Judge Sentences Murder Defendant to Confinement

A murder defendant is sentenced Feb. 14 to more than 19-years in prison for a homicide by stabbing.

Darius Murphy is sentenced to prison for second-degree murder while armed for stabbing Jason Wood on the 1600 block of Benning Road, NE, on Feb. 22, 2019. Apparently, Murphy, 24, and Wood, 39, engaged in a physical altercation before Wood left the scene. Murphy stabbed Wood ten minutes later.

Murphy pleaded guilty at a hearing on Sept. 13, 2019.

In addition to his confinement terms, Murphy will also serve five years on supervised release and is ordered to pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime Act.

This article was written by Noa Donvan

Judge Orders Mental Observation Exam

During a mental observation hearing on Feb. 14, a judge ordered a mental observation exam, while the defense requested release for a murder defendant.

Daryl Thompson, also known as Darryl Tompkins, 30, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with the intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business, obstructing justice and threat to kidnap or injure a person for his alleged involvement in the deaths of Edward Roberts Jr. and Tyler McEachern. Roberts, 29, was killed on the 3500 block of 14th Street., NW on July 30, 2016. McEarchern, 23, was killed on the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace, SE on Aug. 29, 2016.

D.C Witness previously reported that Thompson repeatedly refused to undergo a medical evaluation. He also refused a judge’s order to complete a mental competency exam on Dec. 16.

Thompson’s defense attorney, Dana Page, told DC Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz that Thompson is not mentally ill, and therefore does not want to complete a medical evaluation exam or take medication.

Page also requested that Thompson be released.

The prosecution said there was enough grounds for the court to order a medical evaluation. He also said that the evaluation did not mean that Thompson would need to take medication, but would help him make his point that he is competent and ready for trial.

The prosecution disagreed on the release request, saying that Thompson was found to have substantial probability in the charge. Thompson should stay in custody, the prosecutor said.

“I can’t think of a good reason why I wouldn’t order him to comply and submit to an evaluation,” said Judge Kravitz.

Judge Kravitz ordered a mental competency exam.

Judge Kravitz also denied the defense’s oral request for release. He told the defense to submit a written request for release for him to consider.

Thompson is scheduled for a mental observation hearing on March. 20.

This article was written by Lea Giasnasso.

Mistake Results in Murder Defendant Not Being Present During Hearing

A murder defendant was not present during a status hearing on Feb. 14.

Cinquan Cartledge is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, robbery while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit a robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. He is charged for his alleged involvement in the shooting of Orlando Silver III, 37, on the 1300 block of Howard Road, SE, in 2016.

Cartledge was present at the court in the morning. However, due to a mistake, he was brought back to DC Jail and not present during his afternoon hearing.

The status hearing was rescheduled to Feb. 28.

Marquette Tibbs was also charged for his alleged involvement in the shooting, however he was found not guilty of the murder by a jury.

19-year-old Pleads Guilty to Murder

A defendant pleaded guilty Feb. 14 and is awaiting sentencing.

Elijah Jarmon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for shooting Taquan Pinkney on the 2800 block of Stanton Road, SE on Sept. 9, 2018. Jarmon, 19, had gotten into an altercation with Pinkney, 18, and followed him and his friends while carrying a firearm, shooting Pinkney in the back.

During a thorough breakdown of the court procedures given by District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Anita Josey-Herring, Jarmon admitted to his involvement in the homicide, waived his rights to a trial and DNA testing, and is awaiting a sentencing that is scheduled to take place on July 10.

In what is typically a 40-year to lifetime prison sentence, Judge Anita Josey-Herring predicts that Jarmon will serve 12 years in prison with a minimum of five years on supervised release and pay a fine of at least $100.

The prosecution also asked to schedule another status hearing on March 5 to give the defense the opportunity to go over information in regards to the District of Columbia’s Youth Rehabilitation Act, a rehabilitation program, and to execute a pre-sentence investigation report.

This article was written by Noa Donvan

Judge Reverses A Murder Defendant’s Release Order

A judge decided to detain a murder defendant despite the fact that another judge ordered his release.

Javon Gunter, 18, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 15-year-old Thomas Johnson on Oct. 9, 2019, on the 1300 Block of Half Street, SW.

Despite being released to a halfway house by DC Superior Court Judge Gerald Fischer on Jan. 4, DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson found substantial probability based on the arrest affidavit and ruled in favor of detaining Gunter Feb. 14.

After the case was transferred to Judge Dayson the prosecution requested the judge to not release Gunter, despite Judge Fischer’s prior ruling.

“This was a targeted assassination,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor also said that no conditions would ensure the safety of the community.

Gunter waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

A felony status conference is scheduled to occur on April 17.

Document: Homicide and Police Involved Shooting in Downtown DC

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide and police involved shooting that occurred on the 700 block of 8th Street, NW.

According to a press release, uniformed members were on patrol in the area and heard the sounds of gunshots. They located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and observed a suspect fleeing the scene.

Officers pursued the suspect into the 700 block of 10^th Street, Northwest, where there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and the officers. The suspect was apprehended in the area of 11^th and H Streets, Northwest.

DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the suspect and victim to local hospitals for treatment. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead. The suspect was treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

The decedent has been identified as 29 year-old Terence Dantzler, of no fixed address.

A handgun was recovered on the scene and is pictured below:

20 year-old Jaykell Mason, of Southeast, DC, was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder while Armed, Assault on a Police Officer while Armed and Carrying a Pistol Without a License.

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, pursuant to MPD policy. Responding officers activated their body worn cameras. That footage is currently under review.

This case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099.

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Jury Selection for Parking Lot Murder Includes Questions About Police Involvement

During jury selection on Feb. 12, a DC Superior Court judge interviewed potential jurors on a case where a man was shot and killed in a community center parking lot.

Herman Lee Cook, Jr., 49 , is charged with with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm. The charges are in connection with the alleged shooting of Donald Johnson Jr., 45, on the 5700 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

During jury selection, questions were asked pertaining to the jury’s view of police enforcement due to the prosecution’s use of law enforcement within the case.

On several occasions jurors were dismissed if they showed any signs of police enforcement mistrust.

Once all of the jurors were selected there were a total of 14. Six men and eight women.

Additional questions included: “what is your current job or profession?” “How long have you lived in DC,” and “Do you practice at all in criminal law?”.

This article was written by Jailynn Caraballo.

Prosecutor Asks Jury to Hold Murder Defendant Accountable

During the first day of a jury trial., a prosecutor asked the jury to “hold this man responsible for taking a human life.”

Herman Lee Cook, 46, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Donald Stephan Johnson Jr., 45, on Aug. 8, 2016, on the 5700 block of Georgia Ave., NW. He is also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm.

While delivering opening statements on Feb. 12, the prosecutor pointed to Cook and explained to the jury that, “this man murdered Donald Stephen Johnson in cold blood.” The prosecutor then asked the jury to “hold this man responsible for taking a human life.”

The prosecutor showed surveillance video from a recreation center parking lot that depicted what appeared to be Cook shooting Johnson. He then played the video for the jury and explained, in detail, what happened at each moment.

“You can see it right here on video,” he said, “Herman Lee Cook shot Donald Johnson and killed him.”

Cook’s defense attorney, William Buie, then proceeded with his opening statements. He asked the jury to proceed through the trial with “a clean sheet of paper and an open mind.”

D.C Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna is presiding over the trial.

This article was written by Naysha Carrasquillo and MiriYam Judd

Defense Wants to Exclude Expert’s Opinion in Murder Case

During a trial readiness hearing on Feb. 13, the defense argued that an expert’s opinion should be excluded in a murder case.

Dajuan Jones, 19, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the alleged shooting of 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 prior felony, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Jones’ defense attorney, David Knight, asked to exclude the expert opinion of a witness that would be called by the prosecution. The witness would give an opinion on Instagram photos of the defendant with an unidentified firearm.

The opinion states the firearm seen in the Instagram photos could be consistent with .308 caliber shells fired at the crime scene.

Knight said the photos should be censored in instances where the defendant is scene pointing the gun toward the camera. The censorship would be for the purpose of minimizing potential jury bias.

“It shows the possession by the defendant of what could be reasonably assumed to be the murder weapon,” DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz said.

The Knight said he is considering calling an expert witness to argue that the firearm depicted in the photo could fire either .308 caliber or 9 millimeter ammunition.

The defense must file motions to introduce expert witnesses by Feb. 19. The prosecution has to respond by Feb. 24.

A trial readiness hearing is slated to occur on Feb. 20.

Written by Wyatt Mullins

Defense Requests Continuance

A judge granted a continuance for a preliminary hearing.

Tylek Dunkins, 18, is charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of 15-year-old Amoni Richardson at 3900 block of East Capitol Street, SE. Dunkins allegedly struck Richardson while she was walking outside of a marked crosswalk from the south side of the street to the north side.

During a preliminary hearing on Feb. 13, the defense asked for a continuance, which was granted by the DC Superior Court Judge Anita Josey-Herring.

As a part of Dunkins’ release conditions, he has to be tested for a number of substances including synthetic cannabinoids and marijuana. Dunkins’ results came back negative, according to his lawyer.

However, it came to Judge Josey-Herring’s attention that Dunkins had not actually been tested for marijuana, which is a mistake the pretrial office admitted to.

On Feb. 13, Judge Josey-Herring reentered the order to include marijuana.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled to occur on March 17.

Document: Homicide in Civic Betterment

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on the 800 block of 51st Street, SE.

According to a press release, officers found 60-year-old Baron Goodwin inside a residence, suffering from gunshot wounds on Feb. 12 . He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The department is currently 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 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.

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Judge Sets Murder Defendant’s Sentencing Date

During a status hearing on Feb. 12, a judge set a sentencing hearing and discussed a request for release.

Joshua Ellis Massaquoi, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a pistol during a crime of violence and accessory to second-degree murder for his involvement in the shooting of Michael Francis Taylor, 21, on June 22, 2008, on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW.

Massaquoi is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30.

He was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed with a firearm, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Massaquoi accepted a plea agreement of 7-14 years in prison with a probationary period afterwards.

Massaquoi’s defense attorney, Matthew Davies, also requested his release from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s mental institution.

Counsel and DC Superior Court Judge Hiram E Puig-Lugo discussed the request at the bench. Davies then told the judge that he would submit all written materials and a full report for the release request before the sentencing hearing.

The prosecutor agreed to set a sentencing hearing, but said he did not want to change his opinion on release.

Massaquoi was Mason Binion, 32, and Victor Carvajal‘s, 32, co-defendant. Binion and Carvajal were charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Binion was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed with a firearm by a jury on Feb. 12. Carvajal’s charges were dropped in January of 2020.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso and Wyatt Mullins.

Judge Rules Against Murder Defendant’s Release

During a Feb. 11 motion hearing, a judge ruled against the defense’s request to release a murder defendant.

Deon Crowell, 50, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Joni Rockingham, 53, on the 300 block of 34th Street, NE on Dec. 12, 2017. Police discovered Rockingham in the River Terrace neighborhood unconscious and unresponsive among several garbage bins with dirt on top of her.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson ruled that Crowell’s release from DC Jail would not be appropriate.

Judge Dayson also ruled on a motion to dismiss the case for failure to preserve evidence. The judge said she denied the motion, in part and granted it in part. It is not clear what was granted.

Crowell’s defense attorney, Elizabeth Weller, filed the motion because she said ten or more clips from the crime scene in the 2017 murder had been deleted or gone missing.

“I’m blown away that anyone couldn’t see that there’s value in that,” Weller said.

A status hearing is scheduled for May 8.

Written by Wyatt Mullins and Corrine Simon

All Parties Ready For Trial

During a trial readiness hearing Feb. 10, counsel discussed independent testing and finalized witness statements that could be used in trial.

Robert Wilson Dean Jr, 61, is charged with first-degree murder while armed with a screwdriver for allegdely stabbing Tamiya White, 38, on March 31, 2018, on the 1000 block of Mount Olivet Road., NE.

Dean’s defense attorney, Anthony Matthews, told DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck that the defense will not independently test evidence for DNA.

The defense also discussed a cellphone which was found and identified as Dean’s and information stored on Dean’s cellphone, which the prosecution intends to use in trial.

Matthews told Judge Beck that the alleged stabbing occurred on March 31, 2018, but the cellphone had been taken from Dean on April 5, 2018, after an individual, who was allegedly related to White, shot him five times. The defense said that because the cellphone should not be used as evidence because it was taken from off the street on the day Dean was shot.

The prosecution said the electronic data collected from the phone would be used to establish a relationship between Dean and White, and other witnesses.

Counsel also finalized witness statements that could be used in trial, including a phone call between the Metropolitan Police Department and White. The prosecution said the phone call shows White’s state of mind and fear towards Dean.

Judge Beck accepted all the witness statements, only barring sections which showed a history of threats.

Both parties said they are ready for trial.

Dean is scheduled for a motion hearing on Feb. 18.

This article was written by Lea Gianasso.

Murder Defendant Is Not Yet Competent, Judge Says

A DC Superior Court judge found that a murder defendent was not competent at a Feb. 10 mental observation hearing.

Reginald Turner is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm for allegedly shooting Malik Muhammed on the 800 block of Taylor Street, NE in November of 2018. Turner, 34, who currently resides at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s mental institution, is also charged with second-degree assault in Maryland. A day after the 2018 shooting, Turner was apprehended following a high-speed chase with Metropolitan Police Department detectives.

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz reported the competency finding of an independent psychological evaluation, and held off ruling on a motion that would dismiss the case.

Instead, the prosecution has until Feb. 18 to file a brief on the motion and the defense must respond by Feb. 24. Both parties will address the motion at the next mental observation hearing on Feb. 28.

James King, Turner’s defense attorney, also argued that Turner has been held long after the prosecution’s nine-month deadline. King requested that Turner be released. Turner is still being held at St. Elizabeth’s.

Written by Wyatt Mullins

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