Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a homicide that happened on April 3.
At around 3:58 p.m., officers responded to the 300 block of 18th Street, NE for the report of a shooting.
There, they found 37 year-old Julius Hayes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has arrested a suspect in connection with a Jan. 31 homicide.
At around 12:21 a.m. that day, officers responded to the 1100 block of Bellevue Street, SE for the report of a woman down on a sidewalk.
There, they found 30 year-old Brenea Audrice Franklin suffering from a severe laceration. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
On April 2, 43 year-old James Lewis was arrested for second-degree murder while armed.
A DC Superior court judge released two of six domestic violence defendants during their initial hearings on April 2.
A total of 13 cases were presented in court.
One defendant, who was held, is charged with contempt and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Judge Heide Herrmann decided to hold the defendant due to pending domestic violence charges in another case with the same victim and location.
The second defendant, who was held, is charged with unlawful entry, destruction of private property, Civil Protection Order (CPO) violation and contempt.
At the time of the offense, the defendant had been on pretrial release with a stay-away order and GPS monitoring. Court documents allege the defendant tampered with the GPS device before breaking into the victim’s home.
Judge Herrmann granted the prosecution’s request to hold the defendant because he was under pretrial supervision at the time of his second alleged offense.
“I do not believe that there are any remaining measures I can take with this defendant to ensure the safety of the community,” said Judge Herrmann.
The remaining four defendants are charged with sexual abuse of a child, attempted threats and simple assault. Upon release, each defendant was given a stay-away order from either the victim, location of the crime or both.
The released defendants were ordered to return to court on May 26.
McKenzie Beard wrote this article.
A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a domestic violence defendant to serve 18 months of supervised probation.
William Glover was initially charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. He pleaded down to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in January. He picked up these charges last year in March 2020.
Defense attorney Jason Kalafat discussed his client’s poor conditions during his time at DC Jail. Glover told Judge Rainey Brandt he endured COVID-19 while incarcerated.
Glover will also have to participate in a Domestic Violence Prevention Program.
Glover must also register as a gun offender, seek employment, refrain from any drugs and alcohol, and not harass, assault, threaten, abuse, or destroy the belongings of the victim.
Glover must pay $100 towards the Victims of Violent Crime (VVC) compensation fund in the amount of $100 by December.
Sarah Gebrengus wrote this article.
During initial hearings on April 1, DC Superior Court Judge Heide Herrmann released five of the six domestic violence defendants.
A total of 30 defendants were presented in court.
The defendant held is charged with destruction of property less than $1,000 in damages and attempted threats to do bodily harm.
The prosecution alleged the defendant made threatening statements to the victims while holding a knife, saying, “I’m gonna kill y’all” and threw a cinder block through an apartment window.
The defense said the defendant always carries his knife but was not threatening anyone with it since he never went into the apartment. Furthermore, based on the alleged statements and actions of the defendant, defense counsel said this appeared to be a mental health issue and jail was no place for the defendant.
The judge agreed with the defense that the defendant’s mental health needed to be addressed but did not think releasing him was the solution based on the gravity of the threats made. The judge said a person could have been hurt rather than a window.
The judge ruled to hold the defendant without bail.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 20.
The remaining five defendants released had charges related to simple assault, attempted threats, destruction of property and probation violations for failing to appear at scheduled hearings.
Of these defendants, four were released with stay away orders from the alleged victims and one was additionally ordered to get a GPS monitor installed.
Three of the five defendants were ordered to return to court on Oct. 7 for status hearings and the remaining two were respectively ordered to return to court on April 2 for a bond review hearing and April 6 for a bench warrant hearing.
This article was written by Alaina Provenza
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a traffic fatality that resulted from a traffic crash on April 1 at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Kennedy Street, NW.
At approximately 3:15 p.m., DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene of a traffic crash.
EMS found 4 year-old Zyaire Joshua, who had been struck by a Nissan Rogue on the 900 block of Kennedy Street, NW. Joshua was pronounced dead on the scene after all life-saving efforts failed.
The operator of the vehicle has not been identified but remained on the scene.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a homicide that happened on April 1 on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE.
At around 4:22 pm, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting.
Upon arrival, they found 18 year-old Michael Benbow suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Officers also located a juvenile female victim suffering from a graze wound and a second adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. Both were transported to the local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered by the MPD for any individual who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the homicide.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out three crime alerts between 9:00 p.m. on April 1 and 9:00 a.m. on April 2.
The most recent alert was sent at 7:40 a.m. for a robbery investigation on the 700 block of 7th Street, NE. Police have arrested a suspect.
An alert for a shooting was sent at 12:26 a.m. on the 3500 block of Jay Street, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
The final alert was sent at 9:24 p.m. for a robbery investigation on the 1900 block of Park Road. Police are looking for a 35 to 40 year-old Black male with a dark complexion, 6’1″ to 6’2″ in height, 205 pounds, short black hair, a dark jacket and black pants. The suspect was last seen driving a white U-Haul van headed east.
A defendant in a first-degree murder case pleaded guilty to lesser charges Thursday.
Defendant Dale Thomas, 30, was charged with allegedly stabbing 38-year-old Jelani Mohammed on the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE, along with co-defendant Donnell Mills, 31, on Nov. 8, 2018. The defendant was originally charged with second-degree murder in this case.
During the April 1 hearing, Thomas pleaded guilty to lesser charges of robbery, assault with the attempt to commit robbery, and conspiracy to commit a violent crime
The victim’s family members said Mohammed was a “kind, caring and loving” person who would have given the defendant anything he wanted, killing him was “unnecessary” and “senseless” and the family has been torn apart from the loss.
Thomas expressed remorse repeatedly during the hearing, saying he wished only to better himself in the future and to become a part of the community again.
Judge Milton C. Lee agreed with the prosecution’s recommendations for sentencing. For the charge of robbery and conspiracy to commit a violent crime, the judge sentenced the defendant to 60 months of incarceration. For assault with the attempt to commit robbery charge, the defendant was sentenced to 48 months incarceration.
The judge suspended all but 32 months due to time already served. Thomas will have to serve a little over six years in prison.
In addition, the defendant was ordered to three years of probation after incarceration, including completion of a drug treatment program, a mental health assessment, a GED program, and participation in vocational counseling and employment assistance for job readiness.
Judge Lee warned the defendant that if he violated his probation he would serve the full incarceration, no questions asked.
Mills was sentenced to 21 years in prison for second-degree murder while armed. Although he does not have any probation time, he is required to complete a drug treatment program and get mental health screening and evaluation, vocational counseling and training, grief counseling and transitional housing after he serves his time in prison.
This article was written by Alaina Provenza
On March 31, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe heard 40 cases. She released 24 defendants and held eight at DC Jail during their initial hearings.
There were a total of seven domestic violence cases and three sex abuse cases presented before Judge Pipe. Of these cases, she held three of the defendants.
Judge Pipe held a male domestic violence defendant on attempted threats to do bodily harm, simple assault, and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon. The defendant allegedly threatened to stab a woman.
Judge Pipe found probable cause to hold him based on the nature of the offense and granted the prosecution’s request for a stay away order from the victim. Additionally, he was served with a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) involving the same person.
A second domestic violence defendant that was held is charged with simple assault, obstruction of justice and contempt. The defendant’s defense attorney, Lawrence Kupers, asked for him to be released and noted that the incident was not sought out but that the defendant was invited over to the victim’s residence by the victim.
Judge Pipe found probable cause and cited the defendant’s prior violent criminal history as well as the use of a pot of boiling water in the incident as reasons to hold him. She also granted a stay away order from the victim and the block containing her residence.
Another defendant held is a domestic violence defendant charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and threats to kidnap or injure a person. Defense attorney Joseph Molina made representations that the defendant had never had any prior altercations with the law other than traffic violations. He also argued that holding the defendant would put undue stress on his family because he owns a business and has children to look after.
Judge Pipe acknowledged the defense’s concerns but said that the nature of offence was too concerning, especially since the allegations involve how the defendant was treating his child. She noted that the victim reported concern with how aggressively the defendant was disciplining his child and intervened, which prompted the defendant to threaten to shoot the victim for intervening. The defendant was held without bail and ordered to stay away from the victim.
All held defendants will return to court later in April.
Judge Pipe released four domestic violence defendants. Their charges include civil violation of a protection order, contempt, simple assault, second-degree theft, attempted threats to do bodily harm and violation of a TPO. All four defendants were given stay-away orders from their victims and places of residence.
All three sex abuse defendants, whose charges include first-degree sex abuse, first-degree child sex abuse and misdemeanor sex abuse, were released. All of the defendants were ordered to do weekly check-ins with Pretrial Services (PSA) and given stay away orders from the victims and all minors.
All released defendants will return to court in October.
A DC Superior Court judge continued a trial readiness hearing for a domestic violence defendant who has been held since 2019.
The defendant is charged with first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree sexual abuse where the victim was under the age of 18. The accused allegedly had a relationship with the victim. The defendant is also being charged with contempt.
Defense attorney Paul Kiyonaga had the option to set a trial date for 2023 or set another hearing in August with the hopes that the courtroom availability would increase as the court process moves back to normal.
Kiyonaga chose to set another hearing.
Judge Danya Dayson scheduled a trial readiness hearing for Aug. 9.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found four individuals suffering from gunshot wounds on the 1300 Block of Congress Street, SE.
The victims were transported to a local hospital, where a male and a female were pronounced dead. The victims who succumbed to their injuries were 25-year-old George Evans III, and 28-year-old Keosha Ferguson.
Both victims were residents of Southeast, DC.
Later, police discovered there was a fifth victim seeking treatment at another hospital.
All of the other victims received treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
On March 23, a DC Superior Court judge held one defendant charged in a domestic violence case.
Judge Lloyd Nolan heard a total of 15 cases.
Judge Nolan held a defendant in a domestic violence case, who is charged with simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm. The defendant will be held at DC Jail until his next hearing, which is scheduled for April 14.
Judge Nolan released a domestic violence defendant who is charged with attempted second-degree cruelty to children, simple assault and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon.
The defendant was given a stay-away order and told to call the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) once a week.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 27.
Lauren Pelzner wrote this article.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out three crime alerts between 9:00 p.m. on March 31 and 9:00 a.m. on April 1.
The most recent alert was sent at 2:16 a.m. for an armed robbery on the 7000 block of Blair Road, NW. Police are looking for three Black males who were last seen in a black Hyundai.
An alert for a shooting on the 3400 block of 13th Place, SE was sent at 10:14 p.m. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
The final alert was sent at 9:02 p.m. for a shooting investigation on the 4700 block of New Hampshire Avenue, NW. Police are looking for a male wearing a large, black coat. The suspect was last seen fleeing on 3rd Street, NW.
A DC Superior Court judge will reconsider a homicide defendant’s pretrial release, per the prosecution’s request.
Nelfy Hernandez, 17, and his two co-defendants are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged roles in the death of 17-year-old Taijhon Wyatt, Jr. Hernandez, as well as 16-year-old Trey Prillerman and 19-year-old Deandre Levy are accused of shooting from a vehicle into a crowd of juveniles on the 5500 block of 9th Street, NW on Aug. 10, 2020.
Hernandez was alleged to have removed his GPS monitor in a separate case, causing “… a complete loss of contact from Dec. 4 until his arrest from this case,” said Judge Danya Dayson.
However, defense attorney Douglas Wood argued that his actions in the past should not affect any decisions on this current case.
“He didn’t flee, didn’t try to hide out, and didn’t do anything to avoid his capture,” Wood said.
Judge Dayson said Hernandez “failed to comply with the very condition that I have found to be the least restrictive means to ensure the safety of the community.”
Judge Dayson granted the motion for reconsideration. A hearing on the matter will be held on April 1.
Brennan Fiske wrote this article.
