On Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a felony status hearing for two assault defendants.
Bernard Speight is charged with assault with intent to commit robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing a victim on the 4900 block of Georgia Avenue, NW on July 23. The victim was left with two large lacerations on the stomach region.
Speight’s co-defendant, Darryl Williams, is charged with assault with intent to commit armed robbery in connection with the incident.
Williams, 53, is on pretrial release. His attorney was not present at the Aug. 27 hearing. Speight, 34, is being held at the DC Jail without bail.
Speight’s defense attorney, Stephen LoGerfo, requested another status hearing to ensure that Williams and his attorney, Antiq Ahmed, can be present for scheduling the case’s preliminary hearing.
A DC Superior Court judge scheduled a preliminary hearing to determine if a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial.
David Robinson is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the death of Tia Cokley. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found Cokley, 40, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on July 25 on the 1900 block of 16th Street, SE. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police arrested Robinson, 39, the same day.
“The defendant stated that it was messed up that he killed the decedent and that he did not mean to do so,” according to the documents.
Judge Julie Becker scheduled Robinson’s preliminary hearing for Oct. 13 at the defense’s request.
The defendant, who is pending a grand jury, was not required to be at the court hearing.
On Aug. 27, DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker scheduled a hearing to determine if a sexual abuse case has enough evidence to go to trial.
The defendant is charged with first-degree sex abuse for allegedly entering the victim’s home in Northeast, DC while she was asleep and penetrating her with his fingers.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made an arrest for assault with a dangerous weapon.
At approximately 1:55 p.m., the suspect entered an establishment on the 1100 block of New York Ave, NW. The suspect allegedly brandished a knife and threatened the victim. No injuries were reported.
The suspect, a 41-year-old resident of Southeast, DC, was apprehended by responding officers.
The suspect is charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm and possession of a prohibited weapon.
DC Superior Court Judge Juliet Mckenna released the suspect with a pretrial stay away order. The suspect is scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 25, 2021.
On Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court Judge decided to hold a domestic violence defendant in DC Jail and deny the defendant’s guilty plea.
The defendant is charged with violating a Court Protective Order (CPO.)
The defendant waived his detention hearing and said he wanted to plead guilty.
Judge Judith Pipe did not accept the defendant’s guilty plea because he is currently awaiting a probation revocation for his other case, a felony matter, in which he pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and contempt.
The prosecution requested that the defendant remain held at DC Jail, which Judge Pipe granted.
Defense attorney Cynthia Goode Works objected to the decision. Works is not the defendant’s attorney in his other case. Since she was unaware this hearing would be affected by the other case in which she was not briefed, she asked Judge Pipe to follow through with the plea.
“It would be unfair to hold [the defendant] because of paperwork,” Works said.
Judge Pipe said she did not want to release the defendant due to concerns over the safety of the victim in the domestic violence matter. She added that the defendant does not have a good record with checking in while on release.
Judge Pipe arranged for a status hearing to take place on Sept. 8 to move the domestic violence case forward.
Isaiah Murchison is charged with first-degree murder and 25 other counts affiliated with the murder of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53 Street, NE on July 16, 2018. He was indicted along with 10 other suspects in the murder.
Deon Dais is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for allegedly discharging a gun in Dupont Circle on Aug. 26. Judge McKenna held Dais due to the severity of the crime and because he committed the offense while on release.
Dais also has another pending case where he is charged with manufacturing and distribution of a controlled substance after a buy bust operation on March 18 in Grant Circle, NW. Regarding her decision, Judge McKenna said, “I find that there are no [release] conditions or combination of conditions that would ensure the safety of the community.”
Raynell Hawkins is charged with GPS tampering for allegedly failing to charge her GPS device, which violated the conditions of her probation in a 2015 case. Judge McKenna held the defendant because she has also violated other probation conditions, including testing positive for PCP in a drug test and being rearrested in a destruction of property case.
Elliott Jacobs, also known as Eric Johnson, is held on an armed robbery charge for allegedly robbing a business on the 4200 block of Benning Road, NE on Aug. 8. A second suspect in the case, who has not been arrested yet, allegedly held the employees at gunpoint while the robbery took place. Jacobs was also charged in a fugitive matter, where he is wanted in Maryland for a probation violation.
Damone Bowman is held on charges of driving under the influence and operating a vehicle while impaired for allegedly driving with alcohol in his system on Aug. 27. Bowman was re-arrested while on release for the same charges after allegedly driving under the influence on Dec. 9, 2019, and Aug. 11. Bowman’s only prior conviction has also been for those charges. Judge McKenna held Bowman, citing that he is a “grave danger to the community” based on his persistent DUIs.
Lewis Huntley was held on charges of unlawful entry onto private property and disorderly conduct – disturbing a public conveyance for making a woman take off her clothing, which he had stolen for her, at the Congress Heights Metro Station on Aug. 26. Huntley is involved in a string of other misdemeanor cases that took place over the course of 2020. He is held due the repeated nature of his offenses.
Noah Abdullah is charged with assault on a police officer and simple assault for allegedly getting into an altercation with law enforcement after allegedly stealing items from an embassy on the 1700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW on Aug. 26. He has another pending case where he is charged with unlawful entry onto private property and second-degree theft for an incident in January. Abdullah is held to complete further mental health and forensic screening.
Judge McKenna held Derrick Thames on a parole warrant. Thames has a pending case where he is charged with threats to do bodily harm for allegedly threatening someone with a knife on the unit block of H Street, NW on Aug. 26. In that case, Thames is released with a stay away order from the victim and the location of the incident.
Ashton Johnson is held on fugitive charges for two cases in Maryland. The demanding jurisdiction in Maryland has three business days to retrieve Johnson, or he will have another hearing in DC to discuss his release.
Of those released, five defendants were charged in domestic violence cases. Four of the defendants were given stay-away orders, and one of the defendants was given a no harassing, assaultive, threatening or stalking (HATS) order.
Three defendants, charged with assaulting a police officer, were released by Judge McKenna. One of the defendants has been in the hospital since Aug. 12. He is still hospitalized and waived his presence at the hearing. Once he is released from the hospital, he is ordered to stay away from a location and to get mental screening conducted.
Judge McKenna released one defendant charged with being a fugitive from justice, where she is wanted in Virginia for larceny. The judge ordered her to turn herself in to Virginia authorities within the next 24 hours.
Two defendants were charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and Judge McKenna released them with orders not to possess firearms or ammunition while their cases are pending.
One defendant was charged with disorderly conduct and was released with a stay-away order.
Three defendants were brought in on bench warrants for failing to appear at their hearings, and Judge McKenna released them with new court dates.
A defendant, charged with simple assault in a domestic violence case, was in the hospital, so her hearing was moved to Aug. 28.
On Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a preliminary hearing to determine if an assault case has enough evidence to go to trial.
Brandon Boykin is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a shooting that occurred June 30 on the 4400 block of Benning Road, NE.
A DC Superior Court judge pushed back an Aug. 26 hearing, so that an assault and trespassing defendant could enter a plea.
Ahyende Gray is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful trespassing in three cases.
The first trespassing violation was on Feb. 24 at the Union Station Post Office located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. Gray allegedly refused to display a valid traveling ticket and declined to leave his seat.
The second trespassing violation occurred on Feb. 26 on the 500 block of Galloway Street, NE. Gray was allegedly sitting on a wall of a bridge that had metro train tracks. After being asked to come down, he jumped through a hole in the fence where he was grabbed and arrested, according to court documents.
Gray allegedly assaulted a victim with a stick on June 14 at the intersection of 16th Street and H Street, NW. The stick cut the victim’s eye.
On Aug. 27, a defendant pleaded guilty to armed robbery.
Rayshawn Tillery was originally charged with armed robbery and assault with significant bodily harm for using a knife on a victim and taking his property on June 6 on the 600 block of H Street, NW.
As part of a plea deal, the prosecution will drop the assault charge.
DC Superior CourtJudge Dayna Dayson scheduled Tiller’s sentencing for Oct. 2.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made an arrest for assault with a deadly weapon.
At approximately 10:44 p.m., MPD officers responded to a reported shooting on the 1300 block of Saratoga Ave, NE. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment.
A 21-year-old resident of Northwest, DC was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a rifle or shotgun outside the home, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of unregistered ammunition, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and three counts of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
A handgun and a rifle were recovered by responding officers.
The suspect is being held at the DC Jail pending his next hearing, which is scheduled on Sept. 16.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made two arrests in an assault with a knife offense that occurred on the 5600 block of 13th Street, NW on Aug. 25.
At approximately 11:30 p.m., suspects approached the victims while brandishing knives and threatened the victims. One of the suspects then stabbed one of the victims.
MPD arrested a 43-year-old and a 26-year-old and charged them with assault with a dangerous weapon.
The defendants have not been presented in court yet as of Aug. 27.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has made an arrest for an assault with a gun offense that occurred on the unit block of DuPont Circle, NW on Aug. 26.
At approximately 5:58 p.m., the suspect discharged a firearm and a victim sustained a non-life threatening injury. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Police apprehended and arrested a 24-year-old suspect, who has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (gun), possession of an unregistered firearm, carrying a pistol without a license and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
The suspect was presented in court on Aug. 27 and held by the presiding judge until his next hearing.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested a suspect for assault with a dangerous weapon
At approximately 9:25 a.m., the suspect and victim were involved in a verbal dispute on the 1900 block of 7th Street, NW. The suspect allegedly threatened the victim while brandishing a knife. No injuries were reported.
The suspect, a 44-year-old resident of Capitol Heights, Md., was apprehended by responding officers.
The suspect has not had an initial hearing as of Aug. 26.
On Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court judge allowed a defense attorney to use her own psychologist to review his client’s competency to stand trial.
Devonte Wright is charged with assault with the intent to kill while armed for allegedly stabbing a child on May 27 on the 1700 block of Benning Road, SE.
Judge Neal Kravitz deemed Wright competent to stand trial during the Aug. 27 hearing. He based his decision on a report from the Department of Behavioral Health that the court received on Aug. 19.
The defense attorney countered by asking Judge Kravitz for her own psychologist to review the 21-year-old defendant’s competency.
Judge Kravitz granted the defense’s request, so long as it can be completed within the next four weeks.
Wright’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24.
Wright was transferred from DC Jail to St. Elizabeths Hospital in early July, where he was been held ever since.
A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant for fraud.
Anthony Steakin, 28, was originally charged with first-degree identity theft with intent to obtain property in November of 2019. The defendant ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree fraud of $1,000 or more.
On Aug. 27, Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced Steakin to 12 months, all of which were suspended, plus five years of unsupervised probation. The terms of his probation include taking drug tests at the discretion of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) and completing any programs deemed necessary by CSOSA.
Steakin was caught trying to cash a $2,900 check from another person’s bank account with a fraudulent driver’s license on Nov. 19, 2019, according to court documents. The license had the account owner’s name and the defendant’s image.
The account also had a previous withdrawal of $7,000, which the true owner of the account denied to have authorized.
Steakin must pay $15,500 in restitution to CitiBank in undetermined amounts each month that are slated to begin in October. He must also pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime fund.
