My Spring Internship at D.C. Witness

My time as an intern at D.C. Witness taught me valuable skills about both journalism and the legal system.

I got the opportunity to experience real-life homicide hearings, and subsequently learned how to properly report on such controversial topics.

I developed the ability to pre-write, multitask, research, and to pick up and take notes on only the most vital and relevant information.

While I was never set on a career in journalism, the opportunity to see the intersection between two career paths that I have considered for myself was one that I will never forget and that I will continue to explore.

Noa Donvan is a student at Georgetown University. She is studying psychology and journalism.

My Spring Internship at D.C. Witness

During my time interning for D.C. Witness, I was able to gain clarity about what I want my future career to be while I developed important and tactile skills that I would not have learned otherwise.

I feel that my ability to successfully write for news has greatly increased, and I have developed a more critical eye for distinguishing the facts and what’s important from everything else.

Along with this, I realized how much I enjoy being in the courtroom and seeing the law in practice. I always thought the criminal justice system was interesting, but, over the past few months, I have developed new perspectives and passions that I know will benefit me in my next endeavors.

Arielle Frank is a student at American University who is majoring in CLEG (Communications, Legal Principles, Economics, and Government).

‘Keep Up the Good Work,’ Judge Tells Shoplifting Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge found a defendant competent to stand trial in all five of his cases on July 8.

Joseph Chambers is charged with shoplifting, unlawful entry onto private property and a bail reform act violation.

Judge Michael Ryan commended Chambers for his progress, telling him to “keep up the good work” and encouraging him to engage in his mental health classes and continue taking his medications.

He is currently being held at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution, where he will continue to stay so that he can continue receiving treatments.

“You’ve been doing well and you’re to be congratulated,” Judge Ryan said.

Chambers was charged with unlawful entry charge Sept. 13 for allegedly entering a grocery store on the 1300 block of Potomac Ave, SE from which he had a five year ban. Two weeks later, he was charged with unlawful entry and shoplifting on Sept. 25 for an incident that took place the previous day at a Safeway on the 1800 block of Bay Street, SE. Two days after the last incident, he was charged with unlawful entry on Sept. 27 for an incident that occurred at a different Safeway on the 1100 block of 4th Street, SW.

Chambers’ next court date is scheduled for Sept. 2.

Defendant Accepts ‘Very Generous’ Plea Offer

A defendant accepted a plea deal in exchange for reduced charges on July 7. He was sentenced to time in jail.

Yusef Barrie was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm on Dec. 16, 2019, for assault with a dangerous weapon. Two days earlier, at around 4:30 p.m., Barrie allegedly pulled out and discharged the weapon during a verbal argument on the 800 block of O Street, NW. No injuries were reported.

On Jan. 31, Barrie pleaded guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession. The deal would require Barrie to serve a straight time sentence due to his criminal history and the seriousness of crime.

During sentencing, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe said the prosecution was offering “a very generous plea offer” for Barrie’s “unbelievable lack of judgement.”

Barrie was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for the attempted assault charge. He was also sentenced to one year and 6 months for the unlawful possession charge. The sentences are set to run concurrently.

Judge Orders Competency Assessment for Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge reviewed a defendant’s initial competency report on July 8 and ordered a full competency assessment.

Bradley Middleton was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on June 10. He was arrested on June 9 after a witness told police that he threatened her with a knife.

DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker scheduled another mental observation hearing for Aug. 11.

Document: Judge Releases Defendant Charged with Assault

On July 7, a DC Superior Court judge released a defendant who was charged with assault during his initial hearing after finding probable cause.

Delonte Richardson, 47, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. He was arrested earlier that day for an incident on the 1900 block of 23rd Street, SE on May 10.

The attorney refuted probable cause, saying there was no description of the altercation, a weapon was not found and Richardson was not in the location that the witness said he was in.

Defense counsel said there was no corroborating evidence of the witness’s account of what happened. It “doesn’t make sense, at least to me,” the lawyer said.

According to court documents, Richardson’s friend said the defendant sucker punched him and shot at his car. Police recovered three shell casings. It seems as though Richardson was trying to get a ride from the victim before the confrontation occurred.

The defendant was released on personal recognizance. He must stay away from the victim and the 1900 block of 23rd Street, NE.

Richardson’s criminal history includes a felony conviction for possession with the intent to distribute in Fairfax, Va. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison, but 7 years and 6 months were suspended.

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Crime Alerts: July 7-8

Between 8 p.m. on July 7 and 8 a.m. on July 8, the Metropolitan Police Department sent out four crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent at 7:51 a.m. for a robbery investigation on the 3700 block of D Street, SE. Police are looking for three Black males. Two of the suspects are wearing black jackets and black jeans. The third suspect is wearing a green jacket. All three have hooded sweatshirts.

Another alert for a robbery with a gun went out at 3:29 a.m. on the 1200 block of 1st Street, SE. Police are looking for a Black male with a dark complexion and dreads. He is wearing a black shirt, ripped blue jeans and black Adidas pants. He was last seen going east near the Anacostia river.

An alert for an attempted robbery was sent at 3:01 a.m. on the 1300 block of Florida Avenue, NE. Police are looking for a Black female, thin build, in her 20s. She is wearing a black shirt and black leggings with a white stripe down the side. They are also looking for a Black male wearing all dark clothing, riding a scooter.

The final alert was sent at 12:08 a.m. for a shooting on the 5000 block of Queens Stroll Place, SE. Police are looking for a Black male, tall, thin build. He is wearing all dark clothing,

Anyone with information on these events should call 911.

Judge Holds Defendant Charged With Unlawful Possession of A Firearm

A DC Superior Court judge decided against releasing a defendant on July 7.

On Aug, 8, 2019, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers confronted Haile Wade at the intersection of 5th and E Street, NW after finding an unregistered handgun with a 17-round magazine in his car, according to court documents. He resisted arrest when officers discovered cocaine, amphetamines and opioids.

A jury found him guilty of unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest on Nov. 22, 2019. He was sentenced to serve nearly seven months in jail plus one year of supervised probation.

On June 23, Wade was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. He was detained at DC jail, where he is currently being held.

During the July 7 probation show cause hearing, Judge Michael O’Keefe ruled that the defendant will remain in jail, as he was not present for the hearing.

Wade’s next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7.

Judge Releases Defendant Charged With Threat to Kidnap And Injure

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant charged with threat to kidnap and injure.

DeAngelo Washington’s probation officer said that the defendant violated his probation after receiving his sentence on July 9, 2019, and failed to report to drug testing prior to it becoming unavailable during the pandemic. He also has not been in contact by phone with pretrial services for about four months.

Defense attorney Isaac Kunnirickal explained that the phone his client registered with the court, which belonged to Washington’s mother, broke and could not have been fixed easily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kunnirickal also said that Washington’s GPS tracking device somehow remained active throughout the period during when pretrial services could not reach him by phone, showing he probably had no intention to flee.

Judge Robert Okun sided with the defense and released the defendant so he could continue with his probation.

Washington’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 11.

Another Hearing Scheduled to Discuss Plea Deal

DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker granted July 7 a defense attorney’s request to schedule another hearing.

On May 5, Victor Davis was charged with prison breach for fleeing the Hope Village Community Corrections halfway house. On Aug. 5, 2019, the defendant was transferred from the DC Department of Corrections to the halfway house. He arrived at the halfway house that evening and the staff did not give him permission to leave, according to court documents.

Defense attorney Lucas Dansie asked that the judge continue the case so that he and the prosecutor can use a courtroom that is more equipped to deal with plea deals.

A report revealed that, at about 10:50 p.m., the defendant was missing from the halfway house. An employee counted the residents twice and checked the defendant’s room, but he could not be found.

The defendant is being held at DC Jail and is scheduled to appear back in court on July 23.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release Request

DC Superior Court Judge Julie Becker denied July 7 a release request for a defendant charged with assault.

Javon Hale is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing an Uber driver at the Walmart on H Street, NW. The driver told Hale that he would have to cancel the ride he and his company ordered since not everyone could fit in the car due to COVID-19 restrictions, according to court documents. The defendant allegedly assaulted the driver out of anger.

The victim tried to get away from the defendant by running into the Walmart. The defendant allegedly followed the victim inside the store and continued assaulting him again.

Hale is also captured on surveillance footage shows allegedly stabbing the victim.

Hale attempted to flee the scene but Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers caught and arrested him.

The defense is waiting to receive the new found evidence and the victim’s medical records in order to reach a decision on a plea agreement. While waiting for the information, defense attorney James Williams asked that his client be released.

Judge Becker denied the defendant’s release due to the nature of the crime.

The defendant is scheduled to appear back in court on Aug. 12.

Document: Police Investigate Triple Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the homicides of two men and a woman that occurred on the 5000 block of Bass Place, SE.

According to a press release, 56-year-old Claudette Williams, 29-year-old Marquise Lewis and 20-year-old Juwan Wade were shot just after 1 a.m. on July 7. All three victims died on the scene.

The department is offering up to a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case or any other homicide case in Washington, DC. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may also be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line — 50411.

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Judge Reschedules Hearing for Man Charged With Armed Burglary

On July 7, a DC Superior Court judge rescheduled a bond review hearing for a defendant charged with first-degree burglary.

On March 28, Antione Pierce allegedly broke into his girlfriend’s neighbor’s apartment on the 1600 block of 17th Street, SE and took jewelry while armed with a handgun.

Pierce was initially absent from the courtroom but eventually called in, saying he did not know his hearing was rescheduled from an earlier date.

The prosecution wanted Pierce to receive GPS monitoring and a stay away order to provide a sense of security to the victim, who has not returned to his apartment since the burglary occurred.

The complainant asked in a letter that these conditions be put in place, which had not been after an initial ruling by Judge Juliet McKenna on March 30.

Defense attorney Sellano Simmons argued that GPS monitoring would do nothing to alleviate fear, as the complainant himself would not be able to see where Pierce is. He said a stay away order would be enough, considering his client has fully cooperated with the court since his arrest.

The prosecution disagreed, saying the complainant would feel more secure knowing Pierce is being tracked by law enforcement. He also said Pierce probably would not have been released had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given Simmons had only been assigned to Pierce’s case shortly before the hearing. Judge Michael O’Keefe said that he ought to have more time to talk with the defendant and collect information on the case.

The hearing is scheduled to continue on July 8.

Judge Holds 5 Defendants During Initial Hearings

On July 7, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge James Crowell held five defendants, releasing 19.

Of those released, two did not have charges filed against them.

Michael Austin was held by Judge Crowell. Austin is charged with the second-degree murder of Kayvon Kinney, which occurred on May 24 on the 1800 block of Gainesville Street, SE.

The prosecution asked for a hold, referring to Austin as a “flight risk” because he was arrested in Georgia after visiting his child and former romantic partner in New Jersey. According to Austin’s attorney, Austin had no idea that there was a warrant out for his arrest.

When presented before a judge in Atlanta, Austin was released and ordered to return to DC because the judge found the information of the offense to be largely circumstantial. Austin returned to DC and turned himself into authorities the next day.

“These are not the actions of someone who is guilty,” Austin’s attorney said.

The defense also questioned a lot of the evidence in Austin’s case.

The defense said there was no weapon or video evidence from the alleged shooting. The attorney also said the description of Austin on the night of the shooting varies greatly because Austin does not drive the car that was present at the scene. The shirt that Austin was accused of wearing while committing the crime was never recovered.

Kinney’s girlfriend was also unable to identify Austin from photographs.

The defense also brought up some of Austin’s medical issues that could pose problems, including asthma and an actively bleeding stomach ulcer. The issues could be problematic because of the coronavirus while he is being held in DC Jail.

Judge Crowell still held Austin, saying that he cannot guarantee the safety of the community. Austin is scheduled for another hearing on Aug. 19 to discuss the status of his case.

Ambakisye Burrell was also held by Judge Crowell, but only after Burrell openly and willingly refused to comply with his release conditions. Burrell is charged with unlawful entry onto private property.

Judge Crowell initially agreed to release Burrell so long as he agreed to stay away from the 5th district Metropolitan Police Department precinct.

Burrell immediately started arguing with Judge Crowell, demanding that MPD officers “give him back his property” in order for him to stay away from the precinct. When Judge Crowell stated that Burrell must do this through his attorney, Burrell became even more agitated and stated that, if released today, he would immediately return to the precinct for his belongings.

Judge Crowell decided to hold Burrell after he started screaming about suing the DC government.

A defendant was charged with second-degree child sex abuse. The prosecution requested that he be held because he had previously been on supervised release and re-offended with children.

The defense attorney said the defendant should be released because the victim was unable to identify Morgan and there was no footage to prove that he was the assailant. The attorney said the defendant has been working towards receiving treatment for his sexual offenses.

The prosecution then said the defendant’s last offense had also been in a metro station with a 16 year old, and that prior cases have also included children between the ages of 12 to 16.

Judge Crowell decided to hold the defendant, saying he believes the defendant would be a danger to the community if he was released.

Judge Crowell cited the defendant’s prior experience with probation, in which he followed children home from schools, masturbated in front of them and tried to get them to have sex with him.

DeAngelo Wilkins was arrested on a warrant from the state of Maryland on July 7.

The warrant was filed on July 3, and the underlying charge in Wilkins’ case is robbery. Wilkins was already on probation for five years when the warrant was filed. Judge Crowell held Wilkins, agreeing with the prosecution that the underlying charge makes him dangerous to the community.

Finally, Judge Crowell decided to hold another defendant in a fugitive matter. Shaykh Abdul-Majid was arrested on a warrant from Maryland that was issued on July 7. The underlying charge is first-degree assault.

The prosecution requested a hold, citing the fact that Abdul-Majid also has robbery charges.

Judge Crowell said Abdul-Majid is a danger to the community, deciding to hold him until July 10, the deadline for Maryland officials to retrieve him.

Judge Crowell said that if Maryland officials do not retrieve Abdul-Majid, the matter would proceed in DC court.

There were five domestic violence cases. One was a violation of a Civil Protection Order (CPO) from 2007 and the defendant was released with a court date in October. The other four domestic violence cases included simple assault, contempt, destruction of property and violation of a CPO. All four defendants were released with stay-away orders.

Two additional defendants were charged with being fugitives from justice. Both defendants were released and instructed to turn themselves in to the respective jurisdictions.

Two co-defendants were charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance for allegedly selling crack cocaine to law enforcement personnel during a buy bust. Both defendants were released with stay-away orders from the 1400 block of N. Capitol Street, NW per the prosecution’s request.

There were five misdemeanor cases with charges of simple assault. Three of the defendants had additional charges. All five were released per the prosecution’s request with stay-away orders from the complainants. One defendant also had a CPO issued by the judge.

Two final misdemeanor cases were heard before Judge Cowell. One for an old bench warrant from January 2018. The defendant was released by the judge.

The other defendant was charged with threat to kidnap or injure a person and carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business. He was released with instructions to stay away from White House grounds.

One final felony case was heard where the defendant was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. The defendant allegedly punched his friend in the face and then shot his car three times. Judge Crowell released him with stay-away orders from the complainant and the associated location.

Judge Releases Defendant After Serving 23 Years in Prison

A DC Superior Court judge released a woman who was sentenced in 1997.

Judge Robert Okun granted the release of a defendant during a re-sentencing hearing. Her sentence was suspended with time served plus seven days, so that she can quarantine before leaving the prison.

Kimberly Montgomery was charged with mayhem while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault, simple assault, first-degree armed burglary and malicious disfigurement on Feb. 6, 1997. The defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov 25, 1997. She was sentenced to 15 years to life and one to three years on two other charges.

Montgomery filed a motion to have her sentenced reduced on May 27.

Judge Okun released Montgomery under the conditions that she seek mental health treatment, stay away from the victim and her son and complete three years of probation. Montgomery must reside with her daughter in DC until her probation is switched over to Maryland. Once the case is switched over, she must reside with her daughter in Maryland.

In 1997, the defendant waited at another young woman’s apartment for her to come home. Once the young lady arrived at her apartment, the defendant came from another apartment and threw acid in her face. At the time of the incident, the woman was with her son, who was not harmed. The victim has had multiple face surgeries and is permanently blind.

The victim appeared in court to make a victim impact statement. She believed the defendant should not be released from prison, and expressed how her life has changed tremendously since the incident and how it was a very evil thing for the defendant to do to her. She asked that the defendant stay away from her and have no knowledge of her address.

Montgomery is scheduled to be released from prison on July 14.

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