Murder Defendant Requests to Apply for Passport

During a status hearing on July 3, a murder defendent expressed his desire to obtain a passport for travel and inquired about whether he could do so.

Demetrius Brandon is charged with accessory after-the-fact to assault with intent to kill for his alleged involvement in the shooting of Marcus Manor, 38, on the 2900 block of Sherman Avenue, NW on Oct. 20, 2015. Brandon, 31, was found not guilty of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a jury on March 8, 2018, but a unanimous decision on his accessory charge was not reached. Consequently, a mistrial was declared on March 12.

Brandon said he is planning to go on vacation out of the country in late July, but was concerned about whether he would be able to apply for a passport given his charges.

Brandon’s defense attorney, James Williams, was sick and not present at trial. Another attorney stood in for Williams.

The defense said that a pending plea agreement would reduce Brandon’s charges to a misdemeanor.

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck called Williams over the phone to ask about the plea offer. Williams was not able to give specifics about the agreement.

As a result, Judge Beck scheduled another status hearing on July 19 to ensure that Williams could be present to sort out the details of the pending plea offer. She said she wanted to give Brandon a solid answer about his ability to obtain a passport, even though she did not think there would be an issue.

Kevin Chase, 30, was sentenced to a total of six and a half years incarceration and 5 years of supervised release for his charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license.

Judge Denies Further Access to Witness in Murder Case

During a motion hearing July 1, DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman denied a motion to disclose the identity of a witness. The defense requested the witness’ identity so he could reach out for a second interview.

Keonte Johnson is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 25 year-old Deandre Hawkins on the 5300 block of E St., SE. on April 22.

Judge Edelman said he saw no reason why the defense wants to meet with the witness privately. Apparently, the witness refused to speak with Johnson’s defense attorney, Anthony Matthews, during a previous meeting at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Matthews, an investigator and the witness were the only people present at the meeting.

Matthews argued that if the meeting wasn’t at the prosecution’s office, the witness would have been more open to talk.

Despite meeting face-to-face, defense counsel wasn’t given the identity of the witness. The prosecution said the witness’ identity is confidential because the witness is in a witness protection program as part of a separate investigation.

Rather than issuing another order for the witness’ identity, Judge Edelman ordered the prosecution to ask if the witness spoke to anybody after the crime occurred.

A felony status conference is scheduled on Sept. 6.

Judge Continues Murder Trial to 2020

During a status hearing July 3, a DC Superior Court judge continued a murder trial for a 25-year-old case until April of 2020.

Therion Bryant is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the stabbing of 25-year-old Charlene Johnson on the 3600 block of New Hampshire Avenue., NW on Oct. 16, 1993.

The trial was continued because the defense needs more time to review a massive amount of documents pertaining to the case, according to defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman. Bryant, 51, was not required to be at the hearing. He is currently released on personal recognizance.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Bryant became a person of interest in the case in 2014 when DNA from the crime scene was entered into an FBI database and his came up as a match.

According to WUSA 9, the police questioned Bryant about the murder in 2014. At that time he said he knew Johnson but hadn’t seen her that day. However, in 2016, DNA from a sexual assault kit performed on the victim’s body matched Bryant, prompting his arrest.

There were three other suspects in the case, including Johnson’s boyfriend; Daryl Turner and a third suspect, who confessed to the stabbing while he was at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, but later took back his confession. Both victims were ruled out because their DNA was not found on the scene.

The prosecution told Judge Craig Iscoe that a plea offer for voluntary manslaughter was offered, but no decision has been made. The prosecution didn’t discuss any further details of the plea deal.

The prosecution requested that Bryant be present at the next status hearing scheduled on Oct. 25.

Prosecution Requests More Time in Murder Case

A prosecutor told a DC Superior Court judge July 2 that the prosecution would probably need the full nine months to secure an indictment for two murder defendants.

Stephon Evans and Alonzo Brown are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Michael Taylor on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE on Jan. 12. Evans,19, and Brown, 22, were arrested on Jan. 23.

The prosecutor said more time was needed because a fourth suspect, Tavist Alston, was arrested on June 26 in connection to the case.

According to court documents, security footage shows four armed men approach the Pentacle Apartments on Benning Road. Apparently, the suspects were canvassing the area and then fired their guns at multiple people running for cover. Taylor was the only person to succumb to his injuries.

Even though D.C. Witness reported that 21-year-old Carlos Turner pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in May, the plea deal has not been filed on DC Courts. Another hearing has been set for Turner on Oct. 11.

Brown is scheduled for a grand jury hearing. The date of the hearing wasn’t disclosed. Evans is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 3.

Judge Finds Probable Cause 1 Defendant Murdered Vic, But Not the Other

During a preliminary hearing on July 1, a DC Superior Court judge found probable cause that one of the co-defendants was involved in a murder that occurred in April.

Xavier Culbreth is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing 40-year-old Jamal Ferrell at the Potomac Avenue Metro station located on the 700 block of 14th Street, SE on April 28. After police arrested Culbreth on June 21 after searching for him for weeks.

Judge Todd Edelman said there was enough evidence for him to believe that Culbreth convicted the offense. The case is still pending a grand jury.

On June 6, Culbreth’s girlfriend, Jada Jena Smith, turned herself in for the crime. She was also charged with first-degree murder.

After going through the evidence, Judge Edelman said that while Smith, 18, was on the scene and allegedly stole the victim’s wallet, she did not have direct involvement with the murder.

According to court documents, a witness said the defendant and the victim were seen fighting outside the escalator entrance to the station. Surveillance footage shows Culbreth kick Ferrell down the escalator. The defendant then followed the victim down the stairs where he allegedly stabbed him several times.

According to an autopsy report by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia, the victim allegedly had meth in his system.

Culbreth, 19, is being held without bond while Smith was released on July 1.

The prosecution has until July 10 to provide the defense with additional discovery. The case is scheduled for a status update on Sept. 6.

New Halfway House Policy Complicates Defendant’s Release

The Department of Corrections issued new policy regarding halfway housing that complicated a murder defendant’s eligibility for release.

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.

During a detention hearing July 1, counsel discussed a mandate from the Department of Corrections that stipulated that Sanders couldn’t move into a halfway house because she was charged with a crime of violence within 10-years.

Defense attorney Matthew Davies argued that the current charge should not be used as a “history,” and that the policy has “rewritten the district’s codes on release,” asserting that discretion of the defendant’s placement should be left to the judge. DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe agreed that the mandate was inconsistent with the phrasing of the policy.

A representative from the Department of Corrections explained that current charges were included in the interpretation of the policy for the protection of the members and staff of the house, as well as the public. However, he said the DOC would allow her placement if it was specifically ordered by the judge.

The representative stated that it is DOC’s position that members with criminal violence records shouldn’t be released at all.

Davies raised an alternate solution. He suggested releasing Sanders into the home of her son, his fiancee and teenage children in Northwest DC.

But, the prosecutor raised concern about the safety of the members of the household and the lack of monitoring. Apparently, Sanders son has a criminal record.

On July 2, Judge Iscoe agreed with the prosecution, saying “the safest placement for the community is the halfway house.”

Judge Iscoe previously approved the defendant’s release on June 24 into a halfway house because she didn’t have a criminal history. However, on June 26, an order was filed to stop processing the defendant into a halfway house, according to DC Courts.

Sanders is scheduled for a felony status conference on Aug. 30.

Murder Case Unlikely to Result in Plea Deal, Prosecution Says

The prosecution said during a July 1 status hearing that a plea deal is currently on the record but is likely the defense will not accept it.

Joshua Artis is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Ryan Matthew Addison, 28, on the 200 block of Elmira Street, SW on Aug. 11, 2015. Artis, 29, is also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to the prosecution, the defense wouldn’t accept the deal because the prosecution couldn’t get the district court of Eastern Virginia to agree to a waiver of protection that would have prevented Artis from being given additional charges.

On May 23, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Lee Beck said there was an enormous amount of evidence the prosecution needed to transfer to the defense. She also said computer problems delayed the transfer.

Judge Beck didn’t allow the prosecution to submit a letter Artis wrote to a witness. She said the letter was too vague and was likely to create unfair prejudice towards the defendant.

Judge Beck will allow two witnesses to testify. Apparently, one of the witnesses gave police a detailed account of a murder that could’ve been the crime Artis is accused of committing.

Judge Beck said she didn’t have time to evaluate the permissible scope of expert testimony before the hearing. She said she would give more detailed guidelines closer to trial.

According to court documents, Addison was discovered by police suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

According to a grand jury indictment, Artis is a member of IGB and was “authorized” by the Imperial Gangsta Bloods’ (IGB) leader to travel from Virginia to Washington, DC to kill Addison, who they believed killed Rodney Davis, a friend of theirs. Davis was fatally shot on the Unit block of Galveston Place, SW in 2015.

A status hearing is scheduled on July 19.

Judge Orders Murder Defendant Undergo 3rd Mental Competency Exam

In response to defense counsel’s request, a DC Superior Court judge ordered a third mental competency exam for a murder defendant.

Daryl Thompson is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 29-year-old Edward Roberts Jr. on the 3500 block of 14th Street, NW on July 30, 2016, and Tyler McEachern, 23, on the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace, SE on Aug. 29, 2016.

During a hearing on July 1, Thompson, 27, spoke directly to the judge, objecting to the questions of his competency and asserting that the process is depriving him of his right to a speedy trial. Defense attorneys, Dana Page and Pierce Suen, told the told the judge that trial preparation has led to new concerns regarding Thompson’s mental health. The concerns were not discussed in open court.

Thompson also said his previous trial date, which was scheduled on Aug. 29, 2018, had been vacated for competency exams. He expressed fear that his trial would be moved again.

Judge Craig Iscoe ordered a new mental competency exam to take place on July 2.

Two previous exams ultimately found the defendant competent to stand trial after receiving treatment at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

A hearing is scheduled on July 3 to review the latest competency examination report.

Judge Grants Defense A Continuance to Work on ’09 Murder Case

A DC Superior Court judge granted the defense a continuance until August.

Saeve Evans is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Kareem Ware on the 3800 block of Halley Terrace in 2009.

According to court documents, the shooting allegedly occurred after a car chase, during which the defendant and the victim were shooting at each other from different vehicles. As of June 28, no witnesses have directly identified Evans, 28, as the other shooter.

The prosecution first charged Evans for the crime in May, 10 years after the incident occurred.

The defense asked Judge Danya Dayson for a continuance in order to talk to a potential witness for the case.

The defense may also file a motion to dismiss the case. Judge Dayson granted both the defense and the prosecution until July 22 to file any motions.

Evans was acquitted Feb. 8 after standing trial for the murder of 16-year-old Breyona McMillian in 2016. Despite being found not-guilty for murder, Judge Craig Iscoe sentenced Evans in May to 4.6 years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.

A status hearing is scheduled on Aug. 14.

Grand Jury Increases Murder Defendant’s Charge

A grand jury in a homicide case indicted a murder defendant on greater charges than the ones the prosecution had originally sought.

Joseph Smith is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing his 62-year-old brother, Arnold Smith, on April 9 on the 600 block of Galveston Place, SE. Joseph was originally charged with voluntary manslaughter while armed.

During a status hearing June 28, Joseph’s defense attorney, Jacqueline Cadman, waived the formal reading of the indictment and announced that the defendant pleaded not-guilty.

Despite the increase to the charge, Joseph, 61, is still placed in a halfway house, according to DC Courts. DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson released Smith to the halfway house because of his undisclosed health problems on April 25.

Joseph told Judge Dayson the stabbing occurred in self-defense after his brother attacked him in the living room of their family home. However, initial evidence from the crime scene and inconsistencies in Smith’s testimony led Judge Dayson to find probable cause in the case.

Apparently, several witnesses also said the defendant made multiple threats against the victim.

Even so, the prosecutor told Judge Dayson that he would not use the testimonies during trial.

Smith is scheduled for a motions hearing and a status hearing on Aug. 23.

Prosecution Waits for DNA Results

A prosecutor in a murder case said she is still waiting on DNA results. She told a judge that she plans to enter the results as evidence for trial.

Keith Archie is charged with second-degree murder while armed, carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business, tampering with physical evidence and threatening to kidnap or injure a person for allegedly stabbing 32-year-old Demond Marcel Rush on the 3600 block of 22nd Street, SE in 2017.

Archie’s trial has been rescheduled from July 1 to Jan. 27, 2020.

Archie’s attorney, Blase Kearney, told DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman that he is planning on filing “constitutional” motions. He did not explain the details of all of the motions except for one that would prevent the prosecution from presenting certain evidence at trial.

Judge Edelman set Kearney’s deadline to file the motion is on Oct. 7. The prosecution has until Oct. 28 to respond.

According to court documents, police followed a blood trail from the foyer of the building where Rush was found, to his body. Rush was found with six stab wounds, one of which pierced his heart.

Archie, 38, appeared to be intoxicated when he talked to police, telling the police that he was not a criminal and repeatedly asked for a shirt. He is currently released on personal recognizance.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled on Nov. 22.

Parties Attempting to Reach Plea Deal, Counselors Say

Counsel told a DC Superior Court Judge June 28 that they are attempting to “reach a resolution” in a homicide case that is currently set for trial in August.

Mario Alfaro 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 Jonathan Vilchez. DC Police found Vilchez, 22, with multiple gunshot wounds on the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW in 2017.

The prosecution and defense told Judge Danya Dayson that they are in the final stages of drafting a plea agreement. The specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Defense attorney, James King, told Judge Dayson that he didn’t expect the plea deal to fall apart. However, counsel insisted the trial date be moved in case an agreement couldn’t be made. A new date has not been selected as of July 1.

Alfaro, 22, rejected a plea deal offered by the prosecution last year.

According to court documents, several security cameras show Alfaro shooting into the Lucky Corner Market where the victim’s body was found. Police believe Alfaro and Vilchez were members of the same street gang.

Alfaro is scheduled for a status hearing on July 17.

Document: Homicide on 13th Place, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in Southeast, DC.

According to a press release, Ja’Vontay Brown, a resident of Southeast DC, was found suffering from gunshot wounds on the 3400 block of 13th Place, Southeast. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest or conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in Washington, DC. Anyone with information should call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line — 50411.

Arrest Made in Homicide Near U Street Corridor, Police Still Investigating

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred during the last weekend in June.

According to a press release, officers charged 21-year-old Duan Garmany with first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) for his alleged involvement in shooting 28-year-old Christopher Payne on the 1400 block of W Street, NW earlier the same day. Payne died at the scene.

Germany is scheduled to appear in court on July 1. According to the Washington Post, Garmany was wounded in the left leg.

Another victim was also located suffering from non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to a local hospital.

Police are still investigating the homicide. Up to a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction for this homicide or any other homicide in Washington, DC.

Anyone with information should call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line — 50411.

Judge Won’t Exclude Murder Defendant ID from Evidence

During a motions hearing June 27, a judge denied the defense’s motion to suppress a murder defendant’s identification in material evidence.

Gary Proctor is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol outside a home or business and unlawful possession of ammunition for allegedly shooting Jerome Diggs, 42. The crime took play on the 1300 block of First Street, SW in 2015. Proctor, 41, is the victim’s cousin. The two allegedly got into an altercation two weeks prior to the victim’s death

Defense attorney, Steven Kiersh, motioned to suppress evidence regarding the identification of the defendant. Apparently, Proctor’s nickname is “Little Gary”.

According to court documents, one witness spoke to another saying that “Little Gary” shot the victim multiple times.

The defense argued that this alias was too vague.

However, Judge Dayna Dayson said there was a sufficient amount of other evidence that pointed to the defendant as a suspect.

Judge Dayson also denied a motion to admit a 911 call.

The case is set to go to trial on July 15 with the prosecution expecting to call three to five witnesses. The defense expects to call five witnesses.

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