4-door Nissan Xterra, is seen pulling up to the first pump, which is close to a bus stop. A man, identified as 26-year-old Morris, leaves the car to go into the store and pay for his gas. He can be seen wearing a hoodie, black shorts and pants, sneakers and a chain around his neck. A Metropolitan Police Department detective on the case testified that he was wearing the same clothes, except for the hoodie and necklace, when he was arrested that same day. The defendant’s girlfriend and her child are also in the vehicle, according to court documents.
After returning to the car, Stuckey can be seen approaching him. She appears to shake his hand and look inside the vehicle. After this, she appears to become angry and a verbal argument between the two ensues. Stuckey paces in the parking lot during the confrontation.
Later in the video, Morris greets someone in a silver vehicle at the gas station with a hug. The argument continues, and at one point, Morris retrieves something from the silver vehicle. The detective said he believes the defendant was retrieving a knife based on his conversations with witnesses.
At one point, Morris’ girlfriend appears to become involved in the confrontation. According to court documents, she told police that Stuckey has tried to fight her in the past.
In the footage, Stuckey picks up a chair and appears to throw it at the defendant, who knocks her onto her back. It is then that the stabbing appears to occur.
The detective said Morris told him Stuckey hit him in the head at some point, but he did not see evidence of that in the video.
Judge Neal Kravitz ruled that the case had probable cause, but he still granted the defense’s request to release Morris into the High Intensity Supervision Program, citing his limited criminal history.
A jury began deliberations in a murder trial after parties delivered their closing arguments on Nov. 10.
Steven Robin, 25, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in the Jan. 20, 2018 shooting of 20-year-old Kenneth Poindexter on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE.
Antonio McKenzie and Edward Brown are also charged with murder in Poindexter’s death, but they will they tried separately from Robin. Charles Young has also pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact voluntary manslaughter for his role as the getaway driver. He was recently sentenced to four years in prison, all of which were suspended, plus six months of probation, D.C. Witness previously reported.
DC Superior Court Judge Dayna Dayson told the jury to examine the evidence presented by both parties to conclude if Robin was the person who committed the crime, had an intentional plan to kill and was in possession of a firearm at the time.
The prosecution argues that the victim was standing on the street when the defendant and three others drove to where Poindexter was, got out of the car and immediately began shooting. A total of 42 shots were fired, but the prosecution alleges Robin sought to “finish him off” before leaving the scene.
A witness said she saw the shooting happen from her balcony and another witness reported the car’s license plate as it drove by a few blocks later following the sound of gunshots, which the police later determined to have come from one of the shooters, the prosecution explained.
Two other witnesses who previously testified during the trial were mentioned as having reported to the police their accounts of the story. Both witnesses were not at the scene of the crime but reportedly heard what happened from the defendant.
The credibility of these witnesses was addressed, with the prosecution noting that these witnesses were known to lie in the past but the prosecution said they have since corrected their testimonies.
Defense attorney Kristin McGough argued that there is not enough evidence to distinguish that Robin himself committed the crime versus someone else.
Both witnesses who weren’t at the scene, McGough pointed out, have consistently lied because there was an incentive to tell the story so that the defendant was accused in hopes of a cash reward or freedom from another case they are a part of.
While Robin’s DNA was found on a water bottle in the car from the crime, McGough said there is no proof that the water bottle was in the car from the day of the shooting. McGough added that no cell phone data for Robin was displayed during the trial as a means to trace his locations on the date of the crime, nor is there evidence that he even had a firearm.
Parties now await a decision from the jury.
A murder defendant’s attorney sought his client’s release into a halfway house.
The defendant, Travis Russell, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 44-year-old Michael Hooker on May 26, 2019, on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE.
According to court documents, Hooker was determined to have died from a “sharp force to the right side of the neck.” He was found by responding officers with severe lacerations to his neck and a piece of glass was found in his wound.
Russell, 37, was detained at DC Jail upon his arrest in June 2019. According to court documents, in April 2020, DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz agreed to the defense’s request to have Russell released to a halfway house. However, days later, the halfway house in question stopped taking new admissions. The following month, it shut down, which prevented Russell from being able to leave the jail, where he has now been for more than two years.
Back in July, defense attorney Mani Golzari motioned for his client to be released into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) instead, with home confinement as an added condition if necessary, but that request was denied.
Golzari asked Judge Kravitz if he knew about any available halfway houses during the Nov. 12 hearing. Judge Kravitz said he did not know about any available houses.
Russell will remain held at DC Jail until further notice is given.
Judge Kravitz also asked the prosecution for an update on DNA testing that had been recently conducted during the hearing.
The prosecution said they have received results from the DNA testing and have shared the results with the defense. Golzari requested a 30-day continuance to allow for DNA to be further examined.
Judge Kravitz scheduled parties to reconvene on Jan. 18.
The trial is set to begin in June. The prosecution expects to call 20 witnesses.
The defense in a murder case expects to receive discovery evidence from the prosecution in three to four weeks.
Deangelo Glover, 30, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 32-year-old Tyrone William Wright on Jan. 19 on the 3800 block of Hayes Street, NE.
According to court documents, multiple expended .40 caliber and 9mm cartridge casings were found at the scene. The medical examiner reported that the victim received 17 gunshot wounds, six to the back of the head.
During the Nov. 12 hearing, the defense counsel requested another status hearing for after they receive discovery materials and have time to review them. Defense attorney David Knight requested a hearing date in February.
DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled parties to reconvene Feb. 4.
A murder defendant’s attorney raised concerns over the conditions in which her client is being held.
Rashon Hall, 25, is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Joseph Simmons on the morning of Jan. 3 on the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. The shooting occurred just after 11:00 across the street from an elementary school, according to court documents. The medical examiner found that Simmons had multiple gunshot wounds in his back.
During the Nov. 12 hearing, defense attorney Dana Page voiced her client’s concerns about the conditions of the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), where he is being held. Page asked Judge Danya Dayson to release Hall.
Page told Judge Dayson that Hall says there is mold in his cell. He also reports there is water leaking through the ceiling in the cell block leading to standing water in the block. Additionally, he says he has not received medications he is supposed to take daily for multiple weeks at a time.
Page noted that the cell block is extremely cold. She said when she visits clients there they shiver throughout the entire visit.
The prosecution said that, while there have been allegations that the conditions at the Central Detention Facility (CDT) are unhealthy, the conditions at CTF are better than those at CDF.
Judge Dayson denied the request for release due to the seriousness of the charges and the defendant’s previous firearms convictions. But she did acknowledge the conditions at DC Jail and said she would set an evidentiary hearing to examine the problem.
Judge Dayson set a hearing for Dec. 7 and will request the presence of a Department of Correction representative.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out four crime alerts between 9:00 p.m. on Nov. 14 and 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 15.
A crime alert was sent out at 10:53 p.m. due to a shooting investigation in the 3500 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE. Police identified the suspects as three Black males.
A crime alert was sent out at 11:07 p.m. due to a robbery investigation in the 600 block of F Street, NW. Police identified the first suspect as a Black male with a slim build, wearing a black ski mask and a black and purple jacket. The second was identified as an 18-20-year-old Black male with a heavy set, wearing a black ski mask and armed with a knife. The third suspect was identified as a Black female who was 18-20 years old with a heavy set.
A crime alert was sent out at 1:41 a.m. due to a gun robbery on the corner of 29th and M Street, NW. Police identified the suspects as a Black male and a Hispanic male who were in a Jeep Cherokee vehicle with unknown MD tags.
A crime alert was sent out at 7:17 a.m. due to a shooting investigation in the 1800 block of 14th Street, SE. Police identified the suspect in a two-door black BMW vehicle.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a Nov. 13 homicide.
At approximately 6:44 p.m. officers responded to the 1500 block of F Street, NE, due to a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 37-year-old Kenneth Harris inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on scene, according to the press release.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers are investigating a Nov. 13 traffic fatality.
An investigation revealed that at approximately 3:30 p.m. a vehicle struck a pedestrian in the 1800 block of Columbia Road, NW. The pedestrian, 24-year-old Nina Larson, was stuck under the vehicle until emergency personnel arrived and transported her to a local hospital. Larson later succumbed to her injuries, according to the press release.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a Nov. 12 homicide.
At approximately 4:44 p.m. officers were flagged down on the Unit block of Florida Avenue, NW, due to an assault. Upon arrival, officers located 35-year-old Chanea McLaughlin with stab wounds and transported her to a local hospital. She later succumbed to her injuries, according to the press release.
A defendant received a 12-year sentence for stabbing a man to death.
Back in August, Joshua Young pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for stabbing Walter Rogers on Feb. 21 on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. The 21-year-old defendant was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed.
During the Nov. 12 hearing, Roger’s oldest sister said her brother, a father and grandfather, would have turned 51-years-old tomorrow. She did not ask DC Superior Court Judge Yvonne Williams to pass a specific sentence, but rather, asked her to “seek justice in his name.”
The prosecutor said he offered Rogers the opportunity to plead down to a manslaughter charge despite the evidence they had against him in part because he took responsibility for his actions early on. The prosecutor also said the victim was displaying “erratic behavior” that day, but emphasized that it did not justify the stabbing.
The defense sought to have the sentenced imposed under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which would have effectively sealed Young’s case once he completes his requirements, but the prosecution opposed this, citing the defendant’s criminal history.
“Mr. Young should never have been on the streets that day,” the prosecutor said.
At the time of the homicide, Young was set to return to custody following the revocation of his probation in another case. But he allegedly cut off his GPS.
The prosecutor sought a 16-year sentence, but defense attorney Madalyn Harvey argued that would be too harsh. She recommended an eight-and-a-half-year sentence, saying her client lacked the resources and support he needed in his early life to be successful. He lost multiple members of his family, including his parents, at a young age.
“He’s a nice young man,” Harvey said, “I’m amazed at how he can maintain a positive outlook.”
Judge Williams agreed that the defendant has faced significant hardship.
“The defendant has quite an empathetic story and background,” she said, “…to say he’s faced troubles is an understatement.”
Judge Williams did not agree to sentence Young under the YRA, but said his counsel can ask for the YRA to be imposed if he’s successful following his release.
Young apologized to the victim’s family and friends. “I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said. He also said he is taking GED and college classes, and has been working on his anger management and seeking grief counseling.
Young’s 12-year sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.
Attorneys for two co-defendants in a murder case have motioned for their clients’ release from custody, citing reports on the conditions of confinement at DC Jail.
Tony Morgan, 28, and Martinez Raynor, 21, are charged with murder for their alleged involvement in the shooting of 19-year-old Malik McCloud on Oct. 20, 2018, on the 3500 block of Wheeler Road, SE. The case is scheduled to go to trial in 2022.
Morgan is being represented by Kevin Mosley and Raynor is being represented by Ronald Resetarits.
On Nov. 9, both Mosley and Resetarits filed bond review motions, citing reports on the conditions of confinement at DC Jail in the aftermath of an unannounced inspection of the facility conducted by the US Marshals Service. Concerns raised about DC Jail conditions include poor sanitation and mistreatment of detainees.
During the Nov. 10 status hearing, the prosecution requested time to respond to these motions in writing. The prosecution’s response is expected by Nov. 12.
The prosecution has filed a motion to retest DNA on five items of evidence. This retesting would involve consumption of the biological material. Mosley and Resetarits objected to this, and will have until Nov. 17 to file their opposition in writing. The prosecution will have until Nov. 24 to respond.
DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled parties to reconvene on Jan. 7.
Morgan is charged with first-degree murder while armed while Raynor is charged with felony murder while armed. The two are also charged with conspiracy and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Morgan is also charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. Raynor is also charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out three crime alerts between 9:00 p.m. on Nov. 11 and 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 12.
A crime alert was sent out at 9:34 p.m. due to a robbery investigation in the 1700 block of Erie Sreet, SE. Police identified the suspects as three Black males who were approximately 19-20 years old. The first was wearing a black ski mask and armed with a handgun. The second had a dark complexion and hair twists. The third had a light complexion and a beard.
A crime alert was sent out at 10:43 p.m. due to a shooting investigation in the 300 block of 53rd Street, SE. Police do not have information on the suspect(s).
A crime alert was sent out at 10:49 p.m. due to a shooting investigation in the 300 block of 34th Street, SE. Police do not have information on the suspect(s).
A suspect was arrested in connection with a June 11 homicide.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, at about 1:39 p.m. police responded to the 4600 block of Hillside Road, SE due to reports of gunshots. Upon arrival, police found two adult males with gunshot wounds. One was treated for non-life-threatening injuries while the other, 28-year-old Delonte Johnson, was pronounced dead.
On Nov. 1, 31 year-old Joshua Calvin Allen was arrested for first-degree murder while armed.
A DC Superior Court judge continued a hearing for a murder case as parties continue with plea negotiations.
Tarik Turner, 26, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Keosha Ferguson on March 31, 2021, on the 1300 block of Congress Street, SE.
Turner was previously offered a plea deal and negotiations are still underway. During the Nov. 10 hearing, parties reported they anticipate coming to a decision on the plea offer by the time they are scheduled to reconvene on Nov. 24.
Defense attorney Quo Judkins recently filed an emergency motion for immediate release, citing the results of an unannounced inspection of the DC Jail. The defense has since agreed to set the motion aside for now in exchange for the prosecution extending the availability of their plea offer for two to three more weeks.
Parties are also expected to discuss the motion for emergency release during the Nov. 24 hearing. Judge Neal Kravitz said he believes more information about the conditions of confinement at DC Jail will come to light by then.
Members of Turner’s family were present for the hearing. Turner will remain at DC Jail as he awaits his next day in court.
