Murder Trial May Proceed Without Defendant After Ninth No-Show

When the defendant in an ongoing murder case failed to appear in court for the ninth time on June 27, DC Su perior Court Judge Michael Ryan said his trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 2, will go ahead with or without him.

Marquis Bullocks, 31, is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, threat to kidnap or injure a person, and obstruction of justice. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Michael Pate and 28-year-old Djuan Proctor on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace, SE, on Sept. 18, 2021.

Judge Ryan asked Bullocks’ defense attorney, David Akulian, why he has not been able to maintain contact. Akulian said he has had difficulty seeing his client in person at the DC Jail, and he is worried about what will happen when the case gets to trial.

“I am going to have a number of questions to ask him,” Judge Ryan said about Bullocks. He said Bullocks’ degree of court avoidance was unique, consisting of almost a dozen absences in the space of one year.

Judge Ryan said he would consider waiving Bullock’s presence at trial if he could obtain Bullock’s consent to do so. Akulian said he would discuss that option with Bullocks.

The prosecution suggested the court respond to Bullocks’ absences by issuing a forthwith order for Bullocks to appear or allowing Bullocks to appear remotely from the jail.

Judge Ryan told Akulian that Bullocks must appear in court before the start of his trial on Sept. 2.

“If we have to, we will,” Judge Ryan said about the possibility of going to trial without Bullocks present.

Parties are slated to reconvene July 15.

‘I Don’t Understand How That Would Be an Option,’ Victim’s Family Responds to Defendant’s Plea Deal

The family of a homicide victim fiercely challenged the plea deal accepted by the defendant before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on June 20.

Keyon Slaughter, 27, was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, first-degree burglary while armed and unlawful possession of firearm with a prior conviction. The charges stemmed from his involvement in the fatal shooting of Dana Bailey Jr., 38, on Dec. 5, 2022, on the 3300 block of E Street, SE.

Theodore Shaw, Slaughter’s attorney, alerted Judge Dayson to his client’s intent to accept a plea offer from the prosecution. The agreement required Slaughter to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed, in exchange for the prosecution’s dismissing all other charges.

Through the deal, the parties agreed to a sentence of 16 years’ imprisonment.

Members of Bailey’s family attended the court hearing to speak about their loved one, whose presence was sorely missed.

He was a “stand up guy… whose biggest flaw was trying to help others,” Bailey’s mother told D.C. Witness.

On the stand, she told Judge Dayson that the killer “followed my son” and “murdered my child in his home.”

Bailey’s mother and sister both told the court they believed the circumstances of Bailey’s death meant the killer should be charged with first-degree murder. They both said the killing had been planned and premeditated.

“I’ve been the detective in this case,” said Bailey’s sister. She claimed that Slaughter had been part of a plot to kill Bailey.

The family also claimed Bailey identified Slaughter to one of his family members with his last words.

“He has six kids. That’s traumatizing to them,” Bailey’s sister said.

Bailey’s sister expressed surprise and disappointment that the court would accept Slaughter’s plea on a provisional basis.

“I don’t understand how that would be an option,” she said, citing the evidence she believed showed the killing was intentional. Then she caught herself, her voice trembling and breaking, before leaving the courtroom.

Judge Dayson acknowledged the testimony of the family and how hard it must be for them to speak. She said her decision on whether to accept Slaughter’s plea definitively will depend on several factors at the time of sentencing.

Bailey’s mother and sister promised to be at the sentencing.

Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 29.

Shooting Defendant Rejects Plea Offer, Receives Trial Date

A non-fatal shooting defendant rejected a plea offer and scheduled a trial for March of 2026 during a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on June 26.

Derrick Gladden, 54, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that injured one individual on April 15, 2024, on the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue, SE.

According to court documents, the victim was found by police sitting on his front porch with one gunshot wound to his upper chest. The victim reportedly identified Gladden by pointing to the front porch of his apartment and saying, “Dude lives there.”

Gladden’s attorney, Alvin Thomas, alerted the court that Gladden was rejecting a plea offer extended by the prosecution. The offer would have required Gladden to plead guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a firearm in exchange for the prosecutors’ dismissing the remaining charges.

With this rejection, Gladden is liable to face prison time for previous charges as well.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 29.

Homicide Defendant Waives DNA Testing, Considers Plea Offer

A murder defendant waived his right to independently test DNA evidence and requested additional time to review a plea offer during a hearing on before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on June 17.

John Woods, 67, is charged with first-degree murder premeditated while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Geno Freemon, 60, which occurred on Feb. 19, 2021, on the 5900 block of Chillum Place, NE.

Kevin Mosley and Kavya Naini, Woods’ attorneys, alerted Judge Ryan to the defendant’s intent to waive his right to independently test DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene.

According to the prosecution, the evidence included shotgun pellets and casings found in the surrounding area, the defendant’s vehicle, and Freemon’s vehicle.

The prosecution previously extended a plea offer to Wood that was scheduled to expire on June 20. At the June 17 hearing, the prosecution extended the deadline to July 10.

The terms of the plea deal were not discussed in court.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 10.

Judge Requires Shooting Defendant’s Release Request in Writing

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan told a shooting defendant’s attorney on June 17 that he will consider a request to release the defendant if the attorney provides a written motion.

Troy Scott, 34, is charged with assault with intent to commit murder while armed, aggravated assault knowingly with a grave risk while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from Scott’s alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing that occurred on Aug. 5, 2024, on the 1600 block of 29th Street, SE.

When Scott’s defense attorney, Rachel Cicurel, asked Judge Ryan to release the defendant, the prosecution requested a written motion and time to respond. Judge Ryan granted the prosecution’s request.

Parties are set to reconvene on July 17.

Judge Considers Competency of 2-Year-Old Witness in Father’s Murder Case

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz addressed the reliability of information from a two-year old eye-witness to a homicide in a hearing on June 27.

De’Angelo Goldston, 37, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting his father, 61-year-old Darryl Smith, on Feb. 4 on the 1000 block of First Street, SE.

Judge Kravitz began the hearing by asking questions to determine the competency of the two-year old witness, Goldston’s daughter, who was allegedly in the apartment when the murder took place.

The prosecution previously shared with Judge Kravitz video footage from an interview with a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective. The footage showed the witness stating, “Daddy shot Pop Pop,” and imitating him falling off the chair.

Judge Kravitz asked the prosecution to forward the video of the interviews with Goldston’s daughter to the defense. He deferred ruling on the child’s competence until a later date.

Parties are set to reconvene Sept. 5.

Murder Defendant Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

A homicide defendant pleaded not guilty during an arraignment before D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on June 26.

Juan Adams, 40, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Michael Hansley on Dec. 2, 2023, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

Adams’ defense attorney, Rachel Cicurel, alerted the court to Adams’ intention to plead not guilty to both charges and asserted his constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Cicurel requested that Adams be released until the next court date. The prosecution opposed this request and no changes were made.

Judge Ryan asked that the prosecution identify their evidence at the next hearing so that parties can prepare for an IPA hearing, if necessary.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on Aug. 1.

Homicide Co-Defendants Schedule New Trial Due to Hung Jury

DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled a new trial in May of 2026 for two homicide co-defendants on June 25, after their first trial ended in a mistrial.

Alonzo Brown, 28, and Naquel Henderson, 28, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence while armed, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in a shooting that killed 21-year-old Michael Taylor and injured two additional victims on Jan. 12, 2019, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

Brown and Henderson are two of five men charged with Taylor’s death. Stephon Evans, 25, and Tavist Alston, 31, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, while Carlos Turner, 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

During Brown and Henderson’s first trial, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on their charges. Brown’s attorney, Steven Kiersh, and Henderson’s attorneys, Lisbeth Sapirstein and Julie Swaney, argued the prosecution did not provide any DNA or biological evidence and the prosecution’s case depended on an unreliable eye-witness.

During the hearing, prosecutors said they intend to retry the case.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Jan. 23, 2026.

Murder Defendant Rejects Plea Offer, Waives DNA Testing

A defendant in a fatal shooting case rejected a plea offer and waived his right to independently test DNA evidence during a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on June 26.

Maleek Thomas, 22, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, felony murder while armed, assault with the intent to kill while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Melvin Dock Jr. and the wounding of a second victim on the 4300 block of Halley Terrace, SE, on Oct. 30, 2023.

According to court documents, the incident occurred after the attempted carjacking of a white Infiniti. Two victims were located at the scene, both suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to the hospital, and one was pronounced deceased after life-saving measures were exhausted.

During the hearing, the prosecution presented a plea deal to the defendant. If Thomas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon while armed, the prosecution offered to dismiss the remaining five charges on his indictment.

Thomas rejected the offer after deliberation with his defense attorney, Howard McEachern.

Following the rejection, prosecutors presented evidence they plan to introduce during the trial. The DNA evidence included swabs from the interior and exterior of the victim’s vehicle, bags of marijuana confiscated after the incident, and clothes belonging to the victim.

Parties are slated to reconvene Nov. 14.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Non-Fatal Shooting

A defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on June 26.

Darius McIntyre, 41, was originally charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on April 14 on the 2600 block of Stanton Road, SE.

According to court documents, McIntyre shot the victim multiple times after an argument. The victim was found laying face down on the concrete with multiple gunshot wounds when officers arrived at the scene.

The prosecution agreed to dismiss all other charges in the case in return for McIntyre’s guilty plea.

McIntyre faces up to three years of jail time and must register as a gun offender in DC for two years after his release.

Parties will reconvene for sentencing on Sept. 5.

Prosecution Calls Defendant’s Failure to Appear ‘a Maneuver to Avoid Court’

DC Superior Court Judge Heide Hermann held a preliminary hearing on June 25 without the defendant in a stabbing case.

Dallas McKinney, 20, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a stabbing that occurred at the DC Jail on the 1900 block of D Street, SE on Nov. 26, 2024.

According to court documents, McKinney and another prisoner were allegedly engaged in an argument in the jail when McKinney reportedly pulled out a metal shank and stabbed the victim multiple times. The victim sustained wounds to his upper left chest, shoulder, and arm.

During the hearing, Steven Kiersh, McKinney’s attorney, requested a new date for the hearing because McKinney was unable to appear due to medical reasons.

The prosecution objected and cited McKinney’s previous failures to appear in court. Prosecutors asserted that the defendant’s medical excuse “appears to be a maneuver to avoid court.”

Judge Herrmann decided that the hearing would move forward without McKinney present.

Prosecutors called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer to testify. The prosecution presented video footage of the incident, in which the officer identified McKinney as the perpetrator. The officer testified that the suspect in the video had an object in his hand, punched the victim, and grabbed the victim’s t-shirt. The officer also said that the video footage showed blood stains and holes in the victim’s t-shirt.

After viewing the video footage, Judge Hermann found probable cause to move forward with the case.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Aug. 15.

Judge Gives Shooting Defendant Final Chance to Appear in Court

A non-fatal shooting defendant refused to appear in court for the second time for a hearing on June 26 and DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld granted him one last chance.

Rashid Shabazz, 35, pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2024 to unlawful discharge of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on March 4, 2024, on the 5000 block of Banks Place, NE.

According to court documents, Shabazz allegedly illegally possessed a firearm and unlawfully discharged it into the air.

In exchange for Shabazz’s guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to drop all other charges against him in two other cases.

Shabazz previously requested to withdraw his guilty plea, but parties have not discussed the motion due to his refusal to attend hearings on June 18 and June 26.

Judge Hertzfeld stated she would give Shabazz one more chance.

Parties are slated to reconvene on July 8.

Carjacking Defendant Accepts Plea Deal

A carjacking defendant accepted a plea deal extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on June 30.

Eric Woods, 18, was initially charged with three counts of armed carjacking, three counts of robbery while armed and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for his involvement in multiple carjacking incidents in 2024:

On May 8 at the intersection of 7th and A Streets SE, where a Hyundai Santa Fe was carjacked, and the victims’ belongings stolen.
On May 13 on the 2100 block of Suiteland Terrace SE, where a Ford and a Cadillac were stolen, and
On Oct. 11 at the intersection of North Capitol Street and Hanover Place, NW, where another Hyundai was carjacked.

At the hearing, Woods’ attorney, Gregg Baron, alerted Judge Salerno of his intent to accept a deal, which required him to plead guilty to armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment.

Baron requested Woods undergo a Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) study, which would assist Judge Salerno’s decision on sentencing him under the YRA. The YRA allows for a young defendant’s conviction to be sealed if they successfully complete all sentencing requirements.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Sept.19.

Stabbing Defendant Pleads Guilty

A stabbing defendant accepted a guilty plea before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on June 27.
Leonard Hampton, 30, was originally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting on the 1700 block of Euclid Street, NW on Jan. 11. One victim sustained multiple stab wounds.

During his hearing, Hampton’s attorney, Justin Boggs, informed the judge that Hampton intended to accept a plea deal offered by the prosecution. Through the deal, Hampton pled guilty to simple assault, in exchange for a dismissal of the original charge and the prosecution not seeking an indictment.

Boggs asked for Hampton’s release until the time of sentencing. A representative from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) informed the court that Hampton had two extraditable warrants. One warrant was issued for a probation violation in Prince George’s County, Maryland and the other was an arrest warrant for escape.

Judge Salerno maintained Hampton’s detention.

Sentencing is slated for July 10.

Homicide Defendant’s Attorney Withdraws After Guilty Verdict

A murder defendant, who was convicted by a jury, received a new attorney before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan during a hearing on June 27.

In March, Deonte Patterson, 29, was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and obstructing justice by influencing or delaying of a witness or officer for the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on Aug. 23, 2021, on the 1800 block of 9th Street, NW.

Sentencing for Patterson was scheduled in May but his attorney, Cheryl Stein, asked the judge to withdraw from the case due to an “ethical conflict.” Stein did not elaborate on the conflict but noted it might be discussed in a future appeal. Judge Ryan granted Stein’s motion to withdraw.

Judge Ryan suggested the appointment of defense attorney Destiny Fullwood-Singh, who was present for the hearing Friday, to represent Patterson for the remainder of the case.

Fullwood-Singh accepted the appointment, however told the judge that she needed time to acquaint herself with the case details. Judge Ryan asked that Stein share her case documents with Fullwood-Singh to aid her in this process.

Parties are expected to reconvene Aug. 1.

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