Defendant on Probation for Sex Abuse to be Released from Jail

A DC Superior Court judge released and continued the hearing of a defendant who is on probation for sex abuse. He also, recently, picked up a domestic violence case.

In October, the defendant was sentenced to six months, fully suspended, plus two years of supervised probation for misdemeanor sex abuse of a child or minor. Once he completed a sex offender program, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) could petition for his probation to be terminated early.

However, towards the end of December, the defendant was rearrested and charged with simple assault and second-degree theft in a domestic violence case. He received a notice of noncompliance with his probation stemming from the arrest and an allegation that he violated a stay away order.

The defendant was granted pretrial release for the domestic violence case, but was detained at DC Jail for the probation case.

During the Feb. 1 proceeding, defense attorney Roderick Thompson suggested that his client’s probation could be terminated as unsuccessful, or he could be released so his probation case could trail his new case.

Thompson said his client has been otherwise cooperative with his probation, having come back into compliance with his requirement to receive sex offender treatment and paying the fee he owed to the Victims of Violent Crime (VVC) compensation fund.

A CSOSA officer said it would take about two to three months for the defendant to finish the sex offender treatment program, if he is compliant.

“We can still work with him if he wishes to continue his probation,” the officer said.

The prosecutor also said she wants the defendant to continue treatment, but said the re-arrest was troubling.

The prosecutor said the prosecution is not yet prepared to present facts around the new arrest. The judge said that, because of this, he could not go forward with discussing probation revocation during the hearing.

Judge Fisher ultimately decided to schedule a hearing that comes close to what would be the probation termination date, at which time he’ll take another look at the defendant’s probation. That hearing is scheduled for April 9.

In the meantime, the defendant could continue the treatment program. Judge Fisher told the defendant that he should be getting released from DC Jail later today or on Feb. 2.

Crime Alerts: January 31-February 1

Between 1:00 p.m. on Jan. 31 and 9:00 a.m. on Feb. 1, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out one crime alert.

The alert was sent at 1:16 p.m. on Jan. 31 for a robbery on the 1200 block of Wylie Street, NE.

Police are looking for a black Jaguar bearing partial tags “T208.” The suspect was wearing a dark orange hat, black jacket and was carrying a silver hand gun.

Document: Woman Killed in Southeast, DC

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers are investigating a homicide that happened during the early hours of Jan. 31.

At around 12:21 a.m., 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.

Judge Holds Murder Defendant During Initial Hearings

During initial hearings on Jan. 29, DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe held a murder defendant.

There were a total of 19 cases presented before the judge, and she held four defendants. The judge also heard five domestic violence cases, holding one of the defendants.

Christian Arndt is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the death of his father, Donald Arndt.

Christian Arndt, 28, allegedly hit his father, 54, in the head repeatedly with two baseball bats.

Defense counsel requested the defendant’s release, saying there is “ample evidence of psychosis and significant mental health issues.”

The attorney also said that Christian had been given Ativan, or Lorazepam, at a hospital the prior day, which is a drug with known psychotic effects.

Counsel also noted the presence of the defendant’s mother in the courtroom. She was, apparently, advocating for his release and was willing to have him return home with her.

Though Judge Pipe acknowledged the defendant’s complete lack of criminal history, she said she is concerned about the apparent untreated mental health and substance abuse issues which could lead to more violence. Given the circumstances of the case, Christian will be held pending his next hearing, which is scheduled for Feb. 18.

Judge Pipe also held an adult male who is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device in a domestic violence case.

The judge decided to hold the defendant because of the serious allegations in the police report.

The victim allegedly drove towards oncoming traffic and bailed out of a moving vehicle because she was so worried about the defendant’s actions, which allegedly include stalking-like behavior., according to court documents.

The defendant’s next court date is Feb. 18.

The judge released four additional domestic violence defendants, three of which are charged with simple assault. The other defendant was brought before the court on a bench warrant for failing to appear at his probation hearings.

All were released with various conditions, including a stay-away order, a no harassing, assaulting, threatening or stalking (HATS) order and requirements to report to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) by phone.

All of the released domestic violence defendants are scheduled to return back to court on June 3.

Two Hearings Vacated Due to Technical Difficulties

DC Superior judges vacated two Jan. 29 hearings – one for a triple homicide case and another for a domestic violence case – in part due to technological issues.

Both courtrooms had trouble accessing information related to the hearings, including the court calendar, official documents and emails.

The first vacated hearing was a preliminary hearing to determine if the case against Dale Benjamin has enough evidence to go to trial. Benjamin, 33, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the deaths of Marquise Lewis, 29, Claudette Williams, 56, and Juwan Wade, 20. The three were found dead on the 5000 block of Bass Place, SE on the morning of July 7, 2020.

In addition to the technical difficulties, Judge Neal Kravitz rescheduled Benjamin’s partially remote preliminary hearing due to the defendant’s possible exposure to COVID-19. Benjamin will have to test negative after quarantining for two weeks before appearing in court.

A court reporter was also not able to attend Benjamin’s hearing.

The domestic violence defendant’s status hearing was also vacated by Judge John Campbell due to issues accessing court information as well as audio and video complications.

The defendant is charged with assault on a police officer after an alleged altercation with a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer on Oct. 21, 2020.

The defendant is currently being held at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution.

Judge Kravitz set Benjamin’s new preliminary hearing date for March 5.

The domestic violence defendant’s next court date, a bond review hearing, is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Eileen Chen and McKenzie Beard wrote this article.

Crime Alerts: January 28-29

Between 8:00 p.m. on Jan. 28 and 9:00 a.m. on Jan. 29, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out two crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent at 12:26 a.m. for a shooting investigation on the 1300 block of Morris Road, SE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).

The second alert was sent at 8:50 p.m. on Jan. 28 for a robbery investigation on the 3300 block of Ames Street, NE. Police are looking for three Black males, wearing all black clothing and masks. The suspect was last seen occupying a dark vehicle with dark, tinted windows.

Hearing Rescheduled for Reopened Murder Case

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo rescheduled a Jan. 28 status hearing for a reopened murder case.

Back in 2015, Arik Sims was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison for the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Lamar Fonville after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and a misdemeanor charge for carrying a pistol.

The case was reopened in September of 2019 after the defense said that two hearsay statements were admitted in the 2014 trial.

Fonville was killed on Sept. 20, 2012, on the 4700 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 30.

Judge Continues Hearing for 2018 Sex Abuse, Kidnapping Case

DC Superior Court Judge Juliet Mckenna continued a hearing for a sex abuse and kidnapping defendant in the aftermath of a mistrial in 2020 before jury trials were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The defendant is charged with first-degree sexual abuse and kidnapping against a minor.

During the Jan. 28 mental observation hearing, Judge Mckenna read the new Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) competency report, which indicated that the defendant is not currently competent to stand trial.

The report recommended that he remain in jail and undergo 60 days of outpatient competency restoration treatment.

The defendant has been in jail since November 2018. The case went to trial in January 2020. Later that month, the jury indicated they were deadlocked and a mistrial was declared.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 18.

Judge Finds Probable Cause in Fatal Shooting Case

A DC Superior Court judge determined that a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial.

Juvon Julian Searles, 39, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the death of 46-year-old Paul Williams Jr. on July 24, 2018.

That evening, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found Williams lying in the roadway in front of a 7-11 convenience store on the 800 block of R Street, NW. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to court documents. Williams was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Security footage from a nearby metro station shows an individual leaving the scene after the shooting.

Judge Neal Kravitz concluded that the surveillance footage and the police affidavit, while far from overwhelming, were sufficient enough to establish probable cause.

“A question of malice is established quite clearly with three gunshot wounds,” said Judge Kravitz.

Defense attorney James King asked the judge to release his client into home confinement.

“Given the seriousness of the charges, the noncompliance with court orders in the past, and the prior criminal convictions on his record, it is sufficient to protect the community and assure his appearance at future court dates,” said Judge Kravitz when he denied the request.

Searles is also wanted in Virginia, which also makes him ineligible for the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) due to the outstanding warrant.

Judge Kravitz transferred Searles to Virginia to resolve the matter for the warrant. The judge also placed a bench warrant on the defendant, so he would not be released after dealing with the Virginia case.

The defendant’s next status hearing is set for May 21.

Brennan Fiske and Adriana Montes wrote this article.

Judge Releases 3 Domestic Violence Defendants During Initial Hearings

During initial hearings on Jan. 28, DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe heard a total of 27 cases, three of which involved domestic violence.

Of the three domestic violence cases presented before the judge, all defendants were released.

The first defendant is charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm, attempted second-degree cruelty to children and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon.

The defendant, an adult woman, allegedly threatened a 12 year-old with a knife.

She is currently on probation for destruction of property and threats to kidnap or injure a person. According to the woman’s defense attorney, she is compliant with her probation conditions and is seeking mental health treatment.

Due to her compliance and minor criminal history, Judge Pipe released the defendant with a stay-away order from the child.

The second defendant, an adult woman, is charged with a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) violation and destruction of property resulting in less than $1,000 in damages. At the request of the prosecution, the defendant was released with a stay-away order.

The final defendant is charged with a simple assault. Judge Pipe served her with a Civil Protection Order (CPO) and released her with a stay-away order.

All three defendants are scheduled to return to court on July 1.

Document: Man Killed in Cleveland Park, Suspect Arrested

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrested a suspect for first-degree murder while armed in connection with a homicide that happened on Jan. 28.

At around 7:11 a.m. that day, officers responded to the 3300 block of Newark Street, NW for the report of a domestic violence assault.

There, they found 54 year-old Donald Arndt inside of a residence, suffering from severe trauma. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Twenty-eight year-old Christian Arndt was apprehended by responding officers, according to a press release.

Domestic Violence Defendant Pleads Guilty After Nearly 1 Year of Detention

After being held at DC Jail for nearly a year, a defendant entered a plea in his domestic violence case.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two felony charges, including attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

The latter charge carries a mandatory minimum of one year.

As part of the plea deal, the prosecution agreed to request that the sentences run concurrently.

Defense attorney Lloyd Malech asked DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker to release his client into home confinement pending sentencing, given how long he’s been held.

Judge Becker denied the request, but did say that the time he’s spent at DC Jail so far will count as credit towards time served.

According to a proffer of facts, on April 3 in Southeast, DC, the defendant approached a vehicle with the victim in it and began arguing with her. When the victim’s partner returned to the vehicle, the defendant pointed a gun inside the vehicle. When the vehicle drove away, he fired one shot at it. He also brandished a gun during a separate incident, but did not fire it.

The 31 year-old defendant was charged on April 6, and has been held ever since. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25.

Andrea Keckley wrote this article.

Crime Alerts: January 27-28

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out one crime alert between 9:00 p.m. on Jan. 27 and 9:00 a.m. on Jan. 28.

The alert was sent at 8:27 a.m. on Jan. 28 for a robbery investigation on the 1600 block of Maryland Avenue, NE.

Police are looking for a Black male with a dark complexion, shoulder length dreadlocks, a black skull cap, black coat, black jeans and armed with a blade or knife.

Murder Defendant Takes Agency of Life, Judge Says

A murder defendant, who was recently put on probation, was acknowledged Jan. 27 for being in compliance with her release conditions.

Lakeesha Wilson, 42, was convicted of first-degree murder while armed in the stabbing of 20-year-old Tomika Blackwell on Jan. 17, 2000, on the 100 block of Atlantic Street, SE.

During the probation review hearing, it was reported that Wilson is in compliance with her probation conditions.

According to a representative from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Colombia (CSOSA) and a representative of the Public Defenders Office, Wilson is doing is well on probation. She has even acclimated to the community by actively participating in community groups.

She also tested negative for illegal substances.

Judge Danya Dayson congratulated Wilson for “taking agency over her own life.”

The drug test was not discussed in open court.

Wilson was the leader of a group of young women who went to Blackwell’s apartment with the intention of physically attacking her after an altercation that occurred the night prior, according to court documents. Blackwell physically assaulted Wilson’s sister.

In retaliation Wilson, along with six friends, arrived at Blackwell’s apartment and stabbed Blackwell to death with a butcher knife, court documents said.

Wilson was convicted on Nov 8, 2000, and was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison by Judge Russell F. Canan.

On Dec 23, 2020, Judge Dayson signed a compassionate release order.

Wilson’s next probation review hearing is scheduled for June 11.

Judge Continues Child Sex Abuse Case for Possible Resolution

A DC Superior Court judge continued a first-degree child sex abuse case that it could be resolved with a plea.

The 19-year-old defendant is accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old in December 2019 in Northwest, DC.

Back in February, the defense reported that they were considering a plea deal. During the Jan. 27 hearing, the defense attorney said he needed more time with his client to finalize his ability to accept the offer.

Judge Marisa Demeo scheduled the next hearing for March 1.

In the meantime, the defendant will remain held at DC Jail where he has been since he picked up the charge the day after the alleged offense.

Lauren Pelzner and Andrea Keckley wrote this article.

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