On April 18, the prosecution rested its rebuttal case against a defendant accused of killing a teenager and a 23-year-old man in Northeast DC.
Carlton Fisher
Terik McLeodis charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the deaths of 17-year-old Devaun Drayton and Carlton Fisher in 2004 and 2006, respectively.
The prosecution’s final witness was the mother of the person who
Devaun Drayton
witnessed Drayton’s murder. The mother said her son didn’t want to tell the police who killed Drayton because he didn’t want to be labeled a “snitch.”
However, a prosecutor pointed out that the mother told a grand jury in 2004 that her son gave police a name, but she “wasn’t sure if it was Tyrell or Terik.”
In response, the mother said she did not remember that part of her grand jury testimony.
D.C. Witness previously reported that the mother’s son confessed to shooting Drayton and said he lied to his mother and the police. According to the prosecution, the witness has immunity protection and can’t be prosecuted for any of the information contained in his testimony.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin on April 22.
During a status hearing on April 18, a DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman moved a murder defendant’s trial date earlier by nearly two months before its initial date.
Cinquan Cartledge is charged with first-degree murder while armed and two gun-related offenses for his alleged role in the death of 37-year-old Orlando Silver III on the 1300 block of Howard Road, SE in 2016.
Cartledge’s trial date is now scheduled to begin on Nov. 18. The 24 year old was originally scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 27, 2020.
The change comes after a prosecutor notified the court she had a scheduling conflict.
Cartledge is scheduled for a status hearing on June 21, when counsel is expected to discuss trial preparations.
Marquette Tibbs is also charged with first-degree murder in connection to Silver’s death. D.C. Witness previously reported that Cartledge and Tibbs, 26, had their cases separated on March 19 because they wanted to have the ability to testify on each other’s behalf. Tibbs’ trial is scheduled to begin on May 6.
According to court documents, GPS monitors placed Tibbs and Cartledge near the scene of Silver’s murder. Two witnesses identified Tibbs as the shooter shortly after witnessing the incident.
A police officer said he saw Tibbs throw a loaded pistol. The prosecution said the gun Tibbs threw was probably used in the homicide.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a second homicide that occurred on Southern Avenue in Southeast DC in April.
According to a press release, officers located 57 year-old Barry Holmes suffering from a gunshot wound on the 5100 block of Southern Avenue, SE on April 17. Holmes, who was a contract worker on a road crew in the area, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
“You got a guy out here, all he did today is come to work and now he’s not going to get to go home,” DC Police Chief Peter Newsham said during a news conference after the shooting.
According to Newsham, the suspect is a thin black man who is about 5’7″-5’8″ in height, wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and a red vest. He said the suspect fled, on foot, into Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The Prince George’s County Police Department is also assisting DC police with their search for the individual.
As of April 18, the police haven’t recovered any evidence or received any information that would suggest the shooting is related to another shooting that happened about five miles down Southern Avenue on April 13.
A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction with any 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.
The prosecution in a murder trial sought to discredit a witness who said he was responsible for murdering a teenager.
Carlton Fisher
Terik McLeodis charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the deaths of 17-year-old Devaun Draytonand 23-year-old Carlton Fisher in 2004 and 2006, respectively.
Devaun Drayton
The prosecution began their rebuttal by calling a detective to the stand. The detective told the jury that when he interviewed the witness during the investigation, the witness told him that another person was responsible for the shooting.
According to the detective, the witness said he and Drayton were approached by a suspect who asked Drayton, “ Did you holler at my little brother?” The detective said the witness said the suspect shot Drayton. The detective said the facts the witness initially gave him did not indicate that he was responsible for the murder.
Drayton’s sister also told the jury that the witness told her that a person was trying to rob Drayton and ended up shooting him in the process.
Apparently, the witness told another detective, in 2018, that Drayton was killed because he stole someone’s dog.
However, during the trial, the witness told the jury that he confessed to shooting the teen. According to the witness, he told detectives that he shot Drayton. He said he loaned Drayton a gun and when Drayton failed to return it, he shot him in the back of the head.
D.C. Witness previously reported that the witness has immunity protection and can’t be prosecuted for any of the information contained in his testimony.
During a murder trial April 17, a witness took the stand and said the victim was unarmed, discrediting the defenses’ self-defense claim.
Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed against a minor for his alleged role in the death of 15-year-old Malek Merceron the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE in 2015. Decuir, 26, has been tried twice before. Both trials resulted in mistrials after the juries could not come to a unanimous decision regarding his murder charge.
“I ain’t got nothing to hide. I wanted to help my friend,” the witness said.
The witness said that on the night of the murder he did not see a gun in Mercer’s duffel bag.
However, the witness later said he lied to detectives and the prosecution in previous meetings, saying he didn’t know whether or not Mercer had a shotgun or had shotgun shells.
Apparently, the witness knew the victim owned a shotgun but didn’t tell police. The witness said he didn’t tell the police about the gun because he “knew the defense would use it as a self-defense argument.”
According to the prosecution’s theory, Mercer was waiting at a bus stop with his friend when they ran into a group of three men, including Decuir. The prosecution said Decuir made a comment about Mercer’s belt, but became enraged when Mercer “snickered” at him in response. Decuir followed Mercer and eventually shot him in the neck.
The defense says Decuir fired in self-defense after he saw Mercer pulling a shotgun out of a duffel bag.
After rejecting a plea deal from the prosecution, a murder defendant heads to trial.
Hakeem Burroughs is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Jarell Walker on the 3700 block of Hayes Street, NE on June 2, 2016.
During a court proceeding April 17, Burroughs, 27, told DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKennathat he was rejecting the prosecution’s plea deal. According to the prosecution, the plea would have carried a 6-year credit for time served in conjunction with a five-year sentence on top of any jail time he received for other convictions in Maryland and the District. Counsel said a charge was not specified.
After the plea was rejected, the hearing moved to a discussion of the case’s outstanding motions for the trial.
On April 10, the defense filed several motions, including a motion to suppress the defendant’s cell phone and cell data from the trial, saying that the phone was seized unlawfully because Burroughs’ did not consent and a warrant was not issued.
The phone was obtained, by the police, from the scene of a crime on June 13, 2016, after Burroughs was shot. Apparently, authorities retrieved his phone from his jeans which were left on the scene.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective, Burroughs was placed on the department’s radar for the homicide after he was shot. The detective said that a warrant had not been submitted for Burroughs’ arrest on or before June 13.
Because MPD did not arrest Burroughs on or before the day he was shot, the defense argued that authorities unlawfully held his phone. Counsel said the phone was initially labeled as personal property but was not released to Burroughs or any representative on his defense team.
Judge McKenna denied the defense’s motion to suppress Burroughs cell phone and cell data from the trial, saying that, according to testimony from a forensic scientist at the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the phone was placed into police custody as evidence for the June 13 shooting.
Burroughs was arrested for Walker’s homicide on June 24, 2016.
Judge McKenna also said that since the phone was initially logged as evidence, it would not have been released to anyone. Because the phone was already in police custody, any information that was obtained for evidence in another case, was legal.
In addition to denying the motion to suppress the defendant’s cell phone and cell data, Judge McKenna also denied a motion to suppress an eyewitness’s identification of the shooter, a motion to suppress information from Burroughs’ GPS monitor and a motion to remove Burroughs’ prior convictions from the felony charge.
The judge said that any prior acts of violence from witnesses could not be discussed during trial unless Burroughs had knowledge of those acts. According to the judge, there will be limitations on how counsel can refer to the previous convictions by the defendant and the witnesses.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to be conducted in open court on April 18.
During a status hearing April 17, a DC Superior Court judge set a trial date for a murder case that the prosecution says may be gang-related.
Joshua Artis is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, among other charges, for his alleged role in the death of 28-year-old Ryan Addison on the 200 block of Elmira Street, SW in 2015.
Judge Ronna Beck scheduled Artis, 29, to go to trial on June 3. Her ruling was based on the Interstate Act on Detainers, an agreement entered by the United States and the District of Columbia that sets limitations on the timespan of cases brought to trial.
The act solely applies to prisoners sentenced for unrelated trials that are transferred between two states. The act states that if the prisoner’s trial doesn’t occur within 120 days of the prisoner’s arrival in the state, then the case is dismissed with prejudice.
According to the prosecution, Artis was transferred from Virginia, where he was carrying out a sentence for a gun charge. Apparently, Artis is scheduled to be released in December 2021.
The defense and the prosecution agreed Artis’ 120 day clock would end on June 7.
During the hearing, the prosecutor also said he does not plan on conducting DNA testing. In response, the judge ordered the prosecution to hand over any remaining case evidence to the defense so the defendant can decide whether or not he would conduct DNA testing.
According to a grand jury indictment, Artis is a member of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods also known as IGB, “a criminal organization operating in the United States, including in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.”
The indictment states that a regional IGB leader “authorized” Artis 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.
Artis is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on May 17.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred April 15 on the 2400 block of Pomeroy Road, SE.
According to a press release, officers located 31-year-old Antwan Hucks suffering from a gunshot wound. He died on the scene.
The police 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 case in 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.
Throughout the month of March, the District tallied nine homicides, the majority occurring in Southeast DC.
While the number of homicides in March decreased when compared to February, overall gun-related deaths still account for the majority of the month’s homicides. There were five gun-related deaths, two stabbings and two deadly assaults in March.
Jawaid Bhutto
On March 1, police found 64-year-old Jawaid Bhutto suffering from an apparent gunshot wound on the 2600 block of Wade Road, SE.
Police arrested and charged Hilman Jordan with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Bhutto’s death. Jordan, 45, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 19.
Natina Kiah
Five days later on March 5, police located Natina Kiah suffering from an apparent stab wound on the 5000 block of D Street, SE. Kiah, 40, was pronounced dead on the scene. Apparently, she was a security guard at a local homeless shelter.
News reports said that Stephenson was on the run for nearly five years for allegedly killing his fiancee and her dog in 2014 when Prince George’s County Police apprehended him on March 7.
DC police have not issued a warrant for Stephenson in conjunction with Kiah’s murder as of April 16.
On March 6, Brian Kennedy, Jr. was found on the Unit block of Halley Place, SE suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Kennedy, 27, was pronounced dead on the scene. According to a press release, police believe Kennedy may have been shot at a different location. Police have not appended a suspect in connection to the murder as of April 16.
Dawud Debruhl
Nearly a week later on March 12, police found 25-year-old Dawud Debruhl suffering from a gunshot wound on the 1300 block of Columbia Road, NW.
Police arrested and charged Deontay Britton with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Debruhl’s death. Britton, 25, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 25.
Ahmed Simms
On March 17, police reported to the 1800 block of Q Street, SE on reports of assault and found Ahmed Simms unconscious and unresponsive. Simms, 37, was pronounced dead on the scene.
Later that same day, police located 59-year-old Thurman Knight suffering from a “puncture wound” on the 500 block of Montana Avenue, NE.
Police have not arrested any suspects in the assault on Q street or the stabbing on Montana Avenue.
On March 19, 3-month-old Skylar Newman succumbed to injuries stemming from a March 16, when the infant was found unconscious and unresponsive on the 4300 block of G Street, SE. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia said the infant’s death was caused by blunt force injuries.
Cornell Delvonte Holton
According to a press release, there is a warrant for 25-year-old Cornell Delvonte Holton’s arrest for first-degree felony murder in connection to the child’s death.
Rafiq Hawkins
Four days later, on March 23, police found 23-year-old Rafiq Hawkins suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 1300 block of Saratoga Avenue, NE. According to a press release, the shooting occurred on the 1200 block of Brentwood Road, NE. A suspect has not been arrested as of April 16.
Anthony Williams
The final homicide of the month occurred on March 30, when police located 54-year-old Anthony Williams suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 300 block of 62nd Street, NE. Police have not appended a suspect for Williams’ death as of April 16.
During opening arguments, the prosecution in a murder trial appealed to the jury’s sensitivity regarding violence against children.
Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting of Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE. Decuir, 26, has been tried twice before. Both trials resulted in mistrials after the juries could not come to a unanimous decision regarding Decuir’s murder charge.
“Derryck Decuir murdered a child, a 15-year-old child,” the prosecutor told the jury on April 15.
According to the prosecution’s theory, Mercer was waiting at a bus stop with his friend when they ran into a group of three men, including Decuir. The prosecution said Decuir made a comment about Mercer’s belt, but became enraged when Mercer “snickered” at him in response.
Surveillance footage from a Metrobus shows Mercer, his friend and the three men board the same bus. Decuir can be seen sitting directly behind Mercer.
The prosecution said Decuir was watching Mercer for the entire nine minute bus ride until Mercer notified the bus driver that his stop was coming up. The three men then followed Mercer and his friend off the bus.
According to the prosecution, Decuir made a “beeline” toward the two teens, ran up behind them and shot Mercer in the back of the neck, instantly crippling him.
But, the defense had a different story.
“He fired in fear. He fired in self-defense,” defense attorney Lee Goebes told the jury. “MPD’s investigation was sloppy. It was incomplete. Because of that, it failed to uncover the truth.”
Goebes said his client fired in self-defense after he saw Mercer pulling a shotgun out of a duffel bag. However, according to police, there was no shotgun on the scene.
Goebes said Mercer’s friends “cleaned-up” the scene before the police arrived. There is evidence that places a shotgun at the scene, he said.
A crime scene technician told the jury that evidence left on the scene, included various items of clothing, a black duffel bag, a .9mm cartridge casing and a yellow shotgun shell.
After nearly six weeks of continuances, a murder defendant was presented in court April 15 in connection to a 2018 homicide.
Robert Henson is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 37-year-old Richard Lee Dudley on the 2500 block of Elvans Road, SE in December of 2018. Henson, 39, who was arrested on Feb. 28 is being held without bail.
According to DC Courts, Henson was initially scheduled to be presented on March 5. However, he was in the hospital. D.C. Witness could not verify why Henson was in the hospital for such an extended amount of time.
He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 25.
Court documents state that multiple witnesses identified Henson as the shooter. Apparently, the men were arguing and fighting prior to the murder. One witness said Henson walked back to his car after the fight ended. However, soon after, the same witness saw Henson shooting at Dudley. Henson fled the scene in a black SUV.
Even though a DC Superior Court judge downgraded a murder defendant’s substantial probability ruling, he found probable cause that the defendant was involved with killing a 10-year-old girl.
Darrise Jeffers is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE in 2018. According to court documents, Wilson was in the area getting ice cream and was an unintended target.
After hearing arguments from the prosecution and defense, Judge Craig Iscoe said April 15 that the prosecution’s evidence doesn’t surpass the threshold for substantial probability. But, he said the prosecution “easily” proved probable cause.
Judge Iscoe released Jeffers, 19, to home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program. Judge Iscoe also ordered Jeffers to stay away from the Clay Terrace and Wellington Park neighborhoods as well as other defendants in the case. Apparently, the shooting stemmed from a feud between the two neighborhoods.
The judge also told Jeffers that he couldn’t have any contact with guns of any kind. As part of his release conditions, Jeffers is required to wear a GPS monitor and undergo drug testing. He is only permitted to leave his grandmother’s home to go to work, school and court.
D.C. Witness previously reported that the DC Court of Appeals reversed Judge Iscoe’s finding of substantial probability in Wilson’s murder. Jeffers’ attorney, Veronice Holt, said the prosecutors only showed small portions of the videos during the original preliminary hearing which made her client appear guilty.
During the preliminary hearing on April 11, a prosecutor showed videos taken from Jeffers’ Instagram account. In the footage, Jeffers is seen wearing a white long sleeved shirt and yellow hat dancing with what appears to be a semi-automatic pistol. The footage also shows two other pistol-like objects on a table.
In another video, Jeffers is seen wearing the same outfit and appears to have an automatic rifle in his possession. But Holt said the gun was a BB gun and not a rifle. The prosecutor said that examiners from the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms office could not confirm if the gun in the video was real.
A detective from the Metropolitan Police Department also testified that he was not sure if the rifle used in Wilson’s murder was the same rifle shown on the footage.
Along with Jeffers, police also arrested Marquell Cobbs, 17; Mark Tee Price, 24; Quentin Michals, 21; Gregory Taylor, 23, and Qujuan Thomas, 20, for their alleged roles in Wilson’s death. Quanisha Ramsuer, 25, was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the murder. Prosecutors argued that Jeffers assisted the shooters by acquiring and storing guns, but was not at the scene during the shooting.
All of the defendants are scheduled to appear in court on May 23.
During a hearing April 15, a defense attorney in a murder case requested information about a witness that could potentially prove his client is innocent.
Roscoe Jones is charged with first-degree murder while armed and felony murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 33-year-old Mark Mosley on the 600 block of 46th Place, SE on Feb. 24.
Jones’ attorney, Blase Kearney, said a witness gave a statement to police that was “inconsistent” with surveillance footage in the case. Apparently, the witness said Mosley was involved in robbing Mosley, but not his murder. However, the witness refuses to cooperate, citing safety concerns. If called to testify, the witness plans to recant, documents state.
According to DC Courts, Kearney filed a motion on April 13 to compel the prosecution to hand over the witness’ contact information. However, the prosecutor said the law does not mandate her to fulfill the defense’s request.
The prosecution is scheduled to file a response to Kearny’s motion by April 19.
According to court documents, footage shows three suspects approach Mosley in a courtyard. Apparently, one of the suspects was holding a gun and began pushing Mosley out of the view of the camera, where he was later found by police suffering from gunshot wounds.
A witness identified the suspect with the gun as Jones, documents state. The witness told police Roscoe and the two other suspects robbed Mosley, going through his pockets and taking his jacket in the process. Apparently, Roscoe and the two other men then left the area. The witness said he later found out Mosley was killed “outback” near a garden area.
During the status hearing April 11, the defense requested an evidentiary hearing to examine conflicting testimony made by the prosecution’s expert witnesses. It’s unclear what areas the witnesses specialized in.
According to the defense, “issues need to be flushed out” by questioning the prosecution’s expert witnesses.
While Judge Todd Edelman acknowledged the court was dealing with “different experts saying different things” he said he was not up-to-date on the facts of the case and therefore couldn’t make a ruling. He scheduled a hearing on April 18, when he is expected to make a ruling.
D.C. Witness previously reported that Cartledge, 24, and Tibbs, 26, had their cases separated on March 19 because they wanted to have the ability to testify on each other’s behalf.
Tibbs is scheduled to go to trial on May 6. Cartledge’s trial is scheduled on Jan. 27, 2020.
A murder defendant appeared in court for the first time in more than a year.
Joshua Massaquoi is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy and a gun-related offense in connection to the death of 21-year-old Michael Francis Taylor on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW in 2008. Massaquoi, 31, is currently being held at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital.
According to DC Courts, Massaquoi was last in court on April 3, 2018.
During the hearing April 11, Massaquoi’s attorney said the case was progressing well and that he had no issues to raise.
Massaquoi is scheduled for a status hearing on July 12.
Mason Binion and Victor Carvajalare also charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Taylor’s death. Carvajal, 32, is scheduled for a status hearing on July 12. Binion, 31, is scheduled for a mental observation hearing on May 7.
According to court documents, a witness told police that Taylor helped “broker a deal” between a drug dealer and a group of individuals, including Binion, Carvajal and Massaquoi. Apparently, the group paid for marijuana but never received it.
Binion told police he supplied the gun and set up the murder. Massaquoi told police Binion shot Taylor and that Carvajal hit Taylor in the head with a rock.
