Judge Releases Defendant Charged with Carrying Pistol Without License

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant on June 9.

Isaac Onazi is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business and possessing a large capacity ammunition feeding device.

According to court documents, Onazi was arrested after a firearm was discovered on his person after being searched by an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department. At the time of arrest, Onazi was under the age of 21 and could not legally possess a firearm.

Despite the objections from the prosecutor, Judge Robert Okun, who presided over the hearings on behalf of Judge Erik Christian, allowed Onazi to be released under high intensity supervision program (HISP).

Onazi’s defense attorney, Michael Bruckheim, also motioned for the case to be dismissed, which Okun denied.

Onazi’s next court date is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Judge Releases Defendant After He Violated Release Conditions

A DC Superior Court judge allowed a defendant to be released again after violating his release conditions.

Dennis Byrd is awaiting sentencing for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business.

In March, Judge Rainey Brandt released Byrd to home confinement under high intensity supervision program (HISP). He did not comply with his release conditions, and therefore had to return to court.

Brandt allowed Byrd to be released to home confinement under HISP once again. However, she strictly ordered him to comply with the conditions of his release this time.

Byrd’s next court date is scheduled for June 26.

Judge Sentences Defendant to 6 Months

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant to six months all of which was suspended.

Dominique Jefferson pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault. As part of the plea agreement, his other charges were dropped.

Jefferson will not spend any time in jail for the charges. However, he will spend three years on probation.

As part of his probation, Judge Neal Kravitz required Jefferson to receive mental health and substance abuse counseling and complete 45 hours of community service. He was also given a stay away order.

Judge Holds Defendant Charged with Burglary

A DC Superior Court judge ruled to keep a defendant in jail on June 9.

Randolph David Jr. is charged with second-degree burglary for an incident that occurred at an Enterprise on the and Maven, a car sharing service on the 90th block of H Street, NE.

Judge Judith Smith instructed Amy Phillips, David’s defense attorney, to consult with the Public Defender Service to see if funds could be used to purchase wearable devices.

David’s next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 6.

Judge Releases Murder Defendant

A defendant, who had already been denied release twice before, was granted release under high intensity supervision program (HISP) on June 9.

Andre Dubose is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Ahmad Simms, a 37-year-old resident of Southeast, DC. He is accused of allegedly using a wooden object to kill Simms.

As part of his release conditions, Dubose will live with his mother under 24-hour home confinement.

Dubose has been held in jail pending a grand jury trial since July 17 of last year. Joseph Wong, the defendant’s defense attorney, also raised concerns over Dubose’s stage two hypertension and the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even though a family member of Simms argued against Dubose’s release, expressing discontent with the judge factoring in health circumstances when considering if they should release him.

Judge Neal Kravitz said that it is appropriate to consider health issues. He said the larger factors in his decision to release Dubose was the length of time the defendant had been held in jail while awaiting trial along with the limited evidence in the case.

DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman denied Dubose’s emergency motion for release due to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 27. On May 8, DC Superior Court Judge Judge Kravitz denied his renewed motion for release.

Document: Police Investigate Traffic Fatality at Northeast Intersection

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating a traffic crash that occurred on June 8.

According to a press release, a vehicle traveling on the 2800 block of New York Avenue, NE struck another vehicle.

The vehicle continued to travel through the intersection of New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road where it collided with two additional vehicles.

First responders arrived at the scene and transported the operator of the striking vehicle, 73-year-old Doris Turner, a resident of Northeast, DC, to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

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Document: Pedestrian Dies After Being Hit by Vehicle in Takoma

On the evening of June 8, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on the 7000 block of Piney Branch Road, NW.

Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department identified the victim as Timothy Abbott, 21, who was a resident of Northwest, DC.

A DC police spokeswoman told the Washington Post that Abbot was struck in a crosswalk.

The spokeswoman also said the driver stopped and waited for the police to arrive. When Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene, Abbot was pronounced dead.

The crash remains under investigation.

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Document: Homicide in Anacostia

A 21-year old woman was fatally shot during the early morning hours on June 9.

According to a press release, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of a shooting on the 1600 block of W Street, SE. At the location, officers found 21-year-old Kamonie Edwards, a resident of Southeast DC, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

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

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Crime Alerts: June 8-9

Between the hours of 8 p.m. on June 8 and 8 a.m. on June 9, the Metropolitan Police Department sent out three crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent out at 1:59 a.m. on June 9 for a shooting on the 1600 block of W Street, SE. The shooting resulted in the death of 21-year-old Kamonie Edwards, a resident of Southeast, DC.

A few hours before at 10:54 p.m. on June 8, the police sent out an alert of a stabbing on the 1300 block of Half Street, SE. police are looking for a black male with a light complexion who is in his 30s.

Another stabbing alert was sent at 9:07 p.m. The incident occurred on the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE.

Judge Releases Several Defendants During Initial Hearings

A DC Superior Court judge heard approximately 31 presentment hearings on June 8, allowing several defendants to be released while awaiting trial.

Many of the releases Judge Rainey Brandt granted included stay away orders.

Brandt released 20 defendants, postponed one case and held eight defendants in jail. She also ordered two defendants to turn themselves into authorities in other jurisdictions.

Devon Young Jr., who is charged with first-degree child sex abuse, and Isaac Onazi, who is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, were among those held in detention.

There were also some instances of disruptive behavior, including one defendant yelling expletives at the judge.

A wide range of charges were brought before the court, including sexual assault, illegal weapon possession and drug offenses.

While there were defendants who attended their hearings in person, most attended virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Defendant Being Held At St. E Offered Plea

The prosecution offered June 8 a defendant who is currently being held at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution, a plea deal.

Joseph Chambers is charged with shoplifting, unlawful entry and a bail violation.

During the mental observation hearing, counsel agreed that Chambers should proceed with a mental exam before making any decisions on the prosecution’s offer.

Another mental observation hearing is scheduled for July 8. Chambers is expected to make a decision on the plea at the next hearing.

Judge Releases Defendant

On June 8, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt released a defendant charged with carjacking under the high intensity supervision program (HISP).

Marc Kirk is charged with unarmed carjacking, robbery and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

A stay away order is required as part of his release conditions. The conditions were not specified on the DC Courts website.

Judge Denies Release and Attorney Replacement Request in Murder Case

A DC Superior Court judge denied June 8 a murder defendant’s request to replace his attorney and for release.

Gabriel Brown is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tyrone Johnson, 24 on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Ave, SE. He is also charged with conspiracy, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, armed carjacking, unauthorized use of a vehicle, assault with significant bodily injury while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Brown expressed his upset with being kept out of general population and separated from his friend and the other defendant in Johnson’s death, Antonio Upshaw.

However, as Judge Todd Edelman pointed out, the separation order came from the Department of Corrections, not the court.

Brown also expressed his discontent with not being released thus far. He was charged with murder in March 2019.

Edelman argued that Kevin Irving, Brown’s defense attorney, appears to be doing everything he can for the defendant, denying the request for a new attorney.

Judge Sentences Defendant to 1 Year in Prison

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant who was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction to the mandatory minimum of one year in prison as well as three years on supervised release.

As part of a plea agreement, Tre’ Jackson’s other charges were dropped.

Judge Todd Edelman noted that Jackson, 26, has a lengthy criminal history that includes juvenile offenses; however, he has been cooperative, pleaded guilty, accepts responsibility for his actions and has not been convicted of any violent felonies.

As conditions of his supervised release, Jackson is required to obtain his GED, receive mental health counseling, obtain vocational training or employment and register as a firearms offender.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release Request

On June 8, DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman denied a defendant’s request to be released in light of health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Melvin Henderson is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, robbery and fourth-degree sex abuse.

Henderson has unsuccessfully requested release twice due to coronavirus related concerns in April and a request for release to go to a funeral in May.

He also withdrew his request to replace his attorney, Andrew Ain, his third court appointed lawyer.

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