Judge Says it Would be “Comical” To Trust Witness

During the first week of a murder trial, a judge said believing an eyewitness to the crime would be “comical.”

Dajuan Jones, 19, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 26-year-old Cheyenne Washington on the 4400 block of E Street, SE in July of 2018. Jones is also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license with a prior felony, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

The eyewitness to the crime, who was taking his bike off a bus as the gun was shot, has repeatedly contradicted himself, according to DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz.

The witness first told police that the suspect’s back was to him and he couldn’t see the murder weapon. But, during his testimony on March 3, he said that he could see the gun, but he “couldn’t be sure” of its color.

However, during his testimony on March 2 and 3, the witness repeatedly said that the gun appeared “silver or chrome colored.”

This witness also testified in front of a grand jury that he could see the side of the suspect’s cheek.

On March 3, the witness said he could only see the back of his neck. He described the shooter as “heavyset, about 200 pounds,” which did not match Jones’ description at the time of the crime, according to photos from the defendant’s Instagram account.

“Unequivocally believing what he says would be comical,” Judge Kravitz told counsel.

This article was written by MiriYam Judd and Wyatt Mullins

Case Acquitted: Judge Removes Murder Defendant’s Attorneys

This case has been acquitted.

During a status hearing on Feb. 28, a judge removed defense attorneys from a homicide case due to a conflict of interest.

Cedric Selinus Alexander, also known as Tony White, 47, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed with a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for allegedly shooting Daquan Hooks, 38, on March 23, 2017, on 1900 block of 13th Street., SE.

Alexander’s attorneys, Jacqueline Cadman and Roderick Thompson, said they may have a conflict of interest and, if so, could not continue to represent Alexander.

The nature of the conflict was not explained.

The prosecution said he found it to be surprising that defense counsel would choose to withdraw from a case they’ve had for 1.5 years with only a few months before trial.

“I like these lawyers and I don’t want new ones”, said Alexander.

The defendant spoke to Cadman and Thompson, saying it was not in his best interest to throw in another lawyer. “I don’t like this at all”, said Alexander.

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck said her decision was not based on whether Alexander wanted to retain counsel.

After a call between the US Attorneys Office and the Public Defender’s Service, Judge Beck decided that the conflict was too great for Cadman, Thompson or anyone in the Public Defender’s Service could represent him.

According to Leah H. Gurowitz, director of media and public relations at DC Superior Court and DC Court of Appeals, if the Public Defender’s Service is conflicted, they do not take the case and instead a Criminal Justice Act Attorney is assigned to it. She told D.C. Witness March 4 that it is not unusual, especially in co-defendant cases.

Judge Beck also said she would inquire about whether she could make arrangements with someone on the criminal justice panel to represent Alexander.

Alexander’s trial date is subject to change depending on who his new defense attorneys would be.

Alexander is scheduled for an ascertainment of counsel on March. 6.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso.

‘Everything Was Wiped Clean With bleach,’ Witness Says

During a preliminary hearing on March 4, an expert witness testified that the murder scene was wiped down and cleaned with bleach before the Metropolitan Police Department was able to search.

Thomas Fields Jr., 36, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 24-year-old Marquita Lucas on the 3700 block of Horner Place, SE on Aug. 17.

“What was going on in the house before the search after the search warrant was conducted,” a prosecutor asked a Metropolitan Police Department detective.

“Everything was cleaned with bleach,” the detective replied.

Defense attorney, Ronald B. Resetarits, asked DC Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson if there was anyway she would consider releasing Fields to a halfway house instead of sending him back to prison.

“I will continue the detention of Fields,” Judge Dayson said. “We cannot guarantee the safety of the public or of the witnesses if he is released at this time.”

Judge Dayson said there is enough evidence in the prosecution’s case, including two witnesses and evidence that the defendant had a violent relationship with the victim, to find probable cause.

A felony status conference is set on May 8.

This article was written by Jailynn Caraballo and Naysha Carrasquillo.

Judge Grants Defense’s Request to Continue Hearing

During a preliminary hearing on March 4, a defense attorney requested a continuance in order to go through all of the evidence material.

Jaykell Mason, 20, is charged with first-degree murder while armed with a firearm for allegedly shooting Terence Dantzler, 29, on Feb. 13, 2020, on the 700 block of 8th Street, NW.

Mason’s defense attorney, Ieshaah Murphy told DC Superior Court Judge Todd E. Elderman that she needed a continuance in order to go through all the material.

Murphy said the prosecution sent a lot of material the previous evening.

She also said the defense, despite the large volume of evidence, were still waiting for the rest of the material.

The prosecution did not object to the request for a continuance.

The prosecutor also said that as soon as he had all the testing results and evidence, he would send it to the defense.

Judge Edelman continued the hearing to give counsel time to properly prepare.

Mason’s rescheduled preliminary hearing is set to occur on April. 1.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso.

Murder Defendant Rejects Plea Deal

During a preliminary hearing on March. 4, a murder defendant rejected a plea deal, and the parties discussed the relevance of a peice of the discovery.

Clinton Womack, 27, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and burglary while armed for allegedly shooting Terry Crutchfield, 45, on Dec. 6, 2016, on the 1500 block of Olive St., NE.

The parties told DC Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman that Womack had been offered a plea deal second-degree murder. According to the terms of the deal, Womack could be sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Womack rejected the plea deal.

The prosecutor told Judge Edelman that he was still in the process of retesting ballistic evidence. He said he would send the results to the defense as soon as he received them.

The prosecutor also said he may need to ask for a later trial in order to have all his arguments and ballistic reports ready.

The prosecutor said he was only testing one casing because it was the only piece of evidence the crime scene.

There is no biological evidence in the case.

The prosecutor also said a gun, which he believed was Womack’s, would also be introduced into evidence. Apparently the gun was found in the defendant’s brother’s vehicle in South Carolina.

However, Womack’s attorney, Steven R Kiersh, told the Judge Edelman that it made no sense to bring the gun into evidence because there were too many dissimilarities between the gun and the casing from the scene. Kiersh said the gun didn’t match the casing.

Kiersh also said there was nothing linking the gun to Womack because it was found in another state after the defendant was arrested.

Judge Edelman told the prosecution that while he understands there are issues with the ballistics testing, he did not understand the relevance of the gun.

Womack is scheduled for a motions hearing on April. 1.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso.

Judge Encourages Parties to Wait Before Choosing Trial Date

During a felony arraignment on March 3, a Washington, DC Superior Court judge encouraged counsel to wait until they knew whether or not the case would go to trial before scheduling a date.

Travis Russell, 35, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Michael Hooker, 44, on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE on May 26.

Mani Golzari, Russell’s defense attorney, waived the reading of Russell’s rights and entered a plea of not guilty. He requested a trial date, a motions calendar and that the prosecution turn over DNA examination results when they get them back.

Instead of scheduling a trial date, DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz said that the reason the court gets so backed up is because trial dates are scheduled for cases that sometimes don’t end up going to trial. He suggested that counsel wait until DNA results return before choosing a trial date.

DNA results are expected in mid-April. A hearing for the defense to decide if independent testing would be conducted is scheduled for May 22.

Russell is being held without bail.

This article was written by MiriYam Judd and Wyatt Mullins

Defense Opts to Forego Independent Firearms Testing

During a status hearing on Feb. 28, a defense attorney said a murder defendant would not conduct independent DNA testing on a firearm found at the scene.

Denzel Grandson, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm for allegedly shooting Simwone Milstead, 36, on May 17, 2014, on the 2700 block of Langston Place, SE.

Grandson’s attorney, Frances D’Antuono, told the judge that the defense will not be conducting independent DNA testing on the firearms.

D’Antuono also requested a new trial date because the defense’s firearms expert is currently recovering from surgery, and would take longer than expected to complete all the necessary reports.

The defense also told DC Superior Court Judge Juliet J. McKenna that the prosecution had not shared all of the evidence.

Judge McKenna granted the request for a new trial date and told the prosecution to share all the evidence.

The prosecutor said he did not have all the evidence, but as soon as he did, he would pass the items to the defense.

Judge McKenna set a court date 60 days before trial to ensure the prosecution has all the evidence he is still waiting for and that everything is sent to the defense.

Grandson is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on March. 20.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso.

Co-defendant Case is Two Cases, Defense Says

A defense attorney said a murder caseshould be treated as two separate cases.

Nyekemia Everett and Malik Hewitt are charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, attempt to commit robbery while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for their alleged roles in the murder of 37-year-old Christopher Heard on the 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE in 2017.

“This is really two cases,” said Everett’s defense attorney, Michael Madden. He didn’t expand his statement any further.

Everett and Hewitt are being tried as co-defendants in this murder case.

The prosecution began the opening statements on March 3. They based their argument off the presumption that this was a prearranged robbery on Heard.

“Easy money was the only way to describe what happened,” a prosecutor said during opening statements.

According to the prosecution, on April 26, 2017, Hewitt, Everett, and Everett’s girlfriend were driving around town.

According to the prosecution, the female then got in contact with Heard via a texting app called TextMe. They were in contact on April 26, 2017. However, they did not arrange a place to meet until April 27, 2017. The female then waited where Heard instructed her to wait for him during the early hours of April 27, 2017.

Heard arrived and the female gave him her money. Once Heard would not give her the drugs in return, Everett approached.

Everett had a firearm in his hand and demanded Heard give the money up. When he did not give the money up, Everett allegedly shot him two times. One shot in the leg, and one fatal shot in the chest.

Apparently, Heard was staying with the witness for a few days, since he was just released from jail. The witness checked her sofa and did not see him there. Then she proceeded to go to her back door and saw him outside on the ground.

She ran back inside and called 911.

A MPD watch commander was driving by in the area with his windows down and said he heard the sound of gunshots.

When MPD officers located Heard’s body, he was laying in between two SUV’s on the outside passenger side of the rear wheel.

There was a cell phone recovered near Heard’s body.

The defense attorney said she does not think this was a robbery.

Defense attorney, Nikki Lotze said the only evidence the prosecution has will be the female’s testimony. Madden said she was offered a deal in exchange for her cooperation.

“They (the prosecution) get to decide whether she’s telling the truth,” Madden said.

Trial is scheduled to resume on March 4.

Judge Sets New Trial Date Following Unexpected Evidence

On the second day of a murder trial, a DC Superior Court judge decided to suspend arguments until Jan. 11, 2021.

Joseph Brown and Rondell Mcleod are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Antwan Baker on November 12, 2015, on the 5300 block of Clay Terrace, NE. According to court documents, the two confronted Baker and his brother, who were selling PCP, an hallucinatory drug, when a shootout began. The brother survived. Alicia Mccoy is a co-defendant in this case and is being charged with obstruction of justice and perjury in relation to the murder.

The prosecution disclosed information, the night before opening arguments began. Opening arguments were supposed to begin on March 3.

The defense attorneys, for all three defendants, said was detrimental to their cases. The attorneys said the information needed to be researched before continuing with trial.

The defense attorney for Alicia McCoy, Rebecca Bloch, said that at 7:30 pm the night before opening arguments began, she received an email outlining an interview between a witness, a detective of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the prosecutors.

During the interview, the witness denied their previous testimony about not having a romantic relationship with the victim.

Bloch said the information changed the course of the trial, and she needed time to research issues and prepare a new case for her client.

This article was written by Jailynn Caraballo.

Judge Sets Several Dates in Murder Defendant’s Case

During a felony arraignment March 3, a trial date and motions deadlines were set.

Herman Sylvester Williams, 28, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting of 36 year-old William Boykin on the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE on May 28.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled a status date and an IPA hearing for March 31.

All other motions are due by July 2 and responses to the motions are due by July 17.

Witness statements are due by July 28.

According to DC Courts, Williams is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on July 31 and a motions hearing on Aug. 14.

Convicting Suspect is A Tragedy, Defense Says

During the first day of a murder trial March 2, a defense attorney told the jury about how a conviction would lead to two tragedies, instead of atoning for one.

“The victim’s death is a tragedy, no question, but convicting a young man of a murder he did not commit would be just as much of a tragedy,” Prescott Loveland, one of Jones’ two defense attorneys, told the jury.

“They arrested a witness to a crime,” Loveland said. “Dajuan Jones did not kill Cheyenne Washington. He did not shoot Cheyenne Washington. He did not even know Cheyenne Washington.”

Loveland said an eyewitness to the crime described someone entirely different than the defendant.

“The eyewitness to this crime described the shooter as heavyset, about 200 pounds, and wearing light blue jeans. Dajuan Jones is slim and was wearing white pants,” Loveland said.

However, the witness’s testimony was not as helpful to the defense’s argument.

There were inconsistencies with statements the witness gave a detective after the murder and statements the witness made during trial.

Apparently, the witness changed his story of the description of the murderer and his position, saying he did in fact see the gun.

The witness previously said that when the shooting occurred, the murderer’s back was facing him and he never saw the gun.

The prosecutions opening relied on surveillance footage that was captured moments before the murder.

“Four seconds, that’s how long it took for the defendant to kill Mr. Washington,” said a prosecutor during her opening statements in the trial.

After admitting into evidence surveillance videos from the bus Jones and Washington were on, minutes before the crime, the prosecutor walked the jury through the video frame-by-frame.

She told the jury that Jones followed Washington onto a bus, and when Washington exited the bus Jones exited as well. She also pointed to Jones’ pocket and said it was possible he was carrying a gun.

“When you follow the evidence, it will lead you to this defendant,” the prosecutor said.

Trial is scheduled to continue on March 3.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso and MiriYam Judd

Document: Homicide on Quebec Place, NW

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on the 700 block of Quebec Place, NW.

According to court documents, 24-year-old Malik Brown, a resident of Northwest, DC, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He 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 in Washington, DC. 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.

[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6809895-3-2-20-Homicide-700-Block-of-Quebec-Place.html” responsive=true]

Trial Review: Jury Convicts Man for 12-Year-Old Murder

After four days of deliberation, a jury convicted a man of a murder that happened 12 years ago.

Mason Binion, 32, was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed after allegedly shooting Michael Francis Taylor, 21, on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW on June 22, 2008. Apparently, Binion and Taylor were friends. Binion’s co-defendant, Victor Carvajal’s case was dismissed the day before opening statements. Carvajal, 33, was also charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Joshua Massaquoi, another person charged in the case, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a pistol during a crime of violence and accessory to second-degree murder. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 30.

The trial lasted for a week and a half, beginning with opening statements on Jan. 27 and moving to jury deliberations on Feb. 5.

Trial Breakdown

The prosecution theorized that Taylor was killed because of a drug deal gone wrong. The prosecution said Binion was looking to buy $4,000 worth of marijuana but did not know who he could buy a large amount of drugs from.

According to the prosecution, Taylor knew someone who could supply the drugs. The supplier said that when the exchange of drugs and money was happening, he realized that there was not enough money for the amount of drugs requested.

He said that instead of giving them the correct amount of drugs, according to the amount of money they handed over, he just took the money and left without giving Taylor the marijuana.

He also said that he took Taylor’s phone and dropped it in his car and never looked at it again,. Taylor tried to call the phone, but the supplier never answered.

The prosecution also called a ballistics and tool marking expert who testified that the rounds that were fired at the scene more than likely came from the same gun. He also said the unfired bullet found at Binion’s home matched the bullets recovered at the crime scene.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Taylor testified that he had a deep wound on his head as a result of blunt force trauma. She also said that the gunshot to the back of the head was the fatal wound.

“We don’t know if Mr. Binion actually pulled the trigger but, what we do know is that he was the last person seen with Mr. Taylor before he died and we know that because of corroborated testimony by multiple witnesses who identified him in court. He was a part of this conspiracy to kill Michael Taylor,” said the prosecutor.

Massaquoi, 32, said that Binion was on the scene, however he could not be sure that Taylor pulled the trigger.

Binion is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1.

Judge Proceeds with Jury Selection Despite Defense’s Objection

A DC Superior Court judge started jury selection March 2 after overruling an objection made by the defense against the prosecution.

Joseph Brown, 30 and Rondell Mcleod, 26 are being charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting shooting Amari Jenkins, 21 on August 18, 2015, on the 4900 block of East Capitol Street, SE. Brown is also being charged with allegedly shooting Antwan Baker, 29, on November 12, 2015, on the 5300 Block of Clay Terrace, NE.

Defense Attorney, Megan Allburn objected to the prosecution’s case before jury selection began. She said the prosecution didn’t depict the crime scene correctly.

Allburn said the prosecution’s description of the crime scene made it seem like the crime happened inside of a residential building. She said she wanted to make it clear to the jury that the crime occurred outside of the building.

DC Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman overruled the objection. He said he decided that the address was not misleading and stated that the prosecution can continue as planned.

Jury selection started afterwards with a large group of jurors.

Judge Edelman asked potential jurors whether they had mistrust in the criminal justice system or the police department. He said the questions were being asked because the prosecution’s case included testimony from law enforcement.

Opening statements are set to begin on March 3.

This article was written by Jailynn Caraballo.

Counsel Sets New Hearing Date

Counsel set a new hearing date for a murder case during a status hearing on Feb. 28.

Samuel Davis, 60, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for strangling 53-year-old Mawuli Kocuvie. The incident occurred on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE. Kocuvie, 53, was killed on Oct. 28, 2017.

The defense and prosecution set a new status hearing, which is scheduled for May 8. The reasons for the status hearing were not stated in open court.

A sentencing date has not been scheduled as of March 2.

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