On Oct. 20, a defendant charged with assault with a dangerous weapon rejected a plea offer from the prosecution.
Demetrius Golden, 38, is accused of shooting a man on March 26 on the 1300 block of 5th Street, NW.
Defense attorney Sharon Weathers asked DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck to schedule a preliminary hearing, which will determine if the case has enough evidence to go to trial.
Judge Beck scheduled one for Nov. 9.
Golden is currently being held at the DC Jail.
Metropolitan Police Department seek the public’s help identifying a suspect in connection with a second-degree burglary that happened on Oct. 19.
At around 6:27 a.m., a suspect forced his way into an establishment on the 1200 block of H Street, NE. The suspect took property and fled the scene. He was captured by a surveillance camera.
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A DC Superior Court judge presided over 10 pretrial and probation show cause hearings on Oct. 19.
“The court attempted to get the defendant into compliance for six years,” Judge Julie Becker said before terminating a defendant’s probation as unsuccessful.
Rick Wilson was on probation for three misdemeanor cases, in which he was convicted of second-degree theft and a bail violation.
The Court Services and Supervision Agency (CSOSA) said that Wilson, 56, was noncompliant with his release conditions for the last several months, noting that he had refused treatment and failed to appear for drug testing.
Defense attorney Rebecca Bloch mentioned Wilson had been frequenting a treatment center, and requested that his probation be terminated unsuccessfully, as he has not picked up a significant charge since 2017. Judge Becker granted the defense’s request.
Amari Johnson accepted a plea deal and was sentenced during his pretrial show cause hearing. Johnson, 20, was originally charged with possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. As part of the deal with the prosecution, he pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
Judge Becker sentenced the defendant to serve 15 days followed by one year of supervised probation.
She also ordered a study to see if Johnson was eligible to be sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which would effectively seal his case once he completes his requirements.
“I don’t want this to be a conviction that follows you for the rest of your life,” Judge Becker said.
Robert Taylor was not present for his pretrial show cause hearing due to a re-arrest.
Taylor, 55, is charged with unlawful entry, second-degree theft, bail violation and possession of an open container of alcohol.
Judge Becker ordered the cases be continued, and scheduled the defendant’s next show cause hearing for Oct. 30.
Andre Wallace is charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.
Wallace, 58, was released into home confinement in July. The following August, PSA recommended he be taken off supervision after he fell out of compliance. However, the judge gave him another chance and he has been compliant for the last 30 days.
Judge Becker scheduled another hearing for Nov. 12 to allow Wallace to continue his compliance. If he succeeds, his release conditions will be modified and he will be allowed to leave his home with a curfew.
Paul Nunnally is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, unlawful possession of liquid PCP, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, attempted possession with intent to distribute and a bail violation.
PSA reported that Nunnally, 27, has fallen back into compliance with his home confinement order. Therefore, Judge Becker discharged the hearing.
Edward Cowser is charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm, second-degree theft, attempted possession of a weapon, simple assault and shoplifting in four cases.
The prosecution requested the 43 year old’s release be revoked because he has not been reporting to his probation officer.
However, the defense counsel noted that Cowser’s sister purchased him a phone and he has been reporting and leaving messages. Cowser said he has been working with a clinic to receive therapy and his medications.
Because of this, Judge Becker discharged the hearing.
Judge Becker continued Mark Turner’s case to give him another chance to fall into compliance with his release conditions. His next show cause hearing will be on Oct. 30.
Turner, 54, was charged with receiving stolen property.
Judge Becker issued bench warrants for the arrests of Kelvin Brown, Zachary Birmingham, and Gregory Hawkins after they failed to appear in court.
Brown, 52, did not appear at his pretrial show cause hearing. He was charged with second degree theft. PSA reported that Brown had never engaged with the agency. Defense attorney Peter Wright mentioned he will request a medical alert should Brown be brought in on the warrant.
Birmingham, 34, did not appear at his pretrial show cause hearing. He was charged with unlawful entry. Birmingham is currently incarcerated in Florida, according to court officials.
Hawkins, 23, did not appear at his probation show cause hearing. He was charged with assault on a police officer and attempted robbery. Hawkins was deemed a loss of contact by CSOSA. Judge Becker set a $100 bond for his apprehension.
Between 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 and 9 a.m. on Oct. 20, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out seven crime alerts.
The most recent alert was sent at 1:35 a.m. for a robbery investigation that occurred at 1 a.m. on the 5000 block of Southern Avenue, SE. Police are looking for a Black female with a red hat, 5’2″ in height, in a black Toyota sedan bearing unknown Maryland tags.
An alert for a stabbing investigation was sent at 1:21 a.m. on the 4000 block of Livingston Road, SE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
Police sent an alert for a shooting at 1:12 a.m. on the 900 block of K Street, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
At 1:05 a.m., an alert was sent for a robbery on the 3800 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. Police are looking for a Black male, light complexion and thin build, 5’4″ in height, wearing a black baseball cap and dark clothing.
Another alert for a robbery was sent at 12:00 a.m. on the 4800 block of 47th Street, NW. Police are looking for a Black male wearing a red hoodie with a face covering, jeans and a stocky build. The second suspect is a Black male possibly wearing a black hoodie.
At 9:34 p.m., an alert was sent for an armed robbery investigation on the 3500 block of East Capitol Street, NE. Police are looking for a Black male, 5’10” in height, slim build, wearing a yellow and orange hoodie.
The final alert was sent at 9:17 p.m. for a shooting investigation on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a homicide that happened on Oct. 19.
At around 1:07 a.m., officers responded to the 5000 block of Queens Stroll Place, SE for the report of a shooting. There, they found 58-year old David Jefferson, of no fixed address, suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was taken to a hospital, but ultimately pronounced dead.
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The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has identified the decent of a traffic fatality that happened on Oct. 15.
Preliminary investigation revealed that, at around 10:07 p.m., the decedent was riding his bike down the 200 block of 63rd Street, NE. He suddenly crossed over from the right side towards the center of the roadway in front of a vehicle that was slowing down because of a traffic signal.
Then, the bicyclist struck the driver’s side of a GMC Denali after he crossed double yellow lines into oncoming traffic.
The decedent has been identified as 43 year-old Michael Williams, of no fixed address.
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On Oct. 19, DC Superior Court Judge Sean Staples released 25 defendants and held seven defendants in DC Jail during initial hearings.
Juan Ireharta is charged with simple assault and contempt.
The prosecution argued that this is Ireharta’s third case involving the assault of strangers in a matter of three months.
Ireharta, 29, allegedly punched a man on the 3200 block of Mount Pleasant Street, NW on Oct. 17.
Judge Staples issued a stay away order and held Ireharta due to his prior history.
Shawn Grant, 32, was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear at his hearing in a case where he was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer.
The bench warrant was issued back in June 2017.
Judge Staples decided to hold him until his next court date scheduled for Nov. 9.
Michael Smith III is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.
The defense asked for his release into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). However, Judge Staples denied the request.
According to a pretrial report, the defendant, 27, was released on another case and has not been compliant with release conditions. Therefore, Judge Staples chose to hold him until his next scheduled court date on Nov. 9.
Thomas Carter is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. He is also a fugitive from justice from Maryland for a parole violation in an assault case.
According to court documents, Carter allegedly shot himself in the back of an Uber, requiring medical attention on his thigh.
The defense asked for Carter to be released in order for him to get proper care. However, the prosecution argued that the dangerousness of the incident is concerning.
Judge Staples agreed with the prosecution and decided to hold Carter until his scheduled Nov. 9 court date.
A domestic violence defendant is charged with destruction of property less than $1,000 and a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) violation.
The defendant is on probation and pretrial release in other cases. Judge Staples issued a stay away order and decided to hold him until his next hearing scheduled for Nov. 3.
Another domestic violence defendant is charged with a TPO violation and contempt.
According to a pretrial report, every time the defendant gets released he violates the stay away order and goes back to the restricted address. Due to this, Judge Staples said he does not believe he can comply with the conditions of release.
The defendant’s next court date is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Robert Pinkney is charged with unlawful entry onto private property. According to court documents, Pinkney, 29, has eight pending cases currently. Due to his prior history, Judge Staples chose to hold him, scheduling his next court date for Nov. 3.
Judge Staples released eight defendants charged in misdemeanor cases.
Of those defendants, all of them are required to contact the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) and five of them were given stay away orders. Drug and alcohol screening and specialized supervision were also other conditions for two of the defendants. One of the misdemeanor cases is also paired with a fugitive case; the defendant was ordered to turn himself in to Virginia authorities in that matter.
Judge Staples released six defendants charged in felony cases. The charges included second-degree burglary, distribution of cocaine and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. All of the defendants are required to contact the PSA and two were given stay away orders. Two defendants, who were apprehended on firearms charges, were ordered not to possess any firearms.
Judge Staples released eight domestic violence defendants. All of the defendants were ordered to report to the PSA and all were given stay away orders. One defendant was also placed on GPS monitoring.
Two defendants were released after being arrested on bench warrants. Both defendants were ordered to report to PSA.
Judge Staples also released one defendant who is charged with driving under the influence and operating a vehicle while impaired. The defendant must report to PSA and is ordered not to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He must also not drive without a valid license.
A DC Superior Court judge ruled that a burglary case has enough evidence to go to trial and held the defendant at DC Jail.
Raymond Touya, 23, is charged with first-degree burglary for allegedly entering a home on the 7400 block of 7th Street, NW on June 24 with the intent to commit theft.
“I find overwhelming evidence for probable cause,” said Judge Renee Raymond
The first Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer to arrive on scene testified during the Oct. 19 hearing. The prosecutor also showed body-worn camera footage from multiple responding officers.
The officer testified that Touya entered the house through an unlocked back door and armed himself with a kitchen knife. Then, the defendant allegedly went to the bedroom, where he ordered the two occupants to give up their property. One of the victims grabbed a chair and forced the defendant to leave the room before locking the door and calling 911.
According to the officer’s testimony, when he arrived, the defendant was standing in the house’s garage with a duffel bag, computer, and knife in his left pocket.
At first, the defendant reportedly told the officer that he was the homeowner who called 911. After more MPD units arrived, officers spoke with the real homeowners, who identified the defendant.
Touya’s attorney, Nathaniel Mensah, asked the officer why camera footage showed him saying that he knew Touya. The officer said he arrested Touya as a juvenile. The footage also showed him telling another officer that the defendant “wasn’t always mentally there.”
Mensah agreed that his client was the person who entered and took property from the home. However, he argued that the case does not have probable cause because the defendant was either intoxicated or having a mental health episode at the time.
The prosecutor argued that all of the elements of burglary were there, saying the defendant acted knowingly and intentionally. The prosecutor also said Touya knew what he was doing when he entered the home and armed himself.
“He may have had some mental health issues, but that does not in itself mean that he qualifies for not guilty by reason of insanity,” Judge Raymond said.
Judge Raymond chose to hold the defendant at DC Jail. She said the facts of the case are incredibly disturbing, and the defendant was released on unsupervised probation six months before the offense. Touya was on parole for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Touya will return to court on Dec. 8 for a felony status conference.
DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a child sex abuse defendant who failed to appear in court.
The 30-year-old defendant is charged with first-degree sex abuse of a child or minor for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl. He is also charged with simple assault for allegedly strangling the same victim.
On Sept. 30, the defendant was placed under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) to coincide with this other pending cases.
Judge Gerald Fisher then ordered the defendant to come to court on Oct. 19 for another pretrial show cause hearing, at which time the presiding judge would address the defendant’s lack of compliance with his pretrial release conditions.
However, he did not show up to that hearing, which prompted Judge Beck to issue the warrant.
Emily Pengelly wrote this article
On Oct. 19, a defendant resolved two felony cases by pleading guilty to a gun charge.
In Clenteous McCoy’s first case, he pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business in exchange for his other charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed being dropped. His other case, in which he was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, was also dismissed.
On June 7, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers spotted a car driving Northbound at a high speed on the block of 61st Street, NE. The officers ran the car’s temporary license plate tag and discovered the car had been previously reported stolen. The officers began to follow the car, which repeatedly ran stop signs before the driver lost control of the vehicle on the intersection of 61st and Eads Street, NE. The car rolled over and came to a rest.
McCoy, 22, exited the vehicle and began searching for an item in it before taking off on foot. The police proceeded to chase McCoy until he fell and was apprehended. A plastic bag containing tan powder later identified as having the presence of opiates, a black pistol, and thirteen live cartridges were recovered from the vehicle.
DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled McCoy to be sentenced on Dec. 12.
Abigail Grifno wrote this story
A DC Superior Court judge continued a hearing for a defendant awaiting sentencing for misdemeanor sex abuse charge.
Dwayne Washington pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2019 for touching the victim’s buttocks without permission at a McDonald’s restaurant.
Washington, 37, is currently on home confinement as he waits to be sentenced. He did not show up to court for his Oct. 19 hearing.
However, defense attorney Sylvia Smith said her client is homeless.
Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled a hearing for Nov. 4 to see if the defendant will show up to court.
Washinton entered a global plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to simple assault in a separate case and misdemeanor sexual abuse, in this case. As a result, the charges in his four other cases, which include attempted unarmed carjacking, misdemeanor sex abuse, bail violation and second-degree theft and unlawful entry onto private property, were dismissed.
A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant for the arrest of an defendant who did not show up to his Oct. 19 hearing.
Dan Pinkney, 61, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly striking a victim with a metal pipe after an argument on June 14 on the 700 block of Fairmont Street, NW.
A bench warrant was previously issued on Oct. 7 after a notice of noncompliance was filed by the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA.) Pinkney was picked up and, during an Oct. 15 hearing, was told to come to court on Oct. 19.
However, at the time of the hearing, Pinkney’s whereabouts were unknown.
The prosecution requested a bench warrant. Judge Michael O’Keefe granted the request.
“Hopefully we’ll get him back into compliance,” he said.
Maria Marzullo wrote this article
On Oct. 17, five defendants were held at DC Jail and 22 were released.
A male defendant was held on a felony charge in a domestic violence case. He is being charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and assault with a dangerous weapon, which was identified as a rifle.
The prosecution requested the defendant be held, saying the weapon involved in the matter was allegedly a military style automatic rifle, and the complainant was a juvenile female.
Judge Heide Herrmann agreed with the request to ensure the safety of the community, noting that the defendant had a previous case which also involved a firearm.
The defendant was allegedly on probation supervision at the time of the crime, according to court documents.
Andre Walker is being charged with simple assault. On Sept. 28 he was seen assaulting the complainant on the 4300 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. Walker, 32, was released from incarceration in March based on a compassionate release motion, and was deemed a loss of contact with his probation officer.
Judge Herrmann said she could not guarantee that Walker would comply with release conditions and ordered him held. Judge Herrmann also noted that the severity of the assault contributed to her decision.
Paula Williams is being charged with violating a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) and violating the conditions of her release. Williams, 48, was arraigned earlier in the week on a separate matter and was ordered to to report to the Pretrial Services Agency for placement into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). However, when Williams was scheduled to have her GPS monitoring device installed, she was allegedly committing the crime in this case.
Judge Herrmann could not guarantee that Williams would comply in this new matter and ordered her detained. Judge Herrmann also ordered a forensic evaluation for the defendant, as there could be mental health issues involved.
Kennie Gray is being charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or place of business, the possession of an unregistered firearm, the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and the possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
On Oct. 16, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to gunshots on the 3500 block of 22nd Street, SE. Upon arrival, officers noticed Gray, 24, acting suspiciously and glancing at his waistband, according to court documents.
After patting Gray down, MPD discovered a firearm, to which Gray allegedly admitted was his. Gray also informed MPD of additional ammunition located at his address, documents state.
Judge Herrmann noted that Gray had a previous charge involving a firearm, and he was allegedly deemed a loss of contact with probation in his most recent case. Judge Herrmann said she could not guarantee the safety of the community, or that Gray would comply with release conditions and ordered him detained.
Todd Lawson was held after waiving his right to an extradition hearing. Lawson is a fugitive of justice from Virginia. He has three warrants for his arrest, two for robbery and one for a probation violation. The authorities from Virginia have three business days to collect him from the DC Jail.
There were five defendants involved in domestic violence matters. The charges include destruction of property, violation of a protection order, and attempted threats to do bodily harm. One defendant was also a fugitive of justice from Maryland, with an underlying charge of simple assault. Three were given an order to not engage in harassing, assaulting, threatening, or stalking behavior (HATS). One was given a stay away order and a GPS monitoring device, and the last defendant was served with a Temporary Protection Order (TPO).
Judge Herrmann released two defendants charged in weapons cases. Both were given stay away orders, and one was also enrolled into HISP.
Three defendants were released in misdemeanor cases. Two defendants were given stay away orders, and one was put on pretrial supervision.
Three defendants were brought in on warrants. The warrants were all quashed, and the defendants were ordered to return to court at later dates. Two were ordered to return on Oct. 21 for status hearings, and the last defendant was ordered to return on March 19, 2021. He was also given a stay away order.
There were four fugitives from justice, and all four were released and ordered to surrender to the respective jurisdictions holding the warrants. Two are fugitives from Virginia and two are from Maryland.
Five final defendants were released with conditions including stay away orders, supervision under PSA and drug and alcohol assessments if deemed necessary by pretrial.
Between 9 p.m. on Oct. 18 and 9 a.m. on Oct. 19, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out six crime alerts.
The most recent alert was sent at 5:27 a.m. for a confirmed robbery on the 1300 block of 2nd Street, NE. Police are looking for two Black males, 5’10” in height. The first suspect is bald with a tattoo on his arm. Both suspects are wearing black clothing.
An alert was sent at 1:33 a.m. for a first-degree theft of a stolen auto and armed robbery investigation on the 4400 block of E Street, SE. Police are looking for three Black males, wearing all black with black face masks. The first suspect is 20-25 years of age and approximately 6’0″ in height. The second suspect is 20-25 years of age and approximately 5’4″ in height. The third suspect is 20-25 years of age and approximately 5’8″ in height.
MPD sent out an alert at 1:27 a.m. for an assault with intent to rob investigation on the 4100 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE. Police are looking for a Black male, 6’0″ in height, in his 30s with a thin build and shoulder length dreads. He was wearing a white or grey hoodie with blue jeans and was last seen going northbound over a fence towards 295.
MPD was on the scene of a confirmed stabbing at 1:25 a.m. on the 1700 block of Gales Place, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).
At 1:24 a.m., MPD sent an alert for a shooting investigation on the 5000 block of Queens Stroll Place, SE. Police are looking for a black car with tinted windows, headed towards Benning Road, SE.
The final alert was sent at 9:24 p.m. for a robbery with a gun at the intersection of 4th Street, NW and Whitter Street, NW. Police are looking for two short, Black males in their twenties with dark complexions, wearing blue sweatshirts with a black gun. They were in a brown late model 4-door vehicle with tinted windows. They were last seen going southbound on 3rd Street, NW.
Throughout the summer, hundreds of alleged fugitives were brought before the DC Superior Court, wanted on charges ranging from larceny to homicide.
Around 269 fugitive defendants came through the court between June 16 and Sept. 1, according to D.C. Witness data.
Fugitives are defendants in cases who are wanted or thought to be the person wanted for charges in states outside of DC. Some defendants may be wanted by more than one state.
Most of the fugitives who had hearings in D.C. allegedly committed crimes in Maryland (182). Virginia (75) and Pennsylvania (3) were the second and third highest state, respectively, where the fugitives were wanted.
D.C. Witness data shows that fugitives, who were apprehended in DC, came from 13 states located on the East coast, South and mid-west.
One defendant, Rachon Bethea, was wanted for failure to appear for a homicide case in Maryland. Judge James Crowell decided to hold him on Sept. 3. Maryland picked Bethea up on Sept. 9.
Of all the defendants, Joshua Walker was the farthest away from his demanding state. Walker was wanted by Washington state for escape. He had a bench warrant out for his arrest since Oct. 16, 2019.
During his July 10 hearing, Judge James Crowell decided to detain Walker, saying he cannot ensure that the defendant won’t be a flight risk.
Walker waived his extradition hearing. Washington state authorities had until July 15 to pick him up. Otherwise, his case would be deferred to DC. However, the prosecution motioned for an extension of time on July 14, and Walker was picked up on July 20.
Walker was one of 31 defendants during this time period who waived their extradition and was picked up by the state that wanted them. Over half of the fugitive cases that came to the court during this time period remain undisposed.
Approximately 47 defendants were wanted for various assault charges. The second most common underlying charge was probation violation, and the third most common was failure to appear. D.C. Witness does not know all of the charges for which these defendants were wanted. And states may have different names for similar offenses.
Around 14 percent of underlying charges in these fugitive cases could be considered process crimes. Failure to appear along with charges such as contempt and obstruction, are examples of crimes that interfere with the prosecution of a defendant.
As the name suggests, a defendant may be charged with failure to appear if that defendant does not show up to court. The most common underlying charge for fugitive defendants who were wanted for failure to appear was larceny.
Andrea Keckley and Abigail Grifno wrote this article
