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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.



4 10 19 Arrest Made in a Homicide 600 Block of Galveston Place, Southeast (Text)

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.



4 9 19 Homicide 1800 Block of Q Street, Southeast (Text)

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.



Prosecution Locates 3 Missing Witnesses for Murder Trial

During a hearing on April 9, the prosecution in a murder case announced they located three of their six missing witnesses and are prepared to proceed to trial.

Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 15-year-old Malek Dayvon Mercer on 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 Decuir’s murder charge.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he signed material witness warrants on April 5 and April 8. Apparently, all six witnesses testified in Decuir’s previous trials.

The three located witnesses appeared in court on April 9 and signed notices agreeing to testify in the upcoming trial.

Judge Iscoe “quashed” the three material witness warrants, but said he would issue new warrants if the witnesses failed to appear in court for the trial. He also permitted the prosecution to introduce transcripts of previous witnesses testimony if the remaining witnesses are not located.

D.C. Witness previously reported that a jury found Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony, carrying a firearm without a license with a prior felony, obstruction of justice and tampering with physical evidence in connection to Mercer’s death.

Decuir was sentenced for the firearms, obstruction and tampering charges in August of 2018. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence.

The trial is scheduled to begin on April 10.

Judge Schedules Trial for Defendant Without Indictment

A DC Superior Court judge set a trial date in a codefendant murder case even though one of them hadn’t been indicted as of April 8.

Gabriel Brown and Antonio Upshaw, 29, are charged with first-degree murder while armed and robbery while armed for their alleged role in the shooting death of 24-year-old Tyrone Johnson on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE in 2017. They are both being held without bail.

Jordan Woods was also arrested in connection to Johnson’s murder, however, the prosecution didn’t bring charges against him, according to the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia.

“It makes no sense to wait for the second indictment,” Judge Todd Edelman said.

Per the defense’s request, Judge Edelman scheduled Brown and Upshaw’s trial on June 1, 2020, despite Brown, 30, not being formally indicted.

Upshaw’s indictment was filed on Sept. 26, 2018.

The prosecution said Brown’s indictment would be filed before the deadline. “We don’t have a specific timeline,” the prosecutor said. According to the Code of the District of Columbia, the prosecution has nine months to file an indictment. 

Brown and Upshaw are scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on May 17.

Document: Homicide on Benning Road, NE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on the 3400 block of Benning Road, Northeast.

According to a press release, during the evening hours of April 8 police arrived on Benning Road on a report of an assault and found a man unconscious and unresponsive. The man was brought to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The police have not yet identified the victim.

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.



4 9 19 Homicide 3400 Block of Benning Road, Northeast (Text)

Court of Appeals Reverses Substantial Probability in Murder Case

On April 8, a DC Superior Court judge said the Court of Appeals reversed his substantial probability finding in a murder case.

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. Wilson was apparently in the area getting ice cream and was an unintended target.

Jeffers’ defense attorney, Veronice A. Holt, said the Court of Appeals saw more footage than DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe when he reviewed the case on Jan. 10. She said that during the preliminary hearing the prosecution only showed “snippets” of surveillance footage that made her client look guilty.

Apparently, after reviewing the additional footage, the Court of Appeals ruled on April 5 to reverse Judge Iscoe’s substantial probability finding that Jeffers, 19, was involved in Wilson’s death. Even though the Court of Appeals reversed Judge Iscoe’s ruling, Jeffers is still charged with the crime. 

Holt also said she initially didn’t receive the full surveillance footage from the prosecution and requested more time to review the evidence.

Judge Iscoe granted Holt more time to examine the evidence and scheduled a felony status conference on April 11.

Police said the shooting seemed to stem from a disagreement between two neighborhoods. According to court documents, surveillance footage captured four suspects exiting a black sedan and firing toward 53rd Street. The prosecution said Jeffers was not at the scene during the shooting, but that he assisted the shooters by acquiring and storing guns.

Police also arrested Marquell Cobbs, 17; Mark Tee Price, 24; Quentin Michals, 21; Gregory Taylor, 23, and Qujuan Thomas, 20, in connection to Wilson’s death. Quanisha Ramsuer, 25, was charged with obstruction of justice.

Cobbs, Price, Michals, Taylor and Thomas are currently being held without bail. Ramsuer has been released on personal recognizance under the High Intensity Supervision Program. All of the defendants are scheduled for a felony status conference on May 23.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in 2018 Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department announced April 8 an arrest was made in connection to a 2018 fatal shooting in Northeast DC.

According to a press release, Reginald Turner was arrested and charged with first-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. Police say Muhammad was brought to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 1.

Turner, 34, is scheduled to be presented in court April 9.



4 8 18 Arrest Made in a Homicide 800 Block of Taylor Street, Northeast (Text)

Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2018 Stabbing

During a hearing April 8, a murder defendant pleaded guilty to his role in the death of a 53-year-old man.

Antoine Little pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for his role in the death of Curtis Barnum on the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE in 2018. Little, 42, was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed. 

The prosecution downgrade Little’s murder charge and dismissed his charges from three unrelated cases, including bail violation and attempted threats to do bodily harm.

Contingent on the judge’s approval, Little could be sentenced to a maximum of 18 years in prison.

A proffer of facts state that Little encountered Barnum at a Valero Gas Station on Minnesota Avenue, NE. The two got into a verbal altercation. Apparently, when Barnum got into his car, Little got into the passenger seat and stabbed him multiple times. Little then pushed Barnum out of the car and drove away.

The prosecutor said shortly after the murder, police saw Little driving Barnum’s car. A high speed chase ensued and Little escaped.

According to court documents, Little was later arrested in connection to an unrelated case and was identified by a witness.

Little is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14.

Missing Witnesses Cause Delay in Murder Trial

The day a murder trial was scheduled to begin, a DC Superior Court judge delayed jury selection after the prosecution said they are missing six witnesses.

Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 15-year-old Malek Dayvon Mercer on 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 Decuir’s murder charge.

The trial was scheduled to begin on April 8. D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe continued the trial to April 9.

“This is not a situation where the government can’t find witnesses. This is a situation where these witnesses aren’t showing up,” the prosecution said.

The prosecution said they were “zealously” trying to secure six material witnesses who they have not been able to locate. They said that all six witnesses have testified in Decuir’s previous trials.

“I am quite concerned for the number of material witnesses, all of whom would not be coming in voluntarily,” Judge Iscoe said. He said bringing the witnesses to court involuntarily could impact the credibility of their testimonies.

Judge Iscoe said he signed material witness warrants on April 5. None of the prosecution’s witnesses have been apprehended as of April 8.

“We are trying to go to trial,” the prosecution told the court. The prosecution said they would file motions to declare the witnesses unavailable if they could not be located.

D.C. Witness previously reported that a jury found Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony, carrying a firearm without a license with a prior felony, obstruction of justice and tampering with physical evidence in connection to Mercer’s death.

Decuir was sentenced for the firearms, obstruction and tampering charges in August of 2018. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence.

Document: 2 Die in Traffic Collision on I-295

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal traffic collision that occurred on Interstate 295 in the Southbound direction.

The collision claimed the lives of 36-year-old Lance Antonio Way, a resident of Silver Spring, Md. and 53-year-old Audrey Wimbish.

According to a press release, during the early morning hours on April 5, a person driving a 2015 Kia Optima was driving northbound in the southbound lanes. The Optima collided with a 2010 Mercedes Benz that was traveling southbound and then struck a 2014 Toyota Corolla. In an attempt to avoid the crash, a person driving a Chevrolet Suburban made an evasive maneuver, which caused the vehicle to lose control and crash into a concrete barrier.

The operators of the Optima and the Suburban died, while the occupants of the Mercedes Benz and the passenger in the Suburban were transported to an area hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The operator and occupants in the Corolla did not sustain injuries.



Document: Homicide on Wagner Street, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on 2400 block of Wagner Street, SE.

According to a press release, during the early morning hours officers found 28 year-old Montray Brown suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim died on the scene.

According to D.C. Witness data, Brown’s death is the 44th homicide in DC this year. There were 35 homicides during this same time last year.

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.



Judge Sets Trial Date in Double Homicide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During a status hearing April 8, a DC Superior Court Judge set a trial date for a double homicide.

Alonzo Lewis is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, for his alleged role in the deaths of 35-year-old Venius Badgett and 40-year-old Jaquon Helm on the Unit block of Galveston Street, SW in May of 2018.

After taking the prosecution and defenses’ availability into account, Judge Danya Dayson scheduled Lewis, 33, to go to trial on July 27, 2020. She also scheduled a trial readiness hearing on July 17, 2020.

During the hearing, Lewis’ defense attorney, John Fowler, notified the court he was missing some discovery evidence, including reports and information pertaining to witnesses and police officers. However, Fowler said he’s working with the prosecution to address the issue.

According to court documents, an 11-year-old witness said that Lewis’ romantic partner got into a physical altercation with Badgett before Helm pulled Badgett away. Another witness said Lewis shot both Badgett and Helm following the incident.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Helm and Badgett were married for six years and had five children, who were not harmed in the shooting.

Lewis is scheduled for a status hearing on July 19.