Judge Revokes Defendant’s Release in Two Cases

On Aug. 10, a DC Superior Court judge revoked an assault defendant’s pretrial release in two cases.

Marco Rinaldie, 50, is charged with simple assault for allegedly punching and kicking a victim at a bus stop on June 4 on K Street, NW. At the time of his arrest, he was on pretrial release for two other simple assault cases.

Parties discussed if Rinaldie’s most recent case had probable cause. The prosecution presented a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who was involved in the case to testify to Rinaldie’s identification.

Defense attorney Brandi Harden argued that the witness had no firsthand information of the incident and that the complainant could have struck first.

Judge Ronna Beck determined that the case had probable cause.

Counsel also debated Rinaldie’s release in the two cases he picked up prior to the June 4 incident. The prosecution asked Judge Beck to hold Rinaldie due to his criminal history.

However, Harden requested her client’s release.

Judge Beck revoked Rinaldie’s release in his two previous assault cases, saying that he has three assault convictions that date back to the early 2000’s. She set a $100 cash bond for his recent case.

Rinaldie will return to court on Oct. 14 to discuss the status of his case.

Judge Sentences Defendant to One Year of Probation

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant to 165 days, all of which were suspended, plus one year of probation.

Marvin Davis pleaded guilty to contempt, unlawful entry and indecent acts during the Aug. 10 hearing.

As part of a plea agreement with the prosecution, his other charges of contempt, unlawful entry on public property and panhandling were dropped.

Judge Juliet McKenna ordered Davis, 24, to pay $400 to the Victims of Violent Crimes Act fund. He is also to be supervised by a Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) mental health unit while on probation.

Defense attorney Drew Flood said his client’s actions were the direct result of his schizophrenia. Flood said mental health treatment will help the defendant, not jail.

He requested one year of probation.

The prosecutor requested 18 months of probation, citing his extensive criminal history.

All of the defendant’s offenses occurred at Union Station, from which he has been barred since Oct. 3, 2019.

Davis inappropriately touched a woman on Jan. 12. He received a stay away order, but returned on Jan. 15, 19 and 28.

He returned again on July 9 and committed indecent acts, according to court documents.

Judge Continues Preliminary Hearing

A DC Superior Court judge continued a preliminary hearing from Aug. 7 to Aug. 25

The defendant is charged with assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual abuse.

Defense attorney Sylvia Smith asked that the hearing be continued so her client may have additional time to consider the prosecution’s plea offer.

The prosecution said the 36-year-old defendant must respond to the offer by Aug. 13.

Smith also asked that the prosecution hand over all evidence in the case. She said it was “problematic” that the prosecution has not provided the defense with the victim’s name or an interview with the victim and the detective.

The prosecutor said she offered to make the interviews and Body Worn Camera (BWC) available, but the defense attorney denied any compromise with the evidence. The prosecutor said this has never happened to them before.

Judge Danya Dayson said both parties are operating within their rights. However, she said, “I think there’s probably a better way to go about the whole thing.”

On May 29, the defendant allegedly approached a woman, grabbed her buttocks, and said, “you got a fat a**, wanna go into the alley and f***.” When she refused, he allegedly punched her in the face, according to court documents.

The defendant followed the victim, who began to walk away. He then allegedly exposed himself, grabbed her, pushed her to the floor and dragged her behind a parked car on the 4600 block of B Street, SE.

He allegedly yelled “shut up” when she was screaming for help. The defendant fled the scene when a witness told the defendant to leave the victim alone.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were able to apprehend the defendant, who allegedly tried to run away and jump a fence.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 17 to discuss his release status. If the defendant does not enter a guilty plea, the hearing will be vacated.

Judge Issues Bench Warrant to Get Back in Contact with Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant for a defendant who did not show up to his Aug. 10 hearing.

Michael Musgrove, 23, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a permit. According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found him and his co-defendant, Elizabeth Benson, in a vehicle that was reported stolen by the state of Virginia. When officers searched the vehicle, they found cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

Judge Michael O’Keefe issued a bench warrant for Musgrove’s arrest, saying the bench warrant was issued in order to get back in contact with him.

On April 5, Musgrove was released and ordered to verify his address with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA). He was also required to report to the agency weekly. However, during the hearing, a PSA representative said the defendant has not yet verified his address or reported by telephone.

Musgrove is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 21 to discuss the status of his case.

Bench Warrant Issued for Defendant’s Arrest

On Aug. 7, a defendant was issued a bench warrant for the fourth time in less than a year.

Sterling Moore is charged with simple assault, bail violation and assault on a police officer in four cases. He allegedly assaulted a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who wa sitting in a parked police car outside of the Robert Taft Memorial in DC on Sept. 11. Since then, he has picked up three bail violation charges for failing to appear for various court hearings from October of 2019 to January.

A Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) representative said Moore, 31, has been a loss of contact since his release on March 27. He has also failed to enroll in the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP.)

Defense attorney Claudine Harrison told DC Superior Court Judge Gerald Fisher she was unaware of her client’s location.

Moore’s next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 3.

Judge Releases Defendant Charged with Simple Assault

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant charged with simple assault.

On May 24, Wendell Clay, 40, allegedly assaulted a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer. The officer asked him to leave a basketball court on the 1600 block of 30th Street, SE due to COVID-19 and the Mayor’s Order in place.

During the Aug. 7 hearing, the prosecution screened an Instagram video showing Clay pushing the officer onto the ground before punching him in the face.

Clay said during the hearing that the officer first pushed him when being approached, prompting him to act in self defense. He said he felt “agitated” because the officer was not trying to disperse a group of people who were playing tennis nearby.

Defense attorney Kevin Robertson said the officer’s actions could not be seen in the video.

The prosecution asked that Clay be held at the DC Jail due to his extensive criminal history.

However, Robertson responded by saying that his client has already been detained for 76 days.

“He can’t sit in the DC Jail waiting for court dates that do not yet exist,” he said.

Judge O’Keefe decided to release the defendant with GPS monitoring. He also said he wanted to give the defendant some time to address a case he picked up in Maryland.

Document: Police ID Victim from 2017 Homicide As A Suspect in 2002 Homicide

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Homicide Cold Case Unit announced that they have identified a suspect in a double homicide that occurred in 2002.

The suspect was the victim of a homicide in 2017.

At around 3:25 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2002, officers responded to the 4900 block of C Street, SE for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Ukea Davis, an 18-year-old resident of Northeast, DC, and Stephanie Thomas, a 19-year-old resident of Southeast, DC, inside a vehicle. The victims were suffering from gunshot wounds. They died on the scene.

Michael Dupree Price has been identified as a suspect in this case. Price, a resident of Southeast, DC, was shot to death on May 5, 2017, on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE. He was 36 years old when he died.

According to a press release, this case remains under investigation and additional suspects may still be at large.

This article was written by Andrea Keckley.

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Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Domestic Violence Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant for a domestic violence defendant who the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) deemed a loss of contact.

At the time of her arrest in this case, Paulette Riggins was released on GPS monitoring while waiting to be sentenced for robbery. She pleaded guilty on March 13. She has been on release since Feb. 14.

During the Aug. 10 hearing, a PSA representative said that Riggins has not charged her GPS since July 15 and has not contacted PSA since March.

Defense attorney Edward Gain asked Judge Michael O’Keefe to give his client more time to appear before the court. However, Judge O’Keefe denied the request and issued a bench warrant for her arrest.

Riggins is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28 unless both parties agree on an earlier date once the defendant is detained.

Judge Issues Bench Warrant for No-Show Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a defendant who did not show up to his Aug. 10 court hearing.

Troye Robertson, 28, is charged with unlawful possession of liquid PCP. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found the PCP when they searched him during an arrest for tampering with evidence on May 15 on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE.

On May 16, Robertson was released on his promise to return to court. He was ordered to report to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA.)

A PSA representative said Robertson has not been in contact with them since he was released in May.

The defendant is also on probation for a prior conviction. However, he has not been in contact with the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) either.

Robertson’s attorney, Sean Murphy, asked Judge Michael O’Keefe to give Robertson more time to appear in court. Judge O’Keefe denied the request.

Robertson is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 30 to discuss the status of his case.

20 Victims in Southeast, DC Shooting

One person died, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officer was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and many others were injured during an Aug. 9 shooting in Southeast, DC.

During a press conference, MPD Chief of Police Peter Newsham said there was a large gathering at 12:20 a.m. on the 3300 block of Dubois Place, SE.

“During the course of the event, gunshots rang out,” he said. “There was multiple shooters. After the shooting occurred, we ended up with 20 victims.”

The shooting killed 17-year-old Christopher Brown. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

An NBC Washington article reports that Brown was the father of a 1-year-old boy.

An MPD officer was also injured. She was off duty at the time of the incident.

“She is struggling for her life right now at a local hospital,” said Newsham.

Two of the victims were 17-year-olds. The rest were adults.

Other than Brown and the police officer, Newsham said that “the rest of the gunshot wounds, as far as we know, are non-life-threatening.”

Crime Alerts: August 9-10

Between 9 p.m. on Aug. 9 and 9 a.m. on Aug. 10, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out five crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent at 6:38 a.m. for an armed robbery on the 1300 block of 1st Street, NE. Police are looking for a Hispanic male carrying a yellow pipe. He was last seen driving a Honda or a Nissan Maxima.

An alert for a robbery was sent at 5:14 a.m. at the intersection of Naylor Road and Minnesota Avenue, SE. Police are looking for three suspects in their teens. The first suspect is a Black, heavyset female with dreadlocks and a dark complexion wearing a white shirt. The second suspect is a slim, Black female with light skin, long braids and wearing a white top. The third suspect is a Black male with a bush hair style.

An alert sent at 1:08 a.m. was for a shooting on the 5000 block of D Street, SE. Police are looking for a silver vehicle that was seen fleeing the scene.

Another alert for a shooting was sent at 12:05 a.m. on the 700 block of T Street, NW. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).

The final alert was sent at 11:09 p.m. for a robbery on the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Police are looking for a large group of Black males and females.

If anyone has information about these events, please call 911.

Judge Continues Prison Breach Hearing

DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna continued an Aug. 10 hearing to Aug. 28.

Lionell Shackelford is charged with prison breach for allegedly leaving Hope Village Halfway House on April 7.

Shackelford, 38, was housed there on a work-release program for another pending case in which he is charged with assault with intent to commit robbery.

In that case, Shackelford allegedly tried to steal money and a car from an individual, assaulting him with a gun and threatening to kill him. The incident occurred on Sept. 11, 2018, on the 3800 block of 2nd Street, SE.

Document: Police Make Arrest in Murder Case

The Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Homicide Branch made an arrest for a homicide that occurred on Aug. 8 on the 1900 block of Good Hope Road, SE.

At around 8 a.m. on Aug. 8, officers responded to a residence at the listed location for a welfare check.

An unconscious and unresponsive adult female, now identified at 40-year-old Latasha Estep, was found suffering from multiple puncture wounds.

She was confirmed deceased on the scene.

The offense has been ruled a homicide and domestic in nature.

A 39-year-old male, of Southeast, DC, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

The man was on pretrial release for a domestic-violence related assault at the time of the murder.

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Document: Homicide in Le Droit Park

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a homicide that occurred on Aug. 7 in Le Droit Park, a neighborhood in Northwest, DC.

At about 6:20 p.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of 6th Street, NW. for the report of a shooting.

Officers located an adult male, now identified as 30-year-old Rashad Scott, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Scott was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead.

MPD is offering an award up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the homicide.

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Judge Schedules Next Two Hearings for Defendant

On Aug. 7, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a defendant’s next two hearings.

Anthony Lamons, 26, is charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm, simple assault and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon for an incident that occurred on June 8 at the Noma Gallaudet Metro Station.

Defense attorney Adrian Madsen asked Judge John Campbell to schedule two hearings for his client: one to discuss the case’s status and another to discuss the defendant’s detention.

Judge Campbell scheduled the misdemeanor initial status hearing for Aug. 13 and the detention hearing for Aug. 25.

The prosecution has extended a plea officer, which the defendant was not inclined to accept or deny at the time of the hearing.

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