Witness Takes Responsibility for Shooting Teen in 2004

A witness told a jury that he, not the murder defendant, is responsible for fatally shooting a teenager fifteen years ago.

Terik McLeod is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the deaths of 17-year-old Devaun Drayton and 23-year-old Carlton Fisher in 2004 and 2006, respectively.

Apparently, the witness is currently serving time for another unrelated murder charge. According to the defense, the witness has immunity protection and can’t be prosecuted for any of the information contained in his testimony.

The witness said he and Drayton had a “misunderstanding” a few weeks before the murder. He said he let Drayton borrow a gun after the teen claimed his little brother had been robbed.

According to the witness, Drayton said he’d bring the gun back but didn’t follow through. The witness said Drayton made up a story about losing the gun after a shootout.

“The story didn’t make sense,” the witness said. “I believe he stole from me. His intention was to keep the gun.”

The witness told the jury that he and Drayton got food at a local golf course on the day of the murder. After the golf course, he said they walked to school.

“When we got behind the school, I shot him,” the witness said. He said no one else was there at the time of the shooting.

After the shooting, the witness said he was riding a bike to his grandfather’s house when he saw an individual he knew standing on a corner. The witness said he told the individual that “someone shot Devaun,” and the two went back to the scene and called 911.

“I believe I told [police] ‘we was walking and we had bumped into somebody back there. He and Devaun exchanged some words and he got shot,’” the witness said.

The witness said he later told his mother it was McLeod who shot Drayton.

“I already didn’t know what to tell her,” the witness said. “I wasn’t gonna tell her that I did it. Detectives had already asked me about [McLeod]. It was just easier.”

However, earlier in the trial, another witness said he was walking with Drayton and a group of people to school, heard gunshots and saw McLeod with a gun and Drayton on the ground.

The trial is scheduled to continue on April 17.

Judge Finds Probable Cause Defendant Killed His Brother

A DC Superior Court judge found probable cause April 11 that a 60-year-old man did not stab his brother in self-defense.

Joseph Smith is charged with voluntary manslaughter while armed for his alleged role in the stabbing death of 62-year-old brother, Arnold Smith, on the 600 block of Galveston Place, SE on April 9. Joseph, 60, is being held without bail.

During the hearing, the lead detective narrated body camera footage taken from the night of the murder. Apparently, Joseph, 60, told police his brother attacked him and there was a tussle that began in the living room and continued into the kitchen. Joseph said he ended up on the floor with Arnold on top of him and that’s when he grabbed what was closest to him, a knife, and stabbed Arnold.

Judge Danya Dayson said she made her ruling based on inconsistencies in Joseph’s testimony in connection to the physical scene, which was supported by the detective’s testimony and the footage. She also said that while Arnold had a folded pocket knife on him, she believes it wasn’t a threat.

Regarding the inconsistencies, Joseph told police the fight began in the living room, but Judge Dayson pointed out that the living room looked “undisturbed” and that it would be “reasonable” to believe there would have been items displaced.

Judge Dayson also pointed out that there was blood splatter on the ceiling of the kitchen. She said it was likely the two men weren’t on the ground when the stabbing occurred, which contradicts Joseph’s account. Judge Dayson also said the location of the victim’s stab wounds was not consistent with being stabbed from below.

According to court documents, Arnold had a stab wound to the chest, lower back and a superficial wound to his right arm.

Judge Dayson said she would be willing to release the defendant into home confinement with an order to stay away from the District of Columbia; however, she wants to be sure he doesn’t have a drug dependency. Apparently, Joseph’s sister told the prosecution that he has an “intense” addiction to PCP, a mind-altering drug.

Judge Dayson scheduled a hearing on April 18, when she is expected to receive Joseph’s drug test results and make a ruling on his release.

Judge Grants Motion for Defense Attorney to Withdraw

During a status hearing April 11, a DC Superior Court judge granted a motion for a defense attorney to withdraw from a murder case.

Mark K. Bowser is charged with first-degree murder while armed and obstruction of justice for allegedly stabbing 39-year-old Tracy Womack on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE in 2014. Bowser, 39, is currently being held without bail.

Judge Todd Edelman granted defense attorney Jason Tulley’s motion to withdraw due to a conflict of interest. According to DCCourts, Tulley filed the motion on March 22.

Apparently, an unredacted document that was examined by the defense revealed names that created a conflict of interest for Tulley. The context of the conflict of interest was not made clear in court.

The court appointed Betty Ballester as Browser’s new defense attorney.

“You can’t have a lawyer who is representing someone with conflicting interests,” Judge Edelman said.

According to court documents, Bowser allegedly entered Womack’s apartment as she was sleeping and attacked her. Police found Womack with her pants pulled down, suffering from more than 40 stab wounds.

Bowser is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on April 19.

Judge Gives Prosecution More Time for DNA Testing

During a status hearing April 11, the prosecution in a murder case requested more time to receive DNA results.

Co-defendants Robert Washington and Derrick Hart are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged role in the shooting of 22-year-old Maleak Coffin on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE in 2017. Both men are being held without bail.

The prosecution told the court that they would not be able to receive and file the DNA results by April 15. As a result, D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman gave the prosecution more time to obtain the results and to see if a plea offer would be extended.

Judge Edelman scheduled a status hearing on May 17.

According to court documents, the shooting allegedly occurred after several young men parted ways at a mini-mart near the crime scene. Surveillance footage shows Hart, 23, running down an ally with a gun and shooting at a vehicle that was stopped at a gas station.

Footage also shows Washington, 21, who was driving in the opposite direction, make a U-turn after the initial shots and drive up to the stopped vehicle, documents stated. Additional shots were fired at the stopped vehicle, but it is unclear in the footage if the shots came from Washington’s car.

DC Judge Transfers Murder Defendant to Maryland

A DC Superior Court judged ordered the transfer of a murder defendant to Maryland to handle attempted murder, assault and gun charges before addressing his murder charge in the District of Columbia.

Reginald Turner is charged in with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 37-year-old Malik Muhammad on the 800 block of Taylor Street, NE on November 26, 2018.

During the hearing April 11, a prosecutor said that Turner, 34, had second-degree attempted murder charges in Prince George’s County, Maryland from an incident involving a police chase. For that reason, Turner would be transferred to Maryland so his charges could be resolved. According to court documents, the police chase Turner was involved in left multiple officers injured.

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he would continue to hold Turner without bail before his transfer to Maryland so that his time in jail could be credited if he were convicted of murder.

According to court documents, DC police officers stopped Turner, who was driving a black Hummer, on the Beltway. DC police then called Prince George’s County officers to assist in an arrest because the officers believed Turner was involved in the murder. Turner then began to fight the officers and sped away, striking officers from Prince George’s County with his car. Police chased Turner for nearly 20 miles before arresting him.

County police also found a 9mm handgun in Turner’s car, which a firearms expert, said he believed matched the shell casings found at the scene of Muhammad’s murder in DC.

Even though a preliminary hearing is scheduled on April 18 in DC Superior Court, Judge Iscoe said it would be cancelled because of the transfer.

Witness Has ‘No Doubt’ Murder Defendant is Guilty

A witness told a jury that there was “no doubt in his mind” that the defendant is responsible for a shooting that occurred in 2004.

The witness, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for a different murder, entered a cooperation agreement in 2016 and agreed to testify against McLeod. The witness said he had knowledge of the two shootings and said McLeod, 33, was responsible for both.

The witness also said he and McLeod lived in the same neighborhood and hung out with the same group of people. The witness described their relationship as “okay” and said there was “no beef.”

On the morning of Drayton’s murder, the witness said he was walking to school with McLeod, Drayton, and two other individuals. The witness said the group was smoking marijuana, so he started walking ahead a few feet in front of them because he didn’t want smoke blown at him.

The witness said he heard one gunshot behind him, so he ducked, turned and saw McLeod with a gun and Drayton on the ground.

Apparently, Drayton was supposed to sell a gun to McLeod, however, the transaction was never completed because Drayton said it “went missing.”

“He lied about losing it,” the witness said, referring to the gun. The witness said it was a big deal to take someone’s gun because a gun is a means of protection.

The witness also testified that after he was released from jail in 2010, he had a conversation with McLeod, who said he shot Fisher for snitching. Apparently, McLeod told the witness that he “put his brains all over the mailbox.”

The witness said he believed McLeod approached him about shooting Fisher because the witness previously killed a man for snitching.

During cross-examination, the defense tried to discredit the witness and said he was only forthcoming with information after entering a cooperation agreement. The defense said the witness was only helping the prosecution to receive a lighter sentence.

However, the witness said he had no reason to lie because he could be charged with perjury, lose his plea agreement or get more time.

“I killed someone for doing this,” the witness said, referring to snitching. “That very same thing could happen to me.”

Murder Defendant Owned Revolver, Witness Says

During a murder trial April 9, a witness testified that he saw a murder defendant in possession of a gun that firearms experts believe could be the murder weapon.

A firearms analyst testified that the bullets found in Fisher’s body could have been fired from the .357 revolver found near McLeod. However, according to court documents, there were not enough markings to officially declare a match.

A witness, who was friends with McLeod, told the jury he saw McLeod “playing with” a .357 revolver in an abandoned house when it accidentally went off. Police were later called to the residence and three guns, including the revolver, were taken from the house.

During the trial, the witness also said he became a government informant in an attempt to lower his sentence in an unrelated assault case. As part of his plea deal, the witness testified in multiple cases against McLeod. Apparently, McLeod threatened the witness after McLeod found out he was a “snitch.”

According to court documents, there were no shell casings found at the scene of Fisher’s murder, which means that a revolver was likely the murder weapon.

Judge Agrees to Grant Defendant New Counsel

During a hearing April 10, a DC Superior Court judge agreed to appoint new counsel for a murder defendant.

Orlando Little, also known as Demetrius Pierce, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 68-year-old Nazir Ahmad on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE in November of 2018.

After speaking with Little and his defense attorney, Jeffrey Stein, Judge Todd Edelman said he would grant Stein’s motion to withdraw, which was filed the day prior. Judge Edelman said he would attempt to appoint Little, 33, another lawyer from the Public Defender Service but if that’s not possible he will look outside of the agency.

Judge Edelman is expected to appoint Little new counsel at the next scheduled hearing on April 19.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows a male suspect enter the Valero Gas Station’s 24-hour Food Mart on Brentwood Road and steal a cash register. Police later found Ahmad locked in the mart’s employee room suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

During the investigation, police also found a trail of coins from the mart to a nearby McDonald’s, where police found a baseball cap with the defendant’s DNA.

Prosecution Requests New Trial Date

The prosecution in a murder case requested to change a murder defendant’s trial date, citing a scheduling conflict.

Larry Brown is charged with second-degree murder while armed and two gun-related offenses for his alleged role in the death of 33-year-old Derrick Wright on the 1300 Block of Florida Avenue, NE in March of 2018.

Brown, 32, is scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 18.

During a status hearing April 9, DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said it was likely the new trial date would have to be set in 2020. However, she refrained from scheduling a new date because one of Brown’s attorneys was absent.

A trial date could be set at the next hearing on April 17.

According to court documents, surveillance video captured an altercation between two unknown individuals near the scene of the crime. Witnesses said a man was seen carrying a thin black object and yelling, “I love to kill, I love to kill.”

An unidentified informant told police via the text-tip line that Brown was the assailant.

Murder Defendant Given Final Notice for ‘Generous’ Plea Offer, Prosecution Says

During a status hearing April 8, a murder defendant was appointed new counsel and given a final notice to make a decision on a plea deal.

Ricardo Daquan Boston is charged with first-degree murder while armed, among other offenses, for his alleged role in the shooting death of 20-year-old Dante Coleman on the 3900 block of First Street, SE in 2017.

DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman dismissed Boston’s previous defense attorney, Kevin Irving, and appointed Dorsey G. Jones as his new defense counsel. D.C. Witness previously reported that Boston, 24, requested a new attorney on March 19 because of allegations of ineffective counsel.

Following the counsel change, Judge Todd Edelman informed the defense that the prosecution’s plea offer for voluntary manslaughter would “disappear” if Boston doesn’t take it.

“There will be no offer as generous as this one,” the prosecution said.

In response, Jones requested another status hearing so he could have time to go over the plea with Boston.

Boston is scheduled for a status hearing on April 22.

Judge Sets Trial Date, Modifies Murder Defendant’s Release Conditions

Following the return of a grand jury indictment, a DC Superior Court judge set a trial date and modified a murder defendant’s conditions of release.

A grand jury indicted Roger Hamilton on second-degree murder, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug in connection to the death of 42-year-old Vincent Childs at the intersection of Southern Avenue and Wheeler Road, SE in March of 2018.

Hamilton, 38, is currently released under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). Per his conditions of release, Hamilton reports for drug testing, maintains a curfew, wears a GPS monitor and has driving restrictions. It’s unclear what his driving restriction is.

Judge Danya Dayson set the trial to begin on March 23, 2020. She also rejected the defense’s request for Hamilton to solely report weekly for drug testing. Instead, she agreed to drop Hamilton’s curfew.

Hamilton’s defense attorney, Joseph Scrofano, argued against the court’s ruling, saying Hamilton has a “limited” criminal history and has been in “perfect compliance.” Scrofano also said the homicide was an “isolated incident.”

The prosecution argued in favor of the court’s position and noted the severity of the offense. The prosecutor also said, given the circumstances of the case, Hamiliton’s driving restriction, drug testing and GPS monitoring were necessary.

During the hearing, Hamilton also rejected a plea offer for voluntary manslaughter. According to the defense, the plea offer had a sentencing range of 4-7 years in prison.

According to court documents, police officers arrived at the intersection of Southern Avenue and Wheeler Road and found Childs suffering from “massive trauma.” The investigation revealed that Hamilton was driving a car at a “high rate of speed,” mounted a curb, hit a pedestrian and then struck two trees, which were uprooted in the process.

Apparently, Hamilton tried to flee the scene and was stopped by a nearby pedestrian, court documents state. An officer, on the scene, said Hamilton’s breath was consistent with the smell of alcohol.

Hamilton is scheduled for a status hearing on June 24.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in April Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a suspect in a fatal domestic assault on the 600 block of Galveston Place, SE.

According to a press release, Joseph Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the stabbing death of 62-year-old Arnold Smith on April 9. Smith, 60, was arrested later that same day.

Document: Homicide on Q Street, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal assault that occurred on the 1800 block of Q Street, SE.

According to a press release, on April 2 police were notified that 33-year-old Melvin Edward Quick was in a hospital being treated for life-threatening injuries. On April 7, Quick succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner deemed Quick’s cause of death as blunt force trauma and his manner of death a homicide.

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

Case Dismissed: Murder Defendant is ‘Unable to Exercise Right,’ Defense Says

Editor’s note: The case against Kenneil Cole was dismissed on Feb. 1, 2023.

During a felony arraignment April 9, the defense in a murder case said his client was “unable to exercise his right to attorney-client privilege.”

Kenneil Cole is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting his roommate, 24-year-old Keon Delonte Wallace, in an apartment on the 2400 block of Skyland Place, SE in June of 2018.

Cole’s defense attorney, James King, said his client is being held at a facility in Virginia, about an hour outside of the District. He said the distance was an issue because it was hindering his ability to meet with Cole. King said he was previously denied a visit to see his client.

King also said his client didn’t have access to law libraries for legal research.

D.C. Witness previously reported that King motioned to have Cole, 25, moved to a closer facility. The motion was denied, but the court issued an order to the facility that would allow individuals from the Public Defender Service to visit Cole.

King asked the court for a hearing to hear from representatives from the Department of Corrections as to why Cole is being held at a Virginia facility.

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he would “take on” King’s request for a hearing, but said he needed time to do additional research on the matter.

King also expressed concern that phone calls between him and his client were being recorded and given to the government. The government, however, said they have not received any calls.

Judge Iscoe said he’d look into methods regarding unrecorded phone calls and issued an order to prevent the government from reviewing any recordings that are allegedly privileged.

According to court documents, Cole told police he was trying to get Wallace to leave the apartment they shared when the two got into an altercation. Apparently, Wallace pulled out a handgun and threatened Cole. Cole said he was able to take the gun and ultimately shot Wallace 12 times.

A status hearing is scheduled on May 31.

Document: Police Arrest 3rd Suspect in 2018 Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested April 9 a third suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE.

According to a press release, 22-year-old Sean McKenzie is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting of 29-year-old Kenneth Poindexter on Jan. 20, 2018.

Steven Marquette Robin, 22, and 26-year-old Charles Young are also charged with first-degree murder while armed. Young is scheduled for a status hearing on May 3, and Robin is scheduled for a felony status conference on the same day.

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