Judge Holds Four Out of 31 Defendants During Initial Hearings

On Aug. 18, DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell released 27 defendants and held four in DC jail.

Deon Hardy was brought in on two cases. In one case, he was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (synthetic cannabinoid), and he was charged with GPS tampering in the other case. Judge Crowell released him on his two new cases, but he was held on a parole warrant.

Judge Crowell also held three defendants who were charged with being fugitives from justice in Maryland. Jujuan Thomas is, wanted on a sex offense. Khalil Grooms and Kenneth Sedgwick are wanted for homicide and homicide, respectively. They all waived their hearings in DC court for Maryland authorities to come pick them up within three business days.

There were five additional fugitive cases presented before the judge. Judge Crowell released four with orders to turn themselves in to the demadning jurisdictions, and he dismissed one of the cases because the defendant had already been released from police custody.

Three defendants who are charged with domestic violence were released by Judge Crowell with either stay-away orders or no harassing, assaultive, threatening or stalking (HATS) orders related to the alleged victims.

There were eight additional misdemeanor cases and three felony cases. All of the defendants were released with various release conditions.

Three defendants came in on bench warrants for failing to appear at their hearings. They were released by the judge with new court dates.

Two defendants came in on citations and were released with new court dates, as well.

Two defendants who have been hospitalized were still in the hospital, so their hearings were moved to Aug. 19.

Of those released, three did not have charges filed against them by the prosecution.

Defendant Has Until End of Week to Contact Pretrial Services

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt gave a defendant until Aug. 21 to get in touch with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA).

Lorenzo Brooks is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly chasing someone with a knife on the 2400 block of Washington Place, NE on July 7. Brooks was released from DC Jail on July 8 with a stay away order.

During the Aug. 18 hearing, a PSA officer said that Brooks has not contacted the agency since his release. The agency filed a notice of noncompliance on Aug. 7.

However, defense attorney Seth Shraeger said his client got in touch with the PSA on Aug. 13. Shraeger said Brooks did not understand his requirement to report to the agency on a weekly basis.

Brooks’ next hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2021.

Judge Releases Defendant from Home Confinement

A DC Superior Court judge ended a defendant’s home confinement and placed him under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP.)

Donnell Jones, 21, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly shooting at a crowd on the 1300 block of Columbia Road, NW on March 24. Jones’ co-defendant, Emon Flemming, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license in connection with the incident. Jones was held in DC Jail from March 24 until June 2, when he was released under home confinement stipulations.

During the Aug. 18 hearing, defense attorney Evan Parke asked Judge Rainey Brandt to downgrade his client’s pretrial release conditions so he could seek employment.

“Mr. Jones is seeking to get back to helping his family, bringing in some income,” Parke said. “His son was born while he was incarcerated, and he has a chance to help raise him under HISP.”

A Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) officer supported the request. The officer said that Jones has been compliant with his release conditions and the agency would be comfortable with releasing him under HISP.

Judge Brandt gave Jones a 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and ordered him to wear a GPS monitor.

Jones’ next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.

Judge Decides to Continue Defendant’s Detention Hearing

DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe continued a detention hearing after a defendant said he would like to accept a plea offer.

Rafeeq Porter is charged with simple assault for allegedly throwing a bowl of fruit at an employee at the Noma-Gallaudet University Metro Station on June 11. Porter is also charged with simple assault, second-degree theft, unlawful entry of private property, and destruction of property less than $1,000 in several ongoing misdemeanor cases.

On Aug. 18, Porter said he would waive his right to a detention hearing after expressing interest in a plea offer that would address all ongoing matters.

However, Porter has an open arrest warrant that has not been addressed in the plea offer. The prosecution asked for some time to consider the warrant and modify the offer.

Judge Michael O’Keefe continued the hearing to Aug. 25.

Defendant Sentenced for Felony Gun Offense

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant for carrying a pistol without a license.

Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Levite Lagarde to six months, all of which were suspended, plus two years of probation.

“He really has turned a chapter with his life,” defense attorney Stephen Brennwald said. “…I think he’s grown up a lot.”

In passing the sentence, Judge Salerno took into consideration how Lagarde has many arrests, but few convictions.

“You’re either a very lucky person or a very unlucky person,” he told the defendant.

Lagarde expressed his desire to make changes in his life during the Aug. 18 hearing.

“I was just hanging around the wrong people…my mind just wasn’t right,” he said.

Lagarde spoke about his interest in working construction; however, due to epilepsy, he cannot operate certain machinery.

As a condition of his probation, the defendant must obtain and maintain employment or get assistance in a vocational program.

Lagarde must also complete 30 hours of community service, register as a gun offender and pay $100 to the Victim of Violence Crime Compensation fund.

Crime Alerts: August 17-18

Between 9 p.m. on Aug. 17 and 9 a.m. on Aug. 18, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent out five crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent at 2:59 a.m. for a robbery on the 1700 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).

An alert for a shooting was sent at 1:35 a.m. on the 400 block of 13th Street, NE. Police are looking for a black SUV last seen heading eastbound on the 1300 block of D Street, NE.

An alert for an armed carjacking investigation was sent at 12:23 a.m. on the 500 block of 55th Street, NE. Police are looking for a 2020 white, 4-door Toyota Corolla with Maryland plates 26812CJ.

An alert for a shooting was sent at 10:51 p.m. on the 1100 block of 3rd Street, SW. Police are looking for a red SUV.

The final alert, sent at 10:26 p.m., was for a shooting on the 1700 block of S Street, SE. Police do not have a description of the suspect(s).

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

Crime Alerts: August 17

The Metropolitan Police Department sent out four crime alerts since the afternoon on August 17..

The most recent alert was sent at 5:05 p.m. for am armed carjacking on the 5300 block of East Capital Street, SE. Police are looking for a 2020 Silver 4-door sedan with a Maryland Tag: 3ED8945.

At 5 p.m., police sent out an alert of a shooting investigation at the 62nd Street and Banks Place, NE. Police do not have a description of the suspect.

At 4:37 p.m., police sent out an alert for a robbery investigation on the 1300 block of 5th Street, NE. Police are looking for two suspects. The fist suspect is a black male, who was not wearing a shirt and armed with a gun. The second suspect is a black male who was wearing a colorful shirt. The suspects were last seen headed northbound on 6th Street, fleeing in a White Hyundai Accent possibly bearing Maryland tags.

At 2:47, an alert was sent out for a shooting investigation at 200 block of 51ST Street, NE. An adult male was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the left hand. The victim is conscious and breathing. Police do not have a description of the suspect.

If anyone has information on any of these incidents, please call 911.

Document: Young Adult Dies After Fatal Shooting in Langdon Neighborhood

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are investigating an Aug. 9 shooting that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old.

Richard Bangura, a resident of Northeast, DC, was found in a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound on the 2400 block of Franklin Street, NE.

Offices responded to a report of the shooting just before 7 p.m. Bangura was taken to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. He died on Aug.16.

There have been 20 homicide victims in Ward 5 so far in 2020, including Bangura, and he is the second victim from the block. According to D.C. Witness data, 17 of the homicides were from shootings, two were vehicular homicides and one was trauma done to an infant.

The department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in the District of Columbia. If anyone has information, please call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the Text Tip Line — 50411.

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Document: Traffic Accident in SE Neighborhood Turns Fatal

A traffic fatality on Aug. 15 killed a 54-year-old man who resided in Northeast, DC.

The Metro Police Department reported that Wayne Watkins, was operating a Ford Explorer at approximately 2:51 a.m. on the 2700 block of South Capitol Street, SE when he hit a rail that caused his vehicle to rollover.

DC Fire and Medical Services responded to the scene and pronounced Watkins dead before transporting him to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Anyone who has knowledge of this incident should call police at 202-727-9099 or text a tip to the Department’s Text Ti[ Line — 50411.

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Judge Continues Three Cases

On Aug. 17, a DC Superior Court judge continued three defendants’ cases.

Deswon Franklin is charged with simple assault and second-degree theft for allegedly punching a victim and stealing an airpod case on May 27 on the 1000 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.

Franklin’s attorney, Everald Thompson, said the prosecution has extended a plea offer and requested that the status hearing be continued.

Judge Robert Okun agreed, continuing the hearing to Sept. 1.

Ismael Hernandez is charged with simple assault and possession of a prohibited weapon for allegedly having a knife and assaulting and threatening a victim on the 3100 block of Mount Pleasant Street, NW on June 11.

At the request of defense attorney Miguel Serrano, Judge Okun scheduled a detention hearing for Aug. 26.

Cedric Moore is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly shooting at a group of people who were walking in a crosswalk at the intersection of Alabama Avnue and 13th Street, SE on June 22.

Moore was scheduled to address an emergency bond review motion on Aug. 17. However, Judge Okun indicated that the case judge should preside over the matter.

Defense attorney Quo Judkins has reached out to Judge Michael O’Keefe’s chambers and will follow up to schedule a hearing.

Judge Sentences Defendant

On Aug. 17, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant after he entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Tony Prunty pleaded guilty to contempt, second-degree theft, simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm.

As part of the plea deal, the prosecution dismissed three of his other cases, in which he was charged with unlawful entry onto private property, destruction of property less than $1,000, second-degree theft, attempted threats to do bodily harm and threats to kidnap or injure a person.

On March 22, Prunty, 29, threatened a CVS employee on the 1000 block of Connecticut Avenue, saying, “Bitch, I will punch you. I am martial law and I can take what I want,” according to court documents.

That same day, Prunty returned to an establishment on the 1200 block of 1st Street, NE, from which he had been ordered to stay away. He also pepper sprayed a victim on the 400 block of 14th Street, NW.

On April 10, he stole from a CVS on the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and threatened an employee.

Prunty is homeless and has bipolar schizophrenia, according to his defense attorney Derrick Page. Page said the defendant self medicated with street drugs and alcohol, which he said “led to the sort of spiraling out of self-control.”

Page said he did not want to excuse his client’s actions, but said “I just want to keep all the judgements of him in the context of a young man who is on the street without the necessities that we may take for granted.”

Judge Robert Okun sentenced Prunty to 120 days, 60 of which were suspended, for attempted threats. He gave the defendant the same sentenced for each of his three simple assault charges and his second-degree theft charge.

Prunty’s sentences will run consecutive, but his probation will run concurrent for all the convictions.

Conditions of his probation include substance abuse assessments and a mental health screening and evaluation.

“I hope you are able to turn things around once you are released,” Judge Okun said.

This article was written by Andrea Keckley.

Judge Continues to Hold Defendant Charged with Second-Degree Murder

On Aug. 17, a DC judge declined to release a 25-year-old defendant charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Micah Bidgell was arrested and charged with the murder of 18-year-old Marquis Harrod. Bidgell allegedly shot Harrod twice from the driver’s seat of a black, 2-door Honda Accord on June 6 on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE.

During the hearing on Aug. 17, the prosecutor and Bidgell’s defense attorney, Peter Fayne, cross-examined Detective Kevin Decker, who is the lead investigator on the case.

Decker confirmed the investigation into Bidgell began from video surveillance footage from inside Quick Trip 24, a convenience store located on the same block as the homicide and outside a liquor store that is also located on the block.

From stills of the footage, Decker created a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) for both the suspect and the vehicle of interest involved in the shooting. Per Decker’s testimony and the police report filed, he was contacted by another MPD officer who identified the suspect as Bidgell.

Decker said he compared the photos from the BOLO to photos of Bidgell’s Instagram account and found several matching articles of clothing, including black sunglasses, a Gucci hat, distinct shoes, a watch, a chain worn around the neck and a rectangular-shaped keychain.

In addition, a car that matched the description of the vehicle in the video footage was found burnt a day after the homicide. According to Decker, the owner of the vehicle had been out of town during the homicide and was unaware of anyone using it.

The owner told Decker that he knew Bidgell and had given him permission to drive the car at another date while he was out of town.

The prosecution asked Decker about the stippling found on Harrod, which is residue found on subjects when a shot his fired at close range. Decker confirmed the medical examiner found stippling.

The prosecutor said the stippling is consistent with the theory that the shooter was in the driver’s seat of the car.

Fayne confirmed there were no witnesses to the murder, and he also confirmed that Decker received an email on June 9 from Keith Parker, an employee of the Court Supervision and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), suggesting the suspect in the BOLO could be another individual, who Parker is currently supervising.

Also, Decker said he never interviewed Parker further on his recommendation, but he reviewed photos of the individual and said he did not believe it was the person involved in the homicide.

Decker also confirmed that there was at least one other individual in the car. The detective said the individual, who was in the passenger seat, could have fired the gun. However, Decker said it was more likely that the driver of the vehicle fired the gun given the stippling.

When Fayne asked Decker why the man in the passenger seat had not been arrested as well, Decker said it was because he had not been identified.

Due to these facts, Fayne argued for DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson to not find probable cause and to release Bidgell into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) while his case is pending.

Judge Dayson did find probable cause.

But, she said she could not find a substantial probability that the evidence showed Bidgell was the shooter.

Judge Dayson also declined the defense’s request for release into HISP, citing a gun possession conviction and another firearms offense that he was on supervision for when the alleged offense took place.

Bidgell’s next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.

Judge Keeps Defendant at DC Jail

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

Antonio McCoy is charged with robbery for allegedly stealing a purse and cell phone from a victim on March 13 on the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NW. He is also charged with second-degree theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon in connection with an incident that occurred May 3 on the 700 block of Florida Avenue, NE. During the incident McCoy allegedly stole items from an ambulance.

Defense attorney Cheline Schroeder told the judge that the prosecution has extended a plea offer on July 27.

Judge Robert Okun continued the Aug. 17 hearing to Sept. 2 so defense council could have more time to go over the plea with the defendant.

Schroeder asked Judge Okun to release McCoy into the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) pending his next hearing. She pointed out that her client can live with a relative and has employment with a construction company.

Judge Okun denied the request, citing the defendant’s lack of compliance with HISP in the past.

Police Search for Vehicle Connected to Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department notified the public that they were searching for a vehicle that was connected to a homicide on Aug. 10.

According to a press release, police are searching for a 2018 silver Toyota Corolla with the DC tag number FS2584. The vehicle does not have hubcaps on the passenger side.

The vehicle is connected to the shooting of 17 year-old Taijhon Wyatt, Jr. on the 5500 block of 9^th Street, NW. The teenager died on the scene.

Another male victim sustained a gunshot wound as well. He was treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

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

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Judge Releases All But One Defendant During Initial Hearings

On Aug. 17, DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell released 31 defendants and held one defendant in DC Jail.

Armando Rodriguez was charged with two cases, one for unlawful entry of private property and one for destruction of property less than $1,000. Judge Crowell released Rodriguez on his two new cases, but he was held on a separate parole matter.

Of those released, three did not have charges filed against them by the prosecution.

13 defendants charged with domestic violence-related cases were heard by Judge Crowell. He released all of them, including a defendant who has tested positive for COVID-19. Judge Crowell was going to put him on GPS monitoring, but due to his status, he was released with a stay-away from the alleged victim only.

Seven misdemeanor cases were presented before Judge Crowell, with most of them involving simple assault, attempted threats to do bodily harm or unlawful entry. All were released and most were given stay-away orders.

There were five felony cases involving contempt, carrying a pistol without a license, robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. Three of the defendants were given stay-away orders and one defendant was put on home confinement with GPS monitoring.

Judge Crowell released a defendant charged with a traffic offense and a defendant charged with possession of an unregistered firearm through the District Court.

One defendant was brought in on a bench warrant for failing to appear and was released by Judge Crowell with a new court date.

Two defendants were still hospitalized, so their hearings were moved to Aug. 18. One was charged with assault on a police officer and has been in the hospital since Aug. 12. The other is charged with second-degree theft and has been in the hospital since July 20.