Judge Sentences Man in Vehicular Homicide

A D.C. Superior Court judge sentenced a murder defendant March 1 to serve four years behind bars before serving four years on supervised probation.

In November, Lavone Beckett pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for driving under the influence of PCP and crashing his car into a pole, which ultimately led to the death of his passenger, Tanisha Ray. The crash occurred on the 600 block of Florida Avenue, NE in 2017.

During the hearing, Judge Ronna Beck sentenced Beckett to six years in prison, but suspended all but 48 months. She also sentenced him to four years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

“I feel guilty that I got to live and she didn’t,” Beckett, 41, said referring to Ray, who was a mother of four. “The lesson I’m learning is lifelong.”

According to the prosecution, “good samaritans” were able to get Beckett out of the car. However, the car was engulfed in flames and they were unable to get Ray out in time. The prosecution said Ray burned to death.

“PCP turns people into zombies, vampires,” the prosecution said. “People who are not in control of their actions.”

While defense attorney John Fowler didn’t refute Beckett’s responsibility, he did say that Beckett struggled with addiction dating back to his childhood, something that Beckett didn’t deal with until recently.

According to Fowler, Beckett grew up with addicts, including his mother. At the age of fourteen Beckett ended up taking care of himself and went on to finish high school and some college courses.

Fowler said Beckett worked in a high school as a security officer and that while he was on the job he intervened in a fight and was jumped. Apparently, Beckett went on pain killers for a back injury and that’s when his own addiction began.

“I apologize to the family,” Beckett said. “ I’ve wanted to apologize a 1000 times over.”

Judge Sets Murder Defendant’s Trial Date in 2020

A judge set a trial date for a man in connection to the murder of a 26 year-old man from Jacksonville, NC.

Kavonte Richardson, 25, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Matthew Scott Rooker on the 600 block of 7th Street, NW, on May 23, 2018.

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck set the first day of trial to begin on April 20, 2020. The date coincides with defense counsel’s availability. The extended date would also allow the prosecution to conduct DNA testing.

During the Feb. 28 hearing, the judge also scheduled a status hearing on July 7 for an Innocence Protection Act inquiry. According to the defense, Richardson was not the police’s only suspect. Police also suspected another man, who was also in the area at the time of the murder. Even though the other man was a suspect, he was not interrogated because a witness said the man seemed too slim to match the description of the killer.

Apparently, the witness said the defendant and Rooker, 26, were fighting over what was presumably Rooker’s backpack. After obtaining the backpack, the witness told police that the suspect fled the scene on foot, court documents said.

At the time of the arrest, the documents said, Richardson had a fresh laceration on his hand and an active warrant for his failure to appear in court for an unrelated case.

Judge Allows Murder Defendant to Claim Self Defense

A D.C. Superior Court judge ruled March 1 to allow a murder defendant’s attorneys to argue her actions were in self-defense.

Dianna Lalchan is charged with first-degree murder while armed and a gun-related offense for her alleged role in the death of her 36-year-old husband, Christopher Lalchan, in the Carrollsburg Condominiums on the 1200 block of 4th Street, SW in 2013.

Judge Ronna Beck said the defense had sufficient evidence in support of self-defense. Apparently, Lalchan, 33, called 911 after the murder and told the dispatcher, “he was coming at me so I shot him,” referring to her husband. The defense said her description makes the husband the “initial aggressor.”

The prosecution argued against the ruling saying, the evidence in the case doesn’t support a self-defense claim because the husband was shot in the back of the head.

Judge Beck said the defense could reference the husband’s prior “bad acts” during the trial.

According to court documents, Lalchan told the police that she was a victim of domestic abuse. However, she also told police that her husband did not threaten or abuse her the night he was killed.

Judge Beck also denied the prosecution’s motion to prevent two of the defense’s experts from testifying. According to the prosecution, the defense notified the court about the experts late, nearly two weeks before the trial was scheduled to begin.

However, due to the late filing, Judge Beck granted the prosecution additional time to prepare for the case by pushing the trial back two days. The trial, which was scheduled to begin on March 4, is now scheduled to begin on March 6.

Judge Dismisses Murder Defendant’s Case

On Feb. 28, a judge dismissed a murder defendant’s case without prejudice.

Curtis Edwards was charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 26-year-old James Tyrone Eaton on the 300 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE in 2018.

The prosecutor told the judge that she was seeking to withdraw the case without prejudice. The prosecution didn’t elaborate on why they were seeking to withdraw.

Edwards, 38, was previously released under the High Intensity Supervision Program, in which he was on 24-hour home confinement and monitored through a GPS monitoring device. Edwards was also required to report for drug testing.

According to court documents, Eaton was shot in the back of the head while having a conversation with multiple other men. Apparently, there is surveillance footage that showed a man walking away from the scene. Police said a witness identified Edwards as the man in the footage.

Judge Todd E. Edelman dismissed the case without objection from the defense.

Trial Continues For 2017 Homicide in Northeast DC

During trial on Feb. 28, a witness testified that he had one of two keys to a murder victim’s apartment.

El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure is charged with first-degree murder while armed and first-degree sexual abuse, among other offenses, for his alleged role in the death of 34-year-old Corrina Mehiel on the 600 block of 14th Street, NE in 2017. According to court documents, Mehiel was stabbed multiple times in her apartment and her wounds were consistent with torture.

A witness who knew Mehiel testified that he arranged for Mehiel to stay in his apartment after he moved out because he could not get out of the lease agreement.

The witness said he still had a key to the apartment at the time of Mehiel’s death. The witness also said there were no openings in the courtyard of the apartment that would allow a person to enter the residence from the back.

Another witness, who was a close friend of Mehiel, said she spoke with Mehiel and her boyfriend weeks before the murder and that “things seemed fine” between them.

Surveillance video and bank records indicate that a man, who was driving a blue Toyota Prius, attempted to withdraw money from Mehiel’s bank account.

According to court documents, Mehiel’s vehicle, a blue Prius, was missing from her residence after her murder. Prosecutors said Toure stole the vehicle shortly after her death. A murder weapon was never found.

The trial is scheduled to continue on March 4.

Judge Finds Substantial Probability in January Homicide

During a preliminary hearing Feb. 28, a judge found substantial probability that a defendant was involved in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old in January.

Elhadji Babacar Ndiaye is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 21-year-old Travis Deyvon Ruth on the 2700 block of Jasper Street, NE on Jan. 18. According to court documents, Ruth was shot nine times. The majority of his wounds were back to front, however, the gunshot wounds to Ruth’s leg was front to back.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman said, based on a witness’s testimony, he believed Ndiaye is a danger to the community. Ndiaye, 19, is being held without bond.

During the hearing, the prosecution called a detective to the stand who told the court about interviews he conducted with multiple witnesses. The witnesses placed Ndiaye at the scene of the crime. According to the detective, a witness said Ruth was sitting in the front seat of a green Honda Accord when Ndiaye pulled out a gun, opened the back door and shot him.

The detective said another witness received threatening phone calls regarding the shooting. The detective said he did not know if Ndiaye made the calls.

The prosecutor said Ndiaye is responsible for Ruth’s death, fleeing the crime scene, threatening a witness and destroying evidence.

A green Honda Accord, which police determined was the same car from the shooting, was found burned a week after the murder.

Ndiaye’s defense attorney, Blase Kearney, said there is a lack of forensic evidence in the case. Kearney also said the witnesses the detective spoke to aren’t credible. Apparently, the witnesses were initially uncooperative and their stories weren’t consistent with Ruth’s wounds.

But, Judge Edelman said that despite the inconsistencies in the witnesses’ stories, they were somewhat consistent with each other.

A felony status conference is scheduled on April 5.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in December Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a man they believe is connected to a fatal shooting that occurred in December.

According to a press release, police arrested 38-year-old Robert Tyrone Henson and charged him with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 37-year-old Richard Lee Dudley on Dec. 10, 2018.

Dudley was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Prosecution Violated Defendant’s Right to Speedy Trial, Defense Says

During a motions hearing Feb. 28, a murder defendant’s attorney accused the prosecution of violating her client’s constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Hakeem Burroughs, 27, is charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill while armed, among other offenses, for his alleged role in the death of 22-year-old Jarell Walker on the 3700 block of Hayes Street, NE in 2016.

Burroughs’ attorney, Dominique Winters, told the court that the prosecution failed to follow through with the arguments they made to continue the defendant’s trial date. Apparently, the prosecution was supposed to take steps toward obtaining a second indictment, assess a potential cooperating witness’s “viability” and give the defense evidence about the witness.

The trial was continued to April 5 from May of 2018.

Winters also said a lawyer, who was representing another witness in the case, told her the prosecution said the case was “going away.” Winters said she believes the prosecution never intended to obtain a second indictment and instead “threatened” to, as a “last ditch effort,” continue the trial.

Winters filed a motion to dismiss the indictment on Feb. 5.

A prosecutor refuted the defense’s claims, saying a cooperating witness threw a “wrench” in her attempt to follow through. Apparently, the witness was charged with a felony in connection to an unrelated “incident” that occurred on July 16, 2018. The prosecutor said she doesn’t plan on calling the individual as a witness.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson requested that the prosecution provide a timeline of the actions that were taken on the case leading up to the July incident and after the incident occurred.

Judge Dayson also scheduled the motions hearing to resume on March 22, when she is expecting to make a ruling on whether or not to dismiss the indictment.

Judge Continues Sentencing For Man Convicted in Vehicular Homicide

A DC Superior Court judge agreed Feb. 28 to continue a murder defendant’s sentencing.

In November, a jury found David Jones guilty of second-degree murder, reckless driving, driving under the influence of a drug or alcohol and fleeing the scene in connection to the death of 65-year-old Carolyn Ellis at the intersection of 10th and U Street, NW in 2017.

Judge Ronna Beck delayed Jones’ sentencing to to June 7. The sentencing was originally scheduled on March 8. Judge Beck also said there was a possibility the prosecution was planning on offering Jones a post verdict plea agreement. Counsel didn’t expand on the potential plea offer.

Judge Beck ultimately agreed to continue the sentencing for nearly three months in order to give Jones time to finish taking a college class at DC Jail. Apparently, the course ends at the end of May.

In addition to the continuance, the judge also appointed Elizabeth Weller as Jones’ new defense attorney and dismissed his previous attorney, Antoini Brown. Apparently, Jones, 38, and Brown had a “falling out.”

During the trial, the prosecution said a police officer saw a black man with dreadlocks, which matches Jones’ description, speeding in a black car in the vicinity of the crime scene. Surveillance video captured a dark-colored car run a red light and turn onto U Street, fatally striking Ellis, who was crossing the street.

D.C. Witness Fills DC’s Need for Homicide Transparency

After a horrific start to 2019, D.C. Witness data shows that transparency about homicide cases is needed more than it ever was.

Even though the District considers itself progressive by ensuring defendants of crime get adequate representation and equal justice, the city still lacks transparency in its judicial process. This makes it difficult for residents to hold government agencies accountable for providing adequate resources and protection to all.

There is a distrust lurking throughout the District. For some, that distrust is aimed at the police and, for others, that distrust is of government officials and media outlets who prioritize certain people and neighborhoods over others.

But, when anyone dies in DC, the whole city suffers.

As of Feb. 28, there have already been 29 homicides in the city, nearly a 93 percent increase in homicides from a year ago. February alone has already had ten homicides.

Ten homicides is far less than the 19 homicides tallied in January, but it is still way too high for a city that boosts coming of age changes, relishes in its appeal to tourists and stands as the corner of governmental policy for the entire country.

For four years, D.C. Witness has fought to bring transparency on homicides in our city and, in doing so, serve our fellow residents. The D.C. Witness staff has learned about and researched several different ways we could provide this information more effectively. So, we are growing to meet the community’s need. As we grow, I thought it would be useful to answer some questions about who we are.

What is D.C. Witness?

D.C. Witness is a nonprofit organization that focuses on delivering transparency to every community in DC about homicides happening in our city. To achieve this transparency, D.C. Witness attends court hearings and trials daily, reporting on events about which the general public is not often informed. D.C. Witness also collects data from agencies across the city, which is not collected anywhere else, to try to provide insights that can be used to tackle the plague of homicides.

What is D.C. Witness’s objective?

D.C. Witness wants to shine the light on issues and communities long ignored. The organization also wants to provide objective information so that effective public policies can been formulated to work toward eliminating homicides. In addition, the D.C. Witness staff hopes to provide information that might curb some of the fears residents have with regard to the rising number of homicides and their distrust of police by providing reliable data and coverage.

What exactly does D.C. Witness do?

D.C. Witness has tracked every homicide in DC since 2015. By tracking every case from act to judicial resolution, D.C. Witness provides in-depth data reporting on homicide cases by attending each hearing and trial to create news articles and analytical pieces to inform the community on the status of each case and the policy issues they involve. Before D.C. WItness, most cases received scant coverage in the DC media. One of our goals is to fill that gap by reporting on every homicide in the city regardless of location, socio-economic status, race, gender, identity, or anything that might set them apart. We believe that only full transparency can ensure justice is fair and equitable.

Why are you reaching out to me?

Community awareness and engagement is important if we are to prevent a resurgence of the kind of numbers seen in the 1980s and 90s. That might seem hyperbole, but your support is what makes this machine run.

Like all nonprofit organizations, D.C. Witness relies on donors to support our efforts. In this new year, we ask that people who can afford to spare even as little as $5 contribute to our cause of keeping residents informed and safe. To donate, please click here. Thank you.

Yours respectfully,

LaTrina Antoine

D.C. Witness Editor in Chief

Document: Teen Succumbs to Shooting in Southeast DC

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on the 400 block of 37^th Place, SE .

According to a press release, 19-year-old Corey Farmer died Feb. 27 from injuries he sustained after being shot eight days before. Farmer sustained injuries on Feb. 19 along with another adult male and a juvenile. All three victims were taken to a local hospital. The statuses of the other individuals have not been released, as of Feb. 27.

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

Murder Defendant’s DNA Found on Victim’s Clothes, Expert Says

During a murder trial Feb. 27, a DNA expert told a jury that a defendant’s semen was found on a pair of leggings that was used to bind a 34-year-old woman.

El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure, 31, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and first-degree sexual abuse, among other offenses, for his alleged role in the stabbing death of Corrina Mehiel on the 600 block of 14th Street, NE in 2017. According to the prosecution, the case is being tried as “especially heinous.”

The expert said there was also DNA found on the waistband of the leggings and on the knots made in the leggings. The DNA was apparently from several different people.

The expert initially said the DNA was a mixture of at least three people and that at least two males were a part of the mixture. However, during cross-examination, the defense pointed out that the DNA mixture could have come from four or more different people.

The expert said that she tested seven items in connection to Mehiel’s death, including: two shirts, a bath towel, a water bottle, a fitted sheet, a bed sheet and the leggings.

She said the water bottle contained DNA from Mehiel’s boyfriend, who visited Mehiel days before she was killed.

Aside from the water bottle and leggings, the expert said DNA evidence found on the remaining items was “inconclusive or uninterpretable.”

The trial is scheduled to resume on Feb. 28.

Document: Arrest Made in January Homicide Near Marvin Gaye Park

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a suspect in a homicide that occurred on Jan. 8.

According to a press release, officers arrested Feb. 27 Dejuan George. George, 25, is being charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Abdul Watts on the 5600 block of Dix Street, NE. Watts, 46, was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Fight Breaks Out After Murder Defendant’s Hearing

A fight broke out in the hallway of a Washington, DC Courthouse on Feb. 27. Apparently, it was in reaction to the death of a 19-year-old girl.

Robert Theodore Smith is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Nya Howard-Reynolds in a townhouse on the unit block of 57th Place, SE in 2018.

Shortly after the hearing, a fight broke out between Howard-Reynolds’ family members and a man whose identity could not be confirmed before publication. The fight forced marshals to clear the vicinity at the District of Columbia Courts H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse.

During the altercation, a woman who seemed to know the victim made comments about Howard-Reynolds’ death being wrong, saying she “can’t be brought back.”

According to court documents, multiple witnesses told police that they heard a gunshot and found Howard-Reynolds lying on the floor in Smith’s bedroom. Apparently, Smith told witnesses that Howard-Reynolds shot herself.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe gave the prosecution another sixty days for further investigation.

Smith, 22, is pending a grand jury. He is also scheduled to have a felony status conference on May 3.

Judge Denies Motion to Stop Forcing Murder Defendant to Take Meds

During a status hearing Feb. 27, a judge denied a motion that would have stopped a hospital from forcibly giving a murder defendant medication.

Brandon Byrd is charged with first-degree murder while armed and carrying a dangerous weapon for his alleged role in the death of his 44-year-old father, Otis Byrd, on the 100 block of Michigan Avenue, NW in 2016.

Byrd, 23, currently resides at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, D.C.’s psychiatric hospital. He was not present for the hearing because of his attorney’s concern with his mental state.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said she was persuaded that if Byrd was off his medication, he would harm the hospital’s staff or himself. D.C. Witness previously reported that a St. Elizabeth’s representative said Byrd was “extremely symptomatic” and “decompensating.”

The issue has been challenged by the defense before. In 2017, a motion was filed to prohibit St. Elizabeth’s from administering non-emergency medication involuntarily. The court was awaiting a ruling from the Court of Appeals before making a decision on the issue of forced medication.

During the wait the motion to prohibit St. Elizabeth’s from forcibly administering medication was resubmitted by the defense on Feb. 15.

Byrd’s defense attorney, Craig Hickein, said forcibly administering medication to a patient is unconstitutional.

Judge Dayson granted another stay, the first was enacted on Feb. 21, to prevent St. Elizabeth’s from medicating Byrd involuntarily for two weeks. The stay would give the defense time to file again with the Court of Appeals. Judge Dayson said the defense has two weeks to file. According to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, a defendant’s notice of appeal must be filed within 14 days after entry of judgement.

According to court documents, an eyewitness saw Byrd hit his father in the chest multiple times in a parking garage at Washington Hospital Center. The witness didn’t see Byrd with a knife. However, police found a bloody steak knife on the scene.

Byrd is scheduled for a status hearing on March 1.

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