Court Update: May 15

On May 15, judges at the DC Superior Courthouse did not release any inmates.

There were three hearings that were not in relation to emergency releases because of COVID-19.

Judges presided over a sentencing where a defendant will serve one year of probation. There were two probation show cause hearings, where one hearing was continued and the other did not occur.

One defendant was moved to a different unit in the jail.

Another defendant’s living conditions were addressed.

Two hearings were continued.

One hearing was rescheduled.

Judges denied three releases.

In total there were 10 defendants whose cases were heard on May 15. A majority of the cases were for bond review hearings. You can read about each case on dcwitness.org.

Crime Alerts: May 15

Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on May 15 the Metropolitan Police Department sent out two crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent out at 6:38 p.m. for a robbery that occurred on the unit block of Florida Avenue, NE. Police stopped the suspect.

An alert was also sent out at 3:58 p.m. for a shooting that occurred on 1300 block of Southern Avenue, SE.

Case Acquitted: Judge Decides to Hold Murder Defendant

This case was acquitted on Dec. 16, 2022.

A judge denied a murder defendant’s request for release.

Reginald Hooks is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Dy’Mani Priestley on the 1200 block of U Street, NW on Jan. 5.

Judge Michael Ryan informed Hooks on May 15 that his request for release was denied.

On May 12, parties were instructed to share information of Hooks’ medical condition.

Hooks was previously being treated at United Medical Center. The reason Hooks is in the hospital was not disclosed.

He motioned for release because of the COVID-19 pandemic on April 28.

Judge Danya Dayson initially denied the request on May 5.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 18.

Judge Sentences Assault Convict to Year of Probation

A man was sentenced on May 15.

Ronny Bonilla-Euceda pleaded guilty to simple assault and attempted assault with a dangerous weapon on March 6.

Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Bonilla-Euceda to one year of probation for his crimes. Bonilla-Euceda must also continue his mental health treatment while on probation.

Bonilla-Euceda was scheduled to be sentenced on July 17 but the hearing was vacated and moved up to May 15

Before sentencing, Bonilla-Euceda was moved out of the High Intensity Supervision Program and released on his own personal recognizance on April 3.

Murder Defendant’s Hearing Gets Rescheduled

A murder defendant’s bond review hearing gets rescheduled.

Eldred Watts is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting 33-year-old Zenus Epps on the 3500 block of A Street, SE on March 25.

Watt’s bond review hearing was vacated and rescheduled for May 20.

Watt’s filed an emergency motion for release on May 13 which was subsequently denied by Judge Michael O’Keefe on May 14.

DC Jail Inmates Test Positive for COVID-19 After Days of No New Cases

Four inmates at the DC Jail have tested positive for the coronavirus, the DC Department of Corrections (DC DOC) announced on May 15. Four days passed before new positive tests.

All four of the new cases are male ranging in age from 25 years old to 44 years old. The men were housed in the central detention facility (CDF). All of the inmates who have tested positive since April 20 have been housed in the CDF.

DC DOC stated that 29 inmates were in isolation and 147 inmates had returned to general population units inside the jail, as of May 15.

A total of 178 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus as of May 11. Of those inmates, 118 were housed in the central detention facility (CDF) and 62 at the correctional treatment facility (CTF) when they were diagnosed.

From May 11-May 14, there were no positive tests for COVID-19 at the jail,” Keena Blackmon, director of strategic communications and public information officer at DC DOC, told D.C. Witness in an email on May 15.

Four inmates, who tested positive for the virus, were transferred to a local hospital for treatment. One inmates has been released from the hospital since May 11.

The DC Jail also released four inmates who completed their sentences. Those inmates were provided with personal protective equipment, according to the DC DOC.

Editor’s note: This story was updated after the DC DOC announced that four more inmates tested positive for the virus on May 15.

Judge Asks DC Jail to Move Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge asked the Department of Corrections (DOC) to move an inmate to a different section of the DC Jail on May 15.

Kenneth Bloomfield is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Judge Michael Ryan requested that the DOC move Bloomfield to the correctional treatment facility section of the jail. The specifics as to why were not disclosed.

On May 14, Bloomfield’s motion to be released due to coronavirus was denied by Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Request for Release

A judge denied a defendant’s motion for release, again.

Kenneth Johnson is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

Johnson filed two petitions for release, one motion was denied on April 1 and the other ws denied on on May 8 by Judges Todd Edelman and James Crowell, respectively.

Judge Michael Ryan said that any more motions for release should be scheduled in front of the calendar judge.

On May 11 Judge Ryan granted Johnson’s request to attend a funeral. Under Judge Ryan’s orders, Johnson was released at noon on May 12 and returned back to custody by noon on May 13.

Johnson is scheduled for a felony status conference on June 17.

Judge Continues Hearing to Verify Defendant’s Address

A DC Superior Court judge rescheduled a bond review hearing so that pretrial services could verify a defendant’s address for release.

Michael Dudley is charged with simple assault, failure to register as a sex offender and destruction of property less than $1,000.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Judge Michael Ryan said he was thinking about releasing Dudley under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). Defense counsel needs to contact pretrial services to confirm that Dudley is eligible for the program.

The hearing is slated to occur on May 21.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release

A judge denied a defendant’s release on May 15.

Mykell Vincente is charged with assault with the intent to kill while armed for shooting a man on Jan. 23.

Judge Michael Ryan denied Vincente’s motion for release due to COVID-19, which was filed on March 31.

Vincente has been seen by other judges, who did not rule on the motion. Instead, the judges continued the hearing twice so that both parties could speak to a doctor about the defendant’s medical condition.

Vincente is scheduled for a felony status conference on July 9.

Crime Alerts: May 14-15

Between the hours of 8 p.m. on May 14 and 8 a.m. on May 15, the Metropolitan Police Department sent out five alerts.

All five alerts were for robberies that occurred in the District.

The most recent alert was sent out at 4:01 a.m. on May 15 for a robbery that occurred on the 1300 block of Good Hope Road, SE. Police are looking for two black males, both in their late teens, one wearing a white stripe shirt with a short hair cut. Both suspects are armed with guns. They were last seen leaving the seen in a white four-door sedan.

An alert was sent out at 12:42 a.m. for a robbery that happened on the 4900 block of 1st Street, NW. Police are looking for a 5’2″ black male wearing all black. He is armed with a gun.

On May 14 at 11:24 p.m., police sent out an alert for a robbery that took place on the 700 block of Girad Street, NW. Police are looking for three black males who are armed with guns.

Another alert was sent out at 11:11 p.m. for a robbery on the 3300 block of 6th Street, SE. Police are looking for three black males. The first suspect has long dreadlocks, around 6’1″ and is wearing a read shirt and black pants. Police do not have descriptions for the other suspects. All three men are armed.

At 10:57 p.m., there was an alert of a robbery/snatch incident on the 1000 block of New Jersey Avenue, SE. Police are looking for a black male, with medium skin complexion, wearing all black clothing an bright blue shoes. The suspect is between 25 and 30 years of age, 5’10″ with a slim build. He is believed to be around 160-170 pounds. He has a short haircut. The suspect was last seen running on the 1000 block of New Jersey Avenue, SE.

Court Update: May 14

On May 14, judges at the DC Superior Courthouse did not release any inmates.

There were eight hearings that were not in relation to emergency releases because of COVID-19. Three hearings were Youth Rehabilitation Act sentencings that did not get called. There were two probation hearings in which a bench warrant was issued and one hearing was continued.

Closing statements for a mental observation hearing are due on May 21. Two hearings were detained 24-hour forensic exams.

Judges denied four releases.

In total there were 12 defendants that had cases. A majority of the cases were for bond review hearings. You can read about each case on dcwitness.org.

Two Doctors Testify at Murder Defendant’s Mental Observation Hearing

Two doctors testified during a murder defendant’s mental observation hearing on May 14.

Alisa Randall, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 59-year-old Ronald Jones in an apartment on the 1300 block of Euclid Street, NW on July 15, 2019. Randall said Jones attacked her. She also said Jones sexually assaulted her daughter.

Two psychiatric doctor’s testified at Randall’s hearing, however, specifics as to what they said were not specified in court documents.

Randall has been held at Saint Elizabeth’s for more than a year without substantial progress.

The mental observation hearing was held at Fowler’s request in order to come to a competency resolution.

Closing arguments for the hearing are due on May 21.

Crime Alerts: May 14

Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on May 14, the Metropolitan Police Department dispatched two crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent out at 6:38 p.m. for a stabbing that occurred on the 4500 block of South Capitol Street, SE. Police are looking for a black male approximately 39 years old with a dark skin complexion, 6’1, wearing boxer shorts and a white t-shirt with a tattoo of “69” on his neck.

An alert was also sent out at 4:53 p.m. for a robbery that occurred at the intersection of 46th Street, NE and Kane Place, NE. Police are looking for three black men driving a four door white vehicle, possibly Toyota Corolla, with tinted windows and DC tags. One suspect was wearing a black shirt with blue jeans and armed with pistol.

Murder Defendant’s Sentencing Not Held

A sentencing that was scheduled to occur on May 14 was not held.

Cinquan Cartledge pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in the shooting of Orlando Silver III, 37, on the 1300 block of Howard Road, SE, in 2016. Cartledge was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit a robbery, robbery while armed, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Cartledge, who is now 25, is eligible for a YRA sentencing because he was 22 at the time of the crime. His sentencing on May 14 was not held or called.

Cartledge’s co-defendant, Marquette Tibbs, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on Feb. 5. Tibbs was acquitted of first-degree murder, robbery while armed and conspiracy to commit murder.

Tibbs is scheduled for a full report and sentencing on June 19.

Cartledge is scheduled for full report and sentencing on June 12.

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