Judge Continues to Seek Earlier Date for Murder Defendant

During a status hearing Sept. 13, a judge said a murder defendant could not get an earlier trial date before the summer of 2020.

Dewayne Chatman is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 29-year-old Evan Williams on the 4000 Block of 3rd Street, SE in 2016. Chatman, 33, is also charged with mayhem while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with the intent to kill while armed, malicious disfigurement while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, threat to kidnap or injure a person and obstructing justice.

Chatman’s first trial date was scheduled for Oct. 1, 2018, however, the lead detective on the case was scheduled for surgery. A second trial date was set to begin on May 13 but DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson agreed to begin the trial on May 16, 2020, which will be Chatman’s third trial date.

DC Witness previously reported that, Judge Dayson agreed to the scheduling change after she concluded that a key witness was unfit to testify after speaking to the witness’s doctor.

It was not stated in court why Judge Dayson is looking for an earlier trial date.

Chatman’s defense counsel, Dominique Winters, argued that the defendant should be released because of the extended time between now and the new trial date. However, Judge Dayson denied her request and Chatman continues to be held without bail.

Counsel has until February of 2020 to file any motions and responses in the case.

A status hearing is set on Jan. 23, 2020.

Chatman’s trial readiness hearing is set on March 20, 2020.

Murder Defendant’s Compliance Not Grounds for Better Conditions, Judge Says

During a felony status conference Sept. 12, a DC Superior Court judge said a murder defendant’s compliance with court sanctioned release conditions did not justify relaxing them.

Barbara Sanders is charged with second-degree murder while armed with a knife for allegedly stabbing 59-year-old Thurman Knight on the 500 block of Montana Avenue, NE in March. According to court documents, Sanders, 53, and Knight resided together and were in a romantic relationship for nearly eight years.

According to Judge Craig Iscoe, Sanders, 53, was released to a halfway house in June where she has remained in full compliance with her conditions of release.

The response came after defense attorney, Matthew Davies, said he may request more relaxed release conditions at a later date in light of his client’s good behavior.

“We can only anticipate compliance,” Iscoe said.

Sanders is required to submit weekly drug screenings, she cannot have any social passes, she can only leave the house for medical, employment, job training or other appointments pre approved by halfway house staff and her movement is monitored through a GPS tracking device.

D.C. Witness previously reported that a recently established Department of Corrections mandate would prevent anyone with a charge of violence within 10 years from being able to stay. However, a representative said that if a judge ordered her placement, she would be released.

Both the defense and prosecution agreed that the deadline for the prosecution to secure an indictment is Feb. 2, 2020. A felony status conference is scheduled on Feb. 7, 2020.

Prosecution Files Motion for a Protective Order for Grand Jury Materials

During a hearing on Sept. 12, the prosecution argued for a protective order for Grand Jury materials.

Steven Maye, 50, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of Derek Anthony Walcott in December of 2018. Walcott, 46, was found stabbed multiple times on the 5100 block of B Street, SE.

The prosecutor said that after an arraignment, Maye’s defense lawyer, Mani Golzari, could view Grand Jury materials. However, the prosecutor said Golzari could not share the materials that contained the identities of the witnesses with Maye.

Golzari asked DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe if he could share the materials with the defendant two weeks before trial. Golzari said the material could be used for interviews.

Judge Iscoe told Golzari that he could request exemptions from the order for specific items of information.

However, the judge reminded the prosecution that if the Grand Jury does not meet before Sept. 24, he would consider a motion to dismiss the case.

Mother IDs Murderer As ‘An Animal’

During a sentencing hearing Sept. 12, a murder defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter while armed.

Jackie Berry pleaded guilty in June for stabbing 38 year-old Michael McKoy on the 1600 block of V Street, SE in 2010. He was initially charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a prohibited weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business

“He was an animal,” McKoy’s mother told DC Superior Courts Judge Craig Iscoe. “Please never let him walk the streets again. I want him behind bars.”

The prosecution and defense recommended a sentence of 10 years for the plea.

“My life was shattered,” the mother continued. At times she struggled to speak to the judge during her victim impact statement. The mother encouraged Judge Iscoe to consider a harsher sentence than what counsel agreed on.

Judge Iscoe acknowledged that the sentence would not satisfy everyone.

According to DC’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, a person who maintained a criminal history score of 0-0.5, who was convicted of second-degree murder while armed could be sentenced from 12 to 24 years in prison.

“I regret everything,” Berry said.

According to court documents, Berry and McKoy were friends and Berry slept on McKoy’s couch for an extended period of time.

Judge Schedules Trial for Homicide Case

During a trial readiness hearing Sept. 12, counsel discussed possible witnesses being called during trial.

Edward Brown, 55, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 71-year-old Michael Mahoney on the 2300 block of 11th St., NW on Feb. 5, 2018.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton C. Lee asked how many witnesses each side planned on calling in order to gauge the length of trial.

The prosecution said they would have between 20-25 witnesses and possibly two additional expert witnesses.

Defense counsel, Kevin Irving, said he would only call one DNA expert and possibly an additional fingerprint analysis expert.

Jury selection is scheduled on Sept. 16. Opening statements are slated to begin on Sept. 18.

According to court documents, police found Mahoney in his apartment on 11th Street suffering from two stab wounds to his neck. Multiple witnesses told police that Mahoney allowed Brown, 56, to sleep on his couch.

One of Mahoney’s neighbors told police that on the same day police found Mahoney, Brown came to the neighbor’s apartment to shower. Apparently, the clothes he was wearing contained blood. The neighbor also found multiple articles of clothing and a towel stained with blood, the documents said.

Murder Defendant’s Trial Set to Begin in October

During a status hearing Sept. 11, a judge sets a jury trial date for a homicide case.

Eunise Roosevelt Melton is charged with first-degree murder with an unknown metal object for his alleged involvement in the death of Jerimi Meade on July 15, 2016. The crime took place on the 400 block of Burbank Street, SE.

DC Supreme Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled a motions hearing on Oct 21. Additionally, Judge Dayson scheduled the jury trial to begin Oct. 22.

According to court documents Meade, 29, sustained more than ten blows to the head and face consistent with a claw hammer found on the scene.

Murder Defendant Accused of Killing Baby Starts Trial Next Week

A trial is set to begin on Sept. 16 in a case of a man accused of killing a two-year-old boy.

James Embre is charged with felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree cruelty to children for his alleged role in the death of Aceyson Aizim Ahmad on the 3400 block of A Street, SE on April 17. According to court documents, Embre, 26, was involved in a romantic relationship with Ahmad’s mother.

During jury selection, which took place on Sept. 11, a large part of the vetting on jurors was on biases towards mental health.

On Sept. 9, a prosecutor and defense attorneys discussed possible limitations for selecting members of the jury pool with DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna.

All parties agreed that since there would be multiple witnesses with mental health complications on the stand, any jurors that were selected should not have an existing bias on mental illnesses.

Johnathan Zucker, Embre’s defense attorney said he did not care if the jurors knew the witnesses suffered from mental illnesses. Instead, Zucker said he wants the jurors to be able to accept the witnesses’ testimonies without a bias.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2018, after picking up Ahmad from daycare Embre, 26 went into Ahmad’s bedroom, which the child shared with his older sister.

Embre told the girl to leave the room and then began beating Ahmad until he was vomiting, according to the documents. The child was not conscious when he arrived at a local hospital.

Ahmad’s sister told police that she saw Embre hit Ahmad after she was told to leave the room. She also said that Embre had hit both of them multiple times before.

Judge Allows Murder Defendant to Stay At Halfway House

During a status hearing Sept. 11, a judge permitted a murder defendant to remain at a halfway house under the high intensity supervision program (HISP).

Jordan Smith, 32, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and two firearm offenses for his alleged role in the fatal shooting of Yashika Green, 42, on the 200 block of Wayne Place, SE in 2017.

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe denied the prosecution’s motion to reconsider the release of Smith to a halfway house. Judge Iscoe said the prosecution’s argument for Smith being a public danger was weak since the prosecutor agreed to release Smith to the halfway house in August.

The judge also ordered Smith to stay away from the crime scene.

The prosecutor told Judge Iscoe that she wanted to hold Smith without bail. She said Smith was a danger to the community because of the alleged offense, previous probation violations and charges in Maryland, including illegal possession of a firearm.

During a hearing on Aug. 20, the prosecutor said she was concerned that Smith was tampering with witnesses and obstructing justice. According to the prosecutor, Smith attempted to contact his ex-girlfriend after the homicide.

Defense counsel Mani Golzari said many other people tried to contact the witness as well since she “fell off the face of the earth,” according to Golzari. Defense counsel said Smith’s attempt to contact the witness was not evidence of witness tampering.

Golzari also said Smith was not a flight risk, citing a nine-month period between the homicide and Smith’s arrest in which he made no attempt to leave the District.

Smith is ordered to refrain from contacting any other witnesses. He is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on Oct. 16.

New Counsel Says She Will Be Ready for Murder Trial

During a status hearing Sept. 11, a murder defendant was appointed a new attorney.

Jessie Taylor, 43, is charged with second-degree murder while armed and two gun offenses for his alleged role in the shooting death of 49-year-old Bernadette King on the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE in 2018.

Taylor’s defense attorney, Eugene Ohm, withdrew from the case for reasons not specified in court. Domonique Winters was appointed by DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe to represent the defendant on Sept. 11.

Judge Iscoe asked Winters if she would be prepared for the scheduled trial date in February, Winters said she expects to be ready. She did not request a new trial date.

Taylor is scheduled for a status hearing on Oct. 11.

Defense Asks for Identity of Key Witness in Murder Case

Defense counsel asked the prosecution to unvail the identity of a key witness in a murder.

Delonta Daniel is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Bernard Jarvis on the 2400 block of 14th Street, NE on June 28. Jarvis died on the scene.

Kristin McGough, Daniel’s defense attorney, said she has been waiting nearly a month for the prosecution to send her the information. McGough said she filed a motion for the information in July.

The defense insisted on a timely release of the name of the witness due to the fact that Daniel was being held in jail. A protective order, restricting McGough from sharing the witness’s information with the defendant or any one else on her team, was granted in July.

Apparently, the witness told the police that the shooter was another individual completely unrelated to Daniel. The witness never gave the police Daniel’s name, either.

D.C. Witness previously reported that the same witness told a Metropolitan Police Department detective that the suspect was a heavy-set black man.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said the identity of the witness is central to the trial. However, she added that she understands, due to the dangerous nature of releasing a witness’s identity, the prosecution’s decision to hand it over can take longer.

Judge Dayson ruled that the prosecution should present a decision to the defense within the next two weeks.

A felony status conference is scheduled on Sept. 25.

Judge Grants Defense’s Request for Witness’s Information

A DC Superior Court judge granted the defense’s motion for a witness’s identification on Sept. 10.

Demetrius Pierce, also known as Orlando Little, 32, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting of 68-year-old Nazir Ahmad on Nov. 3, 2018, on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE. Pierce is being held without bail.

Judge Todd Edelman granted the defense’s motion to gather identifying information for a witness that may be an alternative suspect in the crime.

However, the motion was granted in part with a protective order that will prevent defense counsel, Jeffrey D. Stein, from sharing the witness’s identity with Pierce. Stein may only share the name and birthdate of the witness with his co-counsel.

Stein discussed his reason for requesting the identifying information off the record.

Pierce is being linked to the crime by a red baseball cap that was found in an area near the crime scene, containing his DNA.

Pierce is scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 31, 2020, where the defense will decide if independent DNA will be conducted.

Murder Defendant Receives 20-Year Sentence

A murder case finally closed two years after a jury found a defendant guilty of killing a woman in Southeast, DC.

Delonte Javon Wynn was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed on June 26, 2017, for murdering 46-year-old Darlene Marie Bryant on the 4300 block of Wheeler Road, SE on May 13, 2015.

During a sentencing hearing on Sept. 10, Wynn accepted a 20-year plea deal from the prosecution for second-degree murder while armed. The case has remained open since Wynn filed for a new trial after the jury’s verdict in 2017, according to DC Courts.

Wynn’s defense attorney, Gretchen Franklin, asked DC Superior Court Judge Zoe Bush to give Wynn a 14-year sentence because of all the good acts Wynn has done since he has been incarcerated.

“He is not the person he was when he killed,” Franklin said.

Judge Bush said a 20-year sentence was appropriate, considering the crime as well as the work Wynn has done while incarcerated.

Apparently, Wynn has helped the Metropolitan Police Department with more than ten criminal cases since he has been in jail, including homicides, cold cases and drug cases.

Wynn also completed several classes, including life skills, computer classes, drug classes, finance classes and was a lead speaker for a family course.

“There is no justification for what I did,” Wynn told the victim’s family. “If I could trade places with her I would. I’m deeply sorry that I did what I did.”

Wynn said he stabbed Bryant because she stole some of his belongings. He said he was very upset because he always had Bryant’s back in bad situations.

The victim’s family opted not to speak.

Wynn will receive credit for time served, according to DC Courts.

Murder Defendant Withdraws Guilty Plea, Receives New Counsel

During a status hearing on Sept. 10, a murder defendant withdrew his guilty plea and asked for new counsel.

Saeed Woodall pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in May. He was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of Deonta Farrar, 32, on the 4500 block of Quarles Street, NE in 2016.

According to court documents, Woodall, 26, had been trying to withdraw his plea on May 4. He was able to successfully file a motion to withdraw on Sept. 4, four months later.

Woodall’s defense counsel, Elizabeth Weller, also withdrew from the case, saying there could be an appearance of conflict if she represented the defendant any further. Weller did not specify what she meant by her statement.

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe accepted Woodall’s change of plea and appointed Michael Madden as his new defense counsel. Madden was not present at the hearing.

This is the second time Woodall has been appointed new counsel, according to DC Courts.

An ascertainment of counsel hearing is scheduled on Sept. 23 to verify if Madden can represent Woodall.

Woodall is being held without bail.

Document: 16-Year-Old Murdered in Ward 8

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on Sept. 10.

According to a press release, officers heard gunshots and responded to the scene to find 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 3000 block of 24th Place, SE. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide 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.

Insanity Plea Is Questionable, Prosecution Says

A prosecutor requested Sept. 6 another status hearing to determine the validity of the defense’s motion for an insanity plea.

Malcolm Cunningham, 24, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and two counts of burglary of a senior citizen for his alleged involvement in the murder of 79-year-old David Norwood on the 600 block of C Street, NE on April 16, 2017.

On March 22, 2018, Cunningham entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

The prosecution filed April 4 a motion to send grand jury paperwork to the District of Columbia’s Department of Behavioral Health. The prosecution also appointed experts based on the defense’s motion to examine the defendant for criminal responsibility.

“Two witnesses said the defendant was insane at the time of the crime but according to our experts Mr. Cunningham was sane during the crime,” a prosecutor told the court.

A status hearing is set on Sept. 19 to discuss what the prosecution’s experts have discovered.

The prosecution also offered Cunningham a plea deal for second-degree murder on Sept. 6. According to the terms of the deal, the defendant would serve 12-24 years. The deal would drop Cunningham’s burglary charges.

The prosecution offered Cunningham the same plea deal in 2018. He rejected the deal last November.

According to the District of Columbia’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, a murder defendant who has a criminal history score between 0-0.5, could serve between 30-60 years in prison if convicted of just first-degree murder while armed.

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