Judge Denies Murder Defendant’s Request for Counsel Change

A murder defendent said Sept. 6 his defense attorney was not giving him effective counsel. However, a judge disagreed.

Chad Everette Hawthorne is charged with the first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 35-year-old Antonio Bassett on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE on May 22, 2017.

On Sept. 6, after speaking wit the 36-year-old defendant and his attorney about the issues at the bench, DC Superior Court Judge Juliet Mckenna ruled that Kiersh and the investigator followed through on all of their duties.

She said Kiersh had kept Hawthorne fully informed.

Apparently, Hawthorne had concerns that his lawyer was not trying to locate witnesses. Hawthorne filed for ineffective assistance of counsel on Aug 8. He sent a letter containing his concerns with his attorney, Steven Kiersh, to the judge.

Judge Mckenna said she looked at the investigative voucher and was informed by Kiersh about the actions the investigator had taken to find witnesses.

Kiersh will remain Hawthorne’s defense attorney moving forward.

Hawthorne is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on Sept. 20.

D.C. Witness Welcomes New Fall Interns

It’s that time again.

A new school year is beginning and, along with it, comes a new cohort of eager young minds ready to partake in D.C. Witness’s seriously taxing business of tracking and reporting on homicides in Washington, DC.

Although my opinion may be biased, I think these interns and all of the past interns that D.C. Witness has tutored and mentored since 2015 will gain a perspective that is lost in today’s academia. These interns will get to see, up close, the ramifications of violent crime on a city and its residents. These interns will also get to partake in data collection that could help solve DC’s homicide problem.

What more could a student ask for?

D.C. Witness not only equips interns with stronger data tracking, note-taking, communication and writing skills, it also provides them with an educational experience on the court process. Each semester there is an intern who is astonished by the court process and how different it is from “Law and Order.”

An intern told me that even though she was an avid viewer of crime shows, it was shocking that the murder defendants she reports on could have been someone she passed on the street going home.

I can relate to the shock.

Before I began my tenure at D.C. Witness as the nonprofit organization’s editor-in-chief, I, too, was a bit sheltered from the sheer reality of crime and murder in not only DC, but also in my hometown. Both areas have held the title of the murder capitol of the United States in previous years.

Like any average American, I thought the law was open and closed. If a person was charged and convicted of a murder, they did something to deserve the conviction and needed to pay the consequence. I looked at homicide as more of this cinematic event that only happens in Hollywood type scenarios by heartless villains.

But, that is not the case. Interns at D.C. Witness see a presence of humanity in some defendants, a gesture not often shown on television.

As a third party sitting in a courtroom and seeing a case unfold, you notice the tragedies that homicide wreaks in its wake. You see the families suffer. At times, you even see how one ill-thought action turns into a consequence that takes away decades of a person’s life.

The emotional toll is heavy.

After being at D.C. Witness, I have realized that the atmosphere of homicides is not sensational but rather an occurrence of where the city is lacking resources. D.C. Witness has tracked that not only do a majority of homicides occur from petty disputes, but that most of the homicides have occurred from gun-related shootings. As we track each homicide, our data shines more light on the root causes of these murders.

D.C. Witness believes the underlying causes of these homicides need to be addressed if we ever hope to get a handle on the number of murders that happen in the city.

As I instruct interns, all of whom come from various colleges and universities both inside the city and around the world, I marvel at their passion to help DC deal with its homicide problem.

I look forward to the work my next group of students, ranging from criminal justice majors to communications majors, will produce this semester.

Judge Decides to Revisit Substantial Probability Ruling at Later Date

During a motions hearing Sept. 5, a judge decided to revisit her substantial probability finding on Sept. 13.

Alonzo Lewis is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting 40-year-old Jaquon Helm and 35-year-old Venius Badgett on the Unit block of Galveston Street, SW in May of 2018. Lewis, 33, is also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed against a minor and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Defense attorney John Fowler filed a motion Aug. 24 to revisit the substantial probability finding and to release Lewis. He also requested all remaining discovery from the prosecution, including the names of witnesses so he could interview them.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson ended the proceedings after the attorneys began interrupting one another, and did not rule on the motion.

Lewis is scheduled for a motions hearing on Sept. 13.

Counsel Considers What Graphic Images to Show Jury in Murder Case

During a status hearing on Sept. 5, a defense attorney referred to a 2-year-old victim’s body as being “fileted” in photos that could potentially be shown to a jury.

James Embre is charged with felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree cruelty to children for his allerged role in the death of 2-year-old Aceyson Aizim Ahmad on the 3400 block of A Street, SE on April 17. According to court documents, Embre, 26 was involved in a romantic relationship with Ahmad’s mother.

The prosecution and defense attorney, Andrew L. Ain, discussed which photos to share with the jury because they displayed graphic content.

Counsel also agreed to remove the sounds of police sirens from a video where the boy’s mother and sister are talking. Counsel said the sirens would trigger the girl.

D.C. Witness reported that DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna ordered Aug. 28 that the girl could testify in the case.

According to court documents, Ahmad’s sister was six years old at the time of the murder. She is seven now. Ahmad’s sister is the only eyewitness to the events leading up to Ahmad’s death besides Embre, 24.

In addition to deciphering photos and removing the sound of the sirens from the video, the prosecution is trying to narrow down witnesses from more than 60 to 10.

A status hearing is scheduled on Sept. 9.

Witness Stranded Because of Hurricane Dorian

During a preliminary hearing Sept. 5, a witness in a murder case was unable to appear due to flight cancellations from substantial winds and floods from Hurricane Dorian along the Southern Eastern Coast of the United States.

On June 22, Keith Toney, 41, allegedly shot and killed 45-year-old Melton Grant on the 600 block of Morton Street, NW.

The preliminary hearing was rescheduled to Sept. 20.

Judge Says Evidence Shows Murder Defendant Needs to be Held in Jail

A murder defendant, who is claiming self defense, is being held without bond based on visual evidence.

Tony Antonie McClam, 29, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 11-year-old Karon Brown on the 2700 block of Naylor Road, SE on July 18. McClam was orginially charge with second-degree murder by officers from the Metropolitan Police Department. On July 24, DC Superior Courts Magistrate Judge Renee Ryamond increased the charge.

On Sept. 4, D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe found probable cause with substantial probability that McClam could have committed the crime. Judge Iscoe held McClam because he said he believed the defendant “wouldn’t follow conditions of release” because of previous criminal charges in two other states, including Virginia.

Defense attorney, James King, said his client acted in self defense because McClam thought the driver of the Nissan Sentra was reaching for a weapon.

King also said McClam carried a handgun around for protection because his brother was a victim of a gun-related murder in 2015. Apparently, McClam believed the people who killed his brother were still at-large and looking to kill him.

According to court documents, a witness also told police that he saw McClam with a gun on multiple occasions. However, that witness told police that he never saw McClam fire the gun.

Additionally, surveillance video showed smoke coming from a gun that McClam was allegedly pointing at the Nissan as it started driving away.

King said bullets are fired faster than smoke appears, therefore it is unclear if the smoke shown in the video was at the exact time the gun was fired. Additionally, King said McClam did not know Brown was in the car, saying he has a glass eye and therefore couldn’t see that well.

Despite McClam’s glass eye, the prosecution said he would have been able to see inside the car because the windows were not tinted.

The prosecution argued that if the gun was fired while the car was stopped, then the bullet holes would be located on the side of the car instead of the trunk. Therefore, the prosecutor said he believes McClam was not acting in self defense.

Court documents state that two rounds went through the trunk and struck Brown in the back.

A felon status conference is scheduled on Oct. 3.

Bus Crash Makes Murder Defendant Miss Hearing

During a status hearing Sept. 5, a murder defendant was unable to make a court hearing because of a bus crash that included multiple inmates.

Xavier Culbreth,19, 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.

Jada Jena Smith was charged in the homicide, but her charges were dropped on July 1. She was released the following day.

The status hearing was rescheduled to Sept. 12.

Document: Homicide in Ward 7

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on Sept. 4.

According to a press release, officers found 22-year-old Semaj Alsobrooks suffering from a gunshot wound on the 3900 block of East Capitol Street, NE. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Officers also located a second adult victim suffering from a gunshot wound. He received treatment at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide 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 Continues Ruling in Murder Defendant’s Preliminary Hearing

During a preliminary hearing Sept. 5, a judge decided to rule the next day after having heard arguments from counsel.

Keandre Barber, a resident of Suitland, Md., is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 29 year-old Juan Marcell Grant. The shooting occurred on the 700 block of Princeton Place, NW on June 19.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson decided to on the case on Sept. 6, saying she wanted to be sure she had enough time to consider all the arguments made.

Defense attorney Mani Golzari said the prosecution does not have probable cause to hold Barber.

Golzari said Grant was walking down an alley with Barber and another person. Golzari argued the other person could have killed Grant.

Golzari also said the prosecution does not have video recordings of the alley itself and many of its entrances, meaning a fourth person could have entered the alley and killed Grant.

The prosecution argued that Barber, Grant and the other person are briefly recorded together in the alley. Also, the other person was on GPS surveillance at the time and was registered as being further from Grant than Barber.

Golzari said the GPS device only has a radius of certainty of 50 feet, meaning the other person could have been in the same vicinity when the shots were fired.

Defendent Pleads Not Guilty in Elderly Man’s Murder

On Sept. 4, a defendant pleaded not-guilty to felony charges in connection to a homicide that occurred last year.

Demetrius Pierce, also known as, Orlando Little, is being charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 68-year-old Nazir Ahmad on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE on Nov. 3, 2018.

Pierce’s defense attorney, Jeffery Stein, told DC Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman that the defense waived a reading of the formal indictment. According to the indictment, Pierce, 33, is charged with the following:

First-degree while armed of a senior citizen victim who was especially vulnerable due to age or physical infirmity;
Possession of a firearm during a crime of violence;
Burglary two while armed of a senior citizen;
Possession of a firearm during a crime of violence;
Robbery of a senior citizen while armed
Unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction

Stein also invoked the defendant’s right to due process and a fast and speedy trial. As of Sept. 4, a trial date has not been set.

Judge Edelman also said he wanted to address an issue with a witness’s identity. Apparently the witness could also be another suspect in the case. Judge Edelman said the issue needed to be addressed so it would not produce any prejudice.

A status hearing is scheduled on Sept. 10. Pierce is being held without bail.

Judge Continues Defendant’s Prelim Hearing

On Sept. 4, a murder defendant’s preliminary hearing was continued to later in the month because of an inaccurate release form.

Lance Ammons is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 62 year-old Robert Bolich on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge pedestrian walkway om Aug. 22.

The inaccurate release form prevented Ammons, 42, from appearing in court.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, Ammons was arrested on Aug. 22.

DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman continued Ammon’s preliminary hearing to Sept. 25.

“All of us at HNTB are shocked and saddened by the sudden death of our colleague, Rob Bolich,” the victim’s former employer said.

Ammons is currently being held without bail.

Defense’s Conversation with Judge Pushes Murder Hearing Back A Month

On Sept. 4, a murder defendant and his counsel held an entire status hearing at the judge’s bench. The prosecution was asked not to approach.

Joshua Ellis Massaquoi, along with Mason Binion, 32, Victor Carvajal, 33 are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Michael Francis Taylor on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW. Massaquoi was the alleged driver during the crime, according to court documents.

Massaquoi, 32, requested his next status hearing occur on Oct. 7. DC Superior Court Judge Hiram E. Puig-Lugo granted this request and set the next hearing on Oct. 7.

It is not clear why the delay was requested or why the judge granted the request.

Defense Requests A New Judge for Murder Case

A defense attorney requested that a new judge preside over a murder case.

Eunise Milton Roosevelt is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 29-year-old Jerimi Stephen Meade on July 15, 2016, on the 400 block of Burbank Street, SE.

On Sept. 4, during discussions of a potential trial date, DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said her schedule would set Roosevelt’s trial on July 20, 2020. In light of the extended wait, defense attorney, Ieshaah Murphy, requested a different judge.

Judge Dayson denied the defense’s request for a different judge. Instead, she set a potential trial date on Oct. 15. However, the trial would only be held on that date if it worked with Judge Dayson’s caseload.

According to counselors, the trial is expected to last for two weeks.

Roosevelt is currently being held without bail. He is set to have a bond review hearing on Sept. 20.

Document: Two Men Shot in Deanwood, One Dies

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department are currently investigating a double shooting that turned fatal.

According to a press release, 28 year-old Kalin Louis Middleton succumbed Sept. 3 to injuries he sustained in a shooting on the 900 block of Division Avenue, NE. Apparently two men suffered from multiple gunshot wounds from the shooting.

The men were able to drive to a local hospital after being shot, the release said.

A status update on the other victim’s condition has not been released.

The police are offering up to a $25,000 reward 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.

August Homicides Drop, DC Murder Toll Still High

Homicides in August dropped below the total number of homicides in July, however there have been 13 more homicides in DC compared to the same time period a year ago.

As of Sept. 2, there have been 118 homicides in the DC, which is 13 more homicides, a 12 percent increase, from the 105 homicides that occurred a year ago. Fifteen homicides occurred in August, a 25 percent decrease from July.

Of the 15 homicides, seven were gun-related, two resulted from blunt force trauma, two were stabbings and a traffic fatality where a driver struck a pedestrian outside of the cross walk. According to a press release from the Metropolitan Police Department, the driver did not remain on the scene.

Seven homicides occurred in Ward 8 in August, the most for the month. August’s homicide total in Ward 8 is three less than the 10 homicides that occurred in the same ward in July. Homicides rose in Ward 5 from two homicides in July to three homicides in August.

Of the 14 homicides, D.C. Witness data shows that police apprehended suspects in four cases.

Eliyas Aregahegne, 24, was arrested on Aug. 27 and is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing 27-year-old Margery Magill on the 400 block of Irving Street, NW. He is pending an appearance in front a in DC Superior Courts judge.

Lance Ammons, 42, was arrested Aug. 22 and is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 62 year-old Robert Bolich earlier the same day on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. Ammons is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 4. He is being held without bail.

Edward Banks, 47, was arrested Aug. 22 and is charged with the death of Abraham Binn on the 2700 block of MLK, Jr. Avenue, SE on Aug. 22. Banks is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 10. He is being held without bail.

Michael “Meisha” Hines, 23, was arrested on Aug. 12 and charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 46-year-old Wendell Youngblood on the 1500 block of North Capitol Street, NE on Aug. 3. Hines is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 11. He is being held without bail.

In addition to the 15 homicides, another traffic fatality occurred in Ward 1 on Aug. 4. Charges were not filed for the incident.

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