Judge Denies Release to Triple Homicide Defendant

A judge denied release for a murder defendant accused of a triple homicide despite pandemic concerns.

Jonathan Winston, 30, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting deaths of 26-year-old Sean Shuler, 26-year-old Javon Abney and 24-year-old Tyrik Hagood on the 1500 block of Fort Davis Place, SE. Rakeem Willis, is also charged with first-degree murder while armed.

On March 13, Winston’s defense attorney, Kevin Irving, filed an emergency motion for Winston to be moved into the Central Detention Facility. This motion was granted on March 20.

On March 30, Irving filed a motion for release due to COVID-19 concerns.

On April 17, DC Superior Court Judge Josey-Herring denied the defense’s release motion without prejudice. Irving and the prosecutor were present via phone.

A felony status conference is scheduled to occur on May 8.

More Inmates Test Positive at DC DOC

The DC Department of Corrections announced April 17 that 12 more inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The inmates include 11 males and one female, with five inmates in their 20s, one inmate is 36-years-old, two inmates in their forties, and four inmates in their 50s.

According to the DC DOC, three inmates were in quarantine at the jail’s Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF) because they had been in proximity to another inmate who tested positive. Nine of the COVID-19 positive inmates were housed in the Central Detention Facility.

The addition of the 12 inmates brings the DC DOC’s total number of positive cases to 31. All inmates who are positive for the virus are in isolation.

Forty-three inmates have recovered from their illnesses and released into the jail’s general population.

The District’s site on the virus states that 20 DC DOC personnel members have tested positive for the virus. None of those members have returned to work.

Defendant Who Started Fight on Metro Train Denied Release

On April 17, a judge denied the release of a defendant that was in a fight on a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority train.

Marcus Proctor, 30, pleaded guilty to assault with significant bodily injury. Apparently, he was the initial aggressor in a fight that occurred on a Metro train car on Feb. 6. The incident was captured on video, showing Proctor bite the victim. He was initially charged with aggravated assault.

On April 6, Proctor’s defense attorney, Sean Murphy, filed a motion for release.

On April 17, DC Superior Court Judge Josey-Herring denied the defense’s motion. The prosecutor and Murphy, were present via phone.

Proctor’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8.

Judge Releases Defendant, Again

A judge released a defendant for the second time.

Jerlyu Wood is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of less than a year, carrying a pistol without a license (outside of a home or place of business/prior felony), possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, possession of unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

On April 17, DC Superior Court Judge Josey-Herring granted Wood release on personal recognizance with some conditions. D.C. Witness could not confirm the conditions of Wood’s release.

The prosecutor and Wood’s defense attorney, John Fowler, were present via phone.

Wood was also granted release also on Sept. 27.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled ro occur on May 26.

Judge Sends Inmate to Mental Hospital

A DC judge sent an inmate to a psychiatric hospital on April 17.

John Hughes is charged with possession of a controlled substance for purchasing cocaine in April of 2019.

Judge Michael Ryan granted Hughes motion to be released, however he opted to send Hughes to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital for the time being.

Hughes was previously released but was rearrested for the same charge and has been in DC Jail since December 2019.

A status hearing is scheduled to occur on July 6.

Murder Defendant Suing DC DOC Denied Release Twice

A DC judge denied a murder defendant’s second request for release. He will await his sentencing date in jail, which isn’t scheduled until June.

Edward Banks pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the death of 45-year-old Abraham Binn at a homeless shelter on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE on Aug. 20. Banks pleaded guilty in February.

Judge Anita Josey-Herring denied Banks’ request after initially denying his request on April 13 but allowing time for his attorney, Ieshaah Murphy, more time to provide information based on his medical condition.

Banks is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the DC Department of Corrections for intentionally disregarding the health and safety of inmates during the pandemic. The lawsuit is currently being heard in the DC District Court.

Banks is scheduled for sentencing on June 26.

Judge Denies Defendant’s Release Two Months Before Sentencing

A judge denied April 17 a defendant’s motion for release despite COVID-19 pandemic concerns.

Dale Southerland, 31, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2019. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of less than a year, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm or destructive device and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Southerland’s defense attorney, Bryan Bookhard, filed for release on April 8, saying that if Southerland was released he would wear a GPS monitor and be ordered to home confinement.

DC Superior Court Judge Josey-Herring denied the defense’s motion without prejudice. The prosecutor and Bookhard were present via phone.

Southerland was released to a halfway house on August 2, 2019. While awaiting halfway house placement, he was allowed to be released for employment or schooling on his assigned work or school days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Since Feb. 21, he has remained in the custody of DC Jail due to a positive marijuana drug test.

Southerland’s sentencing is scheduled to occur on June 5.

Judge Releases Defendant to Mental Hospital

A DC judge vacated a defendant’s mental observation hearing and released him to a psychiatric hospital on April 17.

Kenneth Washington is charged with simple assault and failure to appear in court as outlined in the Bail Reform Act.

DC Superior Court Judge Jonathan Pittman vacated Washington’s mental observation hearing scheduled, which was scheduled for July 1. Washington was sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution to be held.

No new hearings have been scheduled.

Judge Vacates Defendant’s Hearing; Sends to Mental Hospital

A judge vacated a defendant’s mental observation hearing, opting to send her to a psychiatric hospital.

Shanti Parson is charged with possession of a controlled substance, simple assault, and failure to appear in court as stated by the Bail Reform Act.

DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell released Parson from the DC Jail and vacated her July 1 mental observation hearing on April 17.

Parson was sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric institution, until further notice.

Judge Orders Weekly Phone Calls for Defendant in Quarantine

A DC Superior Court judge ordered April 17 weekly phone calls between an DC Jail inmate and his lawyer for updates on his health condition.

Kenneth Phillips is charged with robbery for stealing a backpack from a man on July 21, 2019.

Judge Anita Josey-Herring was told that Phillips is currently under quarantine and that Phillips’s defense attorney, Heather Pinckney, wanted Phillips to undergo mental observation after the COVID-19 quarantine.

Judge Josey-Herring granted the request and also mandated that Phillips call Pinckney weekly for updates on his health.

Phillips mental observation hearing is scheduled for April 24.

Murder Defendant Needs Doctor’s Examine Before Judge Can Rule

A DC Superior Court judge said April 17 a murder defendant needed to be examined by a doctor before she could rules on his release.

Devin Hill ,sometimes referred to as Devin Smith, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of 28-year-old Michael Cunningham on the 3000 block of 30th Street, SE on Nov. 29, 2019.

Hill’s defense attorney, Roderick Thompson, requested a continuance of the hearing until April 20 in order to make a determination on Hill’s health. By then, Hill will have been examined by a doctor and the results would be provided to the prosecution.

Judge Anita Josey-Herring granted the request for the continuance.

Judge Re-Sentences Convicted Murderer

During an April 17 motion hearing, a DC Superior Court Judge re-sentenced a man who was convicted of murder in 1996.

Darrick Evans was convicted of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license.

Evans who was a minor in 1996, admitted to entering a Southeast Washington school accidentally killing 14-year-old Damion Blocker while pursuing a rival on foot as the final bell had just rung. The school was called Winston Education Center, but now it is referred to as the Winston Education Campus.

Evans was initially sentenced to 41 years to life in prison.

DC Superior Court Judge John Campbell granted the defense motion and re-sentenced Evans.

The motion applied to policy stating that a person who has served 20 years in prison or more for a crime that occurred when the person was less than 18 years old, and who is not yet eligible for parole, is eligible to file a sentence modification motion and have a new sentencing hearing where mandatory minimums do not apply.

Evans was released on April 17.

Written by Wyatt Mullins

Crime Alerts: April 16-17

Between the hours of 8 p.m. on April 16 and 8 a.m. on April 17 there were three crime alerts sent out by the Metropolitan Police Department.

All three of the crime alerts were in relation to robberies that had occurred across the district.

The last alert was dispatched at 4:14 a.m. on April 17 for a robbery that took place on 4300 block of Dubois Place, SE. The lookout is for two black males wearing unknown clothing and ski masks riding in a small black SUV. The make of the vehicle is unknown. The tags are unknown too.

Another alert went out at 2:43 a.m. for a robbery investigation on the 3300 block Warder Street, NW. Police are looking for one black male who is between 5’8-6’0. He was last seen wearing a gray top and black pants. The suspect has a slim build. The suspect was last seen fleeing in a green Hatchback Mazda heading southbound on Warder Street, NW. Police say the suspect is possibly armed.

At 9:25 p.m. on April 16 an alert went out for a robbery that occurred on the 1600 block of Varnum Street, NW. Police are looking for four suspects, who are all black males between 15-17 years of age. Three suspects were last seen wearing black hoodies. One suspect was wearing a red hoodie. The suspects were heading south on 16th Street, NW.

DC Courts Update

On April 16, a judge at the DC Superior Court denied the release of seven inmates, dismissed zero defendants, delayed cases for two defendants and vacated hearings for two defendants

In total there were 11 defendants that had cases. A majority of the cases were bond review hearings, a most of which were denied

One of the defendant’s, Malik Coles, is scheduled for a felony status conference on June 19. Coles and his co-defendant Duan Garmany are being charged with first-degree murder while armed for the murder of Christopher Payne on the 1400 block of W Street, NW on June 30, 2019.

Crime Alerts: April 16

Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on April 16, D.C. Witness was able to track one crime alert sent out from the Metropolitan Police Department.

At 6:17 p.m. an alert was sent out in relation to a shooting in the seventh district on the 2100 block of Ridgecrest Court, SE. No lookout was released in relation to the shooting.

Written by Wyatt Mullins

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