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Defendant Pleads Guilty to Carrying Pistol Without License, Placed on Probation

A defendant pleaded guilty July 8 to carrying a pistol without a license and unlawful possession of ammunition and a high-capacity feeding device.

Gregory Skinner pointed a handgun at a woman on June 28, 2019, after she confronted him for trying to steal tires on a vehicle parked on the 400 block of 18th Street, SE.

Skinner received a suspended sentence of 60 days in jail plus six months of probation. 

Judge Michael Ryan said that Skinner’s probation will be revoked unless he maintains or is actively seeking employment. 

Skinner will not be placed on GPS monitoring.

The defendant’s next court hearing is scheduled for

Judge Releases Defendant Charged With Unlawful Possession of Firearm

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

A representative from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) requested that Judge Judith Smith revoke Anthony Mason’s probation. 

The representative cited multiple instances of non compliance, including losing contact with his probation officer, violating a home confinement order and failing to charge his GPS tracking device.

Mason’s probation officer mentioned that the defendant has had an unpleasant relationship with his mental health counselor, saying he seldom answered the phone. “When he did he would either fall asleep or act loud and aggressive,” the officer said.

Defense attorney John Armstrong said his client has made progress despite difficulties in his life, saying that Mason did try to call his probation officer but was ignored.

He also suggested that Mason’s mental health counselor be replaced.

Judge Smith decided said the defendant has to put more effort into complying with his probation. She also said Mason has the right to replace his mental health provider, although it was not up to her to decide.

Mason’s next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Defendant Required to Serve Probation Time for Sex Abuse

On July 8, a defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual abuse. A DC Superior Court judge sentenced him to nearly 6 months in prison.

Eric Metzker penetrated a woman with his finger while she was asleep on Jan. 1, 2018.

The incarceration time was suspended, but Metzker is required to serve three years on probation.

The prosecution requested that Metzker receive four years on probation for the crime. The prosecutor said one of the years needed to be supervised. He also asked that Metzker partake in an alcohol and sexual abuse education course.

Defense attorney Michael Salnick pushed back, saying that probation should not exceed three years because his client has no criminal history and has been law-abiding ever since his first court hearing.

In response to a letter from the victim claiming that Metzker was unrepentant because he only accepted the plea deal after two-and-a-half years.

Judge Neal Kravitz ordered that Metzker receive three years of probation, perform 100 hours of community service, and stay away from the victim. 

Metzker’s probation will remain supervised until he completes Reach, a counseling program for people involved in sexual abuse.

Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Assault Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe issued a bench warrant for a defendant who failed to appear for his July 8 hearing. 

Mark Harris was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on Sept. 28. 

Harris, 33, allegedly put a gun to a woman’s face and said “I’ll kill you” after she tried to tell him that he could accidentally shoot someone. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers apprehended the defendant on the 1300 block of Half Street, SW.

A Pretrial Services Agency representative reported a loss of contact with Harris.

The representative said he believes Harris is not making himself available because he is aware of the warrant.

Judge Releases All 14 Defendants During Initial Hearings

On July 8, DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell released all 14 defendants during their initial hearings.

Of the 14 defendants brought before the judge, four had multiple charges. The prosecution also dismissed the charges in three additional cases that were originally scheduled to appear in court.

During the proceedings, one defendant was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after allegedly attacking a maintenance worker with a knife on July 7. 

Judge Crowell released the defendant and imposed a stay-away order at the prosecution’s request. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 7.

Another man was charged with simple assault, attempted threats and the possession of a prohibited weapon after allegedly attempting to stab a man in Malcolm X Meridian Park. According to the victim, the defendant was yelling anti-gay slurs at them during the incident. 

After getting a Spanish interpreter to translate, Judge Crowell released the defendant, imposing a stay-away order from the victim and the park.

Of the three additional defendants facing charges for simple assault, two were also charged with attempted possession of a prohibited weapon. One of the two was also charged with second-degree theft. All three defendants were released with stay-away orders in place. 

The final defendant facing assault charges is charged with assault with intent to commit third-degree sex abuse. The prosecutor requested that the defendant be held in DC Jail due to both the nature of the charge and because of an additional sex abuse charge from January of this year. Judge Crowell denied his request and imposed a stay-away order.

Judge Crowell warned the defendant that if he were to violate the conditions of his release, he would be “unlikely” to get out of jail the next time.

Another defendant was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm for an incident that occurred in the early hours of July 8. 

The defendant’s attorney argued against there being probable cause for the charge because the only evidence came from a witness that the defendant had just met. According to court documents, a gun discharged from the third floor of an apartment building through the ceiling of the apartment below.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers investigated an apartment that belonged to the witness, who said that the defendant had accidentally discharged a gun he owned while cleaning it. 

The attorney said the defendant did not claim ownership of the firearm, and suggested that it may have instead been the witness’ gun.

However, Judge Crowell, said there was probable cause. The defendant is released until his next court date with requirements to report every week to pretrial services by phone. 

A defendant charged with resisting arrest was issued a stay-away order from the White House complex. During the offense in question, the defendant allegedly got into an altercation with a person shouting “four more years” on the 800 block of 16th Street, NW, an area recently named Black Lives Matter Plaza.

The stay-away order that was first requested by police for an arrest warrant. Upon learning of the order, the defendant protested that such an action is “unconstitutional.”

Judge Crowell told the defendant that he is free to request that a judge remove the stay-away at a later date. 

One defendant charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia was released with no conditions.

Another defendant faced similar charges for carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or place of business. Judge Crowell released him with a stay-away order from the 900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and the 600 block of 4th Street, NW.

Two more defendants, one charged with threats to do bodily harm and the other with defacing public or private property, were released before their next hearings with no conditions. Both are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 7.

Preliminary Hearing Set for Murder Defendant

A defense attorney in a murder case requested July 8 that a preliminary hearing be scheduled to review evidence and determine if the case has probable cause.

Ch’Juan Robinson, 23, is charged with the first-degree murder of Louis Kingsbury, a 35-year-old resident of Southeast, DC. Kingsbury died on April 29 on the 200 block of New York Ave, NW.

DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker granted this request. The hearing is scheduled to take place on Aug. 23.

Robinson is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 29. He is also pending a grand jury.

Judge Gives Defendant One More Time to Comply

A DC Superior Court judge allowed a defendant, who is on probation for different cases to remain released, saying she would give him another chance to comply with his release requirements.

Maurice Douglas pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for sex abuse. He was sentenced to 90 days, in which 75 days of that time was suspended. After finishing his sentence, he was released on 18 months of supervised probation. 

On Dec. 7, 2019, Douglas was charged with attempted threats to do bodily harm. He is currently released under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP).

Representatives from the Pretrial Services Agency and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) recommended that Douglas’ release be revoked. Both agencies cited a loss of contact in the past few months, along with 11 violations of Douglas’ stay away order from the place of the incident.

The PSA representative also said there are reports of multiple occasions in which Douglas failed to charge his GPS monitoring device. The representative said the agency did not know where Douglas was located during the times.

The prosecution also said Douglas accumulated new allegations of involvement in a child trafficking ring, although he is not facing charges at this time. The prosecution requested that, if allowed to remain released, Douglas be required to participate in sex offender treatment as well.

Judge Maribeth Raffinan denied the prosecution’s request, citing how the allegations have not resulted in new charges.

Sharon Weathers and Rebecca Bloch, Douglas’ defense counsel, said that their client has been unable to get in contact with his probation officer and his HISP officer because he is homeless.

They also said Douglas has violated the stay away order so many times because the boundaries of the order encompass his aunt’s house and a bus route he frequents.

Judge Raffnan admonished Douglas to come into compliance with the requirements of his probation and pretrial release. She cited his lengthy criminal record for being only 26-years-old and said he would be held at DC Jail if other requirements are violated.

Douglas is scheduled for a hearing on both matters on Sept. 2.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release

A DC Superior Court judge denied July 8 a defense attorney’s request for his client’s release. 

Fate Collins was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on May 13.

The prosecutor asked Judge Julie Becker to deny the request because the defendant has been threatening the victim and witnesses in the case through telephone and social media.

Judge Becker denied the release.

Collins is scheduled to appear back in court on Sept. 22.

Judge Denies Defense’s Request for Release Because of Bullying

A DC Superior Court judge denied July 7 a defense attorney’s request that his client be released from prison because of the mistreatment that he is facing behind bars.

Karlos Kinney is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 25-year-old Resha Blount on the 900 block of New Jersey Avenue, NW. On April 30, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers discovered Blount suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a bedroom. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

The attorney asked for the request because the 20-year-old defendant has been maced and segregated from other prisoners.

Still, the judge denied the defense’s request for release because of the nature of the charges Kinney is facing. 

Surveillance footage shows Kinney entering the apartment building and exiting during the time of the incident. Cell phone records show text messages between the victim and defendant. In the texts, Kinney told the victim that he was on his way to her residence.

According to court documents, a witness told police that the victim and defendant got into a dispute over marijuana and money. The victim asked the defendant to leave her home and he smashed her face. The victim was preparing to throw a punch when the defendant took out a gun and shot her.

Kinney is scheduled to appear back in court on Aug. 17.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release and Continues Case Until the End of July

On July 7, a DC Superior Court judge denied a defendant’s request for release. Instead, the case was continued until the end of July.

Antwaun Smith is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. According to court documents, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department saw Smith on the 600 Morton Street NW, with a large group of people. He started running away from the police holding his right jacket pocket.

The defendant allegedly tossed the weapon in a grassy area while running from authorities. Police were able to recover the weapon.

Defense attorney Brandi Harden asked the judge for the defendant to be released under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP.) The prosecution opposed this request because the defendant is already in HISP pending another case.

The prosecution offered Smith a plea deal. The deal is set to expire on July 22. If he denies the plea, his next court date will be a preliminary hearing to determine if the prosecution has enough evidence to proceed to trial.

That hearing is scheduled for July 31.

If he accepts the plea deal, then that date will be postponed.

Judge Issues Judicial Summons for Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge summoned July 8 a defendant with no known address to appear in court Oct. 7 for her next hearing. 

Markea Chambers, 20, i charged with second-degree theft for allegedly stealing a taxi driver’s phone the evening before. According to court documents, the taxi driver saw the defendant and three other women with her flee into a nearby building on the 300 block of Hamilton Street, NE. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers found the phone in a trash can on the fourth floor.

Judge James Crowell issued a judicial summons March 2 after the defendant failed to appear in court for her arraignment when he realized that there was no address to reach her.

A subsequent hearing was scheduled to address the lack of information on her residence, but was ultimately pushed back four months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The summons states that if the defendant fails to appear in court again, a bench warrant will be issued for her arrest.

Judge Changes Defendant’s Release Conditions

A DC Superior Court judge modified a defendant’s release conditions July 8 after reasserting another judge’s finding of probable cause. 

A 61-year-old defendant was charged with second-degree child sex abuse on June 19. Judge Sean Staples initially found probable cause on June 19, allowing the defendant to be released under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) into 24-hour home confinement.

Judge Neal Kravitz changed the defendant’s release conditions from home confinement to community supervision with a 10 p.m. curfew.

The change was initiated because defense attorney, Joseph Yarbough, filed a motion stating that his client’s initial court document did not state his age nor the age of the victim. The prosecution then submitted a supplemental document that had the correct ages.

Since the ages of defendants and victims are crucial to child sex abuse cases, Judge Kravitz was able to reverse Judge Staples’ finding of probable cause. However, after examining the supplemental reports, Judge Kravitz determined that there were still grounds for probable cause on July 8.

After Judge Kravitz rediscovered probable cause, the prosecution and defense discussed lifting the defendant’s release conditions per the defense’s request. All parties were in agreement that the conditions should be loosened.

Judge Kravitz also modified the defendant’s stay away order since the victim moved to a new address.

He was originally ordered to stay away from the victim and place of incident, which was the victim’s temporary home. With the prosecution’s consent, Judge Kravitz changed the stay away order to require that the defendant stay away from the victim and her new place of residence.

The defendant will appear in court again on Sept. 21 to evaluate the status of his case.

Document: Police Arrest Juvenile for Assault with Gun

On July 7, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrested a juvenile for assaulting a victim with a gun.

According to a press release, the juvenile allegedly threw a pole at the victim’s car, then brandished a gun during a verbal confrontation on the  600 block of 4th Street, SW. No injuries were reported.

[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6982978-7-8-20-Arrest-Made-in-an-Assault-With-a.html” responsive=true]

My Spring Internship at D.C. Witness

I think perhaps my favorite aspect of working at D.C. Witness was coming into court everyday knowing there’s a real story that impacts the lives of real people.

This phenomenon was especially relevant with cases that I would cover for days and weeks at a time where it felt like the stories would take on a life of their own, each with characters and strong personalities that made them a lot of fun to follow.

Overall, I’m very thankful for my time at D.C. Witness, particularly toward the editors, staff, and coworkers that made my time in Washington, D.C. so special. 

Wyatt Mullins is a journalism student at the University of Colorado Boulder.