Armed Carjacking Defendant Held Despite Claim He Was Fighting Back

DC Superior District Court Judge Judith Pipe declined to release an armed carjacking defendant from jail on Oct. 15.

D’Eric Brown, 24, is charged with armed robbery, armed carjacking, and two counts of firearm possession. The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in an altercation that occurred at Brown’s apartment of residence, the 100 block of Q Street, NE, on Sept. 5.

Brown’s defense attorney, Sara Kopecki, requested that the court release him, arguing that Brown was only acting in self-defense after being assaulted by five construction workers outside his apartment building.

“He [was] held down, kicked, and brutalized,” Kopecki described.

In the assault, Brown’s keys were stolen by the perpetrators, which Brown’s attorney claimed was why he returned to the scene and allegedly held someone at gunpoint and stole their car keys.

“I’ll give you back your car keys if you give me mine back,” Kopecki said, describing Brown’s rationale.

In response, a prosecutor described the incident and also played a video of an individual, later identified as Brown, holding what appeared to be a machete.

After viewing the video and hearing Kopecki’s argument for release, Judge Pipe denied the motion.

In her decision, Judge Pipe acknowledged that Brown had previously been assaulted, however “that doesn’t allow someone to retaliate,” she described.

“And he had a machete; it’s excessive,” she continued.

Parties are set to reconvene on Nov. 6.

Shooting Defendant Held After Rejecting Plea Agreement

A shooting defendant declined a plea offer in front of DC Superior District Court Judge Judith Pipe on Oct. 15, and was denied release.

Daryle Driver, 40, is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from Driver’s alleged involvement in a shooting at the 100 block of Wilmington Place, SE on July 26. No individuals were harmed.

Before a prosecutor specified what the plea agreement entailed, defense attorney Kevin Kassees requested that Driver be released from jail.

Kassees told Judge Pipe that Driver’s time in jail has “impacted him”, and that he was “willing to accept any conditions the court sets for his release”.

The prosecutor “stringently objected” to the release request, citing that four firearms were allegedly found in Driver’s home following a search, with one of those firearms reportedly matching casings found at the crime scene.

Judge Pipe denied the request due to the evidence, also noting the ten-to-15 shots were fired at the scene.

The prosecutor then stated the plea agreement offer, which would have found Driver guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of firearm possession with a previous conviction, in exchange for prosecutors not seeking an indictment.

“Go to trial,” Driver responded when Judge Pipe asked what his decision was in relation to the plea agreement.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 20.

Impact of Past Trauma at Issue in Homicide Case

The defense attorney in a homicide case argued that the suspect’s reaction to past trauma caused him to shoot a victim in self-defense in a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on Oct. 10.

David Pena, 48, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence, and the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Maurice Robinson, 24, on the 2900 block of Southern Avenue, SE, on June 12, 2023.

During the hearing, parties addressed motions filed by the prosecution to exclude a self-defense instruction to the jury, and a motion to exclude a defense expert’s testimony.

Defense attorney Dana Page said that the defendant’s actions, which she argued were a result of trauma, could be construed as self-defense using battered woman syndrome case law, which states that a victim of domestic violence may believe that killing their abuser is the only way to protect themselves.

Judge Dayson asked if this case met both requirements of self-defense: the defendant’s subjective belief of imminent harm, and that a reasonable person in the defendant’s same situation with their same history would react in a similar way. Judge Dayson also asked if it could meet an imperfect self-defense standard, where the defendant has a genuine belief of imminent harm, but a reasonable person would not also believe the same in the defendant’s situation.

The prosecution argued that this case did not meet the battered woman requirements because the defendant’s belief of imminent harm was “not tethered in reality.” They claimed that a reasonable person could not say whether they would react the same in the same situation, because trauma is innately unreasonable and involves looking for trouble where there is none.

The prosecution also noted that trauma and PTSD are not as well-documented as domestic abuse when analyzing a person’s perception of and reaction to perceived imminent harm.

Judge Dayson stated that there was a difference between arguing that a victim had a “genuine but unreasonable belief” that they were in imminent danger and arguing that someone with past trauma has a diminished capacity for malice.

The prosecution argued that using trauma to explain a “genuine but unreasonable belief” of imminent danger is the same thing as saying they have a diminished capacity for malice, because it requires arguing that trauma makes people view the world differently. They claimed it was “diminished capacity by another name.”

Judge Dayson said it seemed “odd” to say that someone could not have a genuine but unreasonable belief of imminent harm. The prosecution argued that trauma reactions deal more with an inability to control one’s actions than a belief of imminent danger, which is entirely different than battered woman cases.

Further, the prosecution noted that the trauma expert the defense planned on questioning did not evaluate the defendant specifically, but was rather an expert on general trauma reactions, and would be unable to explain the defendant’s unique situation and perception of danger.

Page responded that experts are brought in to explain general trauma responses to the jury, not to justify a defendant’s testimony. She compared the situation to child sex abuse cases, where victims often don’t report their abusers. According to Page, experts aren’t brought in to testify as to why a specific child wouldn’t report their abuser, but rather to the fact that not reporting is a common trauma response.

The judge stated that she wanted an expert notice regarding the material the trauma expert would be referencing, and also asked if the defense could explain what they planned to have the expert testify to. The prosecution explained that trying to find their own trauma expert to review the defense expert may take time, which could impact the trial date.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 16.

Carjacking Co-Defendant Released on Monitoring Despite Prosecutors’ Objections

DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McClean released a carjacking co-defendant on electronic monitoring on Oct. 8.

Rashid Woods, 30, Travis Morris, 32, and James Matheny, 31, Kanna Bowen, 29, are charged with conspiracy, armed carjacking while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for their alleged involvement in an incident that occurred around May 30, 2025, on the 2100 block of Mississippi Avenue, SE.

Woods’ attorney, Omar Bississo, presented a motion to review and modify his client’s current bond status in order to secure his release under specific conditions. The defense argued that Woods is willing to comply with the conditions of the High Intensity Supervision Program or other similarly restrictive measures. They emphasized that Woods has strong ties to his local community and no indications of current drug, alcohol, or mental health issues.

Additionally, a drug test at the time of his arrest was negative, and the evidence against him suggests that his alleged involvement is more tangential than that of a principal actor, according to Bississo.

Bississo requested that Woods be subject to electronic monitoring, regular in-person reporting to Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), a requirement to seek or maintain employment, and a prohibition on possessing any firearms.

The prosecution raised a significant issue, namely that Woods has an outstanding detainer from another jurisdiction. The prosecution argued that if Woods were to be released, he could be extradited and jailed in another county, making his return for trial uncertain.

In response, the judge proposed severing Woods from his co-defendants to allow his case to move forward independently. The prosecution opposed severance, emphasizing that witnesses are shared among all co-defendants and that splitting the case could create further complications.

Despite the objections, the judge ordered that Woods be released under GPS monitoring once he checks in with PSA. The court emphasized the need to move forward in light of the unresolved detainer issue and broader scheduling challenges.

In opposing the prosector’s position Bississo admitted that the issues had not yet been fully resolved. The court acknowledged that if these complications aren’t addressed soon, more serious problems are likely to arise close to trial.

The court extended the motion deadline to Oct. 10 and is considering vacating the current trial date if issues persist.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 17.

Plea Offers Canceled for Armed Carjacking, Identity Theft Defendants

A carjacking and identity theft defendant rejected a plea offer before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on Oct. 14.

Deondre Rogers, 19, and Hanif Brown, 19, are charged with sixteen counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, fourteen counts of armed robbery, three counts of armed carjacking, carjacking of a senior citizen, thirty-two counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence, ten counts of unauthorized vehicle use during a crime of violence, three counts of unauthorized vehicle use, four counts of first-degree theft, the first-degree identity theft of a senior citizen, second-degree identity theft of a senior citizen, and credit card fraud of a senior citizen.

These charges stem from their alleged involvement in an armed carjacking on the 2700 block of 9th Street, NW, an armed robbery at the intersection of 11th Street and U Street, NW, and an armed robbery at the intersection of 11th Street and Wallach Place, NW, on Apr. 9, 2023.

Defense attorney Tammy Thom, representing Rogers, told the court that she had discussed a plea offer with him that the prosecution had previously extended.

The plea offer would require both defendants to plead guilty to carjacking, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license. In exchange, the prosecution would dismiss all other charges and not seek further indictment.

Rogers rejected the plea offer. According to Thom, he would have accepted the offer, but the prosecution refused to dismiss a charge that Rogers refused to plead guilty to.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Dec. 12.

Document: MPD Makes Arrest in 2024 Fatal Stabbing

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an arrest in connection with a fatal stabbing that occurred on Nov. 16, 2024, in Northwest. The victim, identified as 31-year-old Vance Contee, succumbed to his injuries after being found with stab wounds. On Oct. 14, 55-year-old Frank Flythe was arrested and charged with Second-Degree Murder while Armed.

Homicide Defendant Refuses to Attend Court Again

A homicide and shooting defendant once again refused to attend a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson on Oct. 10.

Jordan Therman, 26, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery, and the unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for allegedly murdering 33-year-old Denzel Greenwood on the 1900 block of 13th Street, NW, on Aug. 4, 2023.

He is also charged with two counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, endangerment with a firearm in a public place, armed carjacking, and possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for his alleged involvement in a shooting that wounded one individual on the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SW, on Feb. 7, 2024.

During the hearing, Judge Dayson noted that Therman had “declined” to come to court. Therman failed to appear in court on two other occasions. She acknowledged that a legal determination could still be made in his absence, but decided to continue the hearing on another date to allow the defendant to be present.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct 24.

Judge Releases Stabbing Defendant on Monitoring in a ‘Close Call’

DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park released a stabbing victim on GPS monitoring with a curfew in a hearing on Oct. 14.

Miyanna Parker, 31, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for her alleged involvement in a stabbing that wounded one individual on the 4500 block of 3rd Street, SE, on Oct. 9.

During the hearing, defense attorney David Akulian asked for the court to release Parker. He told the judge that she had minimal criminal history and that a violent incident was “abnormal behavior” for her. He also noted that the defendant had a wound on her non-dominant hand, which he claimed looked like a defensive injury.

The prosecution objected, claiming that the incident was the result of a domestic dispute that escalated into a stabbing, and the concerning “nature and circumstances” of the offense required Parker’s detention.

Akulian noted Parker’s minimal history had no violent charges, and he informed the court that Parker’s mother had agreed to let Parker live with her temporarily. He argued that the court could release Parker with certain conditions that would ensure community safety.

Judge Park acknowledged the defendant’s limited criminal history, but noted that the charges were non-violent theft charges. He also said that the victim’s wounds were not as serious as they could have been.

Judge Park said his ruling was a “close call,” but released the defendant on GPS monitoring with a curfew and issued a stay-away order from the victim.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Nov. 4.

Double Shooting Defendant Accepts Plea Deal

A shooting defendant accepted a plea deal before DC Superior Court Michael Ryan on Oct. 16.

Kevin Stanton, 45, was originally charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a shooting that injured two individuals on the unit block of M Street, NE, on Nov. 7, 2024.

After a brief conversation with Stanton, his attorney, Shawn Sukumar, alerted Judge Ryan that he planned to accept a deal, which required him to plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment and dismissing separate theft case.

The statutory penalty for assault with a dangerous weapon is a maximum sentence of ten years of imprisonment, and/or a $25,000 fine, and supervised release of three years.

The prosecutor stated that their evidence would’ve proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Stanton approached the unarmed victims and shot five times towards them, one hitting the back of the first victim and hitting the hand of the second victim.

The parties are slated to reconvene for sentencing on Dec. 12.

Stabbing Suspect Waffles Over Plea Offer, Release Denied

A stabbing defendant was denied release before DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean on Oct. 14, and is considering a plea offer extended by prosecutors.

Kenyada Floyd, 48, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for her alleged involvement in a stabbing incident that occurred on Sept. 19, 2025, on the 1900 Block of Benning Road, NE.

Colleen Archer, Floyd’s attorney, requested the defendant’s release, which was quickly shut down by Judge McLean.

The defense also noted that she had only just received part of the discovery evidence and the proposed plea deal that same morning.

The offer from the prosecution would require Floyd to plead guilty to one count of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a maximum sentence of ten years, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment.

The defendant initially stated she wanted to reject the plea deal, prompting the prosecution to withdraw it. However, she later expressed a desire to discuss the deal further with her attorney, though she quickly retracted that statement, vacillating between the two positions.

Given the fungibility of Floyd’s responses, the judge granted her additional time to discuss the situation with Archer.

Parties are slated to reconvene on Oct. 28.

Document: MPD Arrests Benning Road Shooting Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 22-year-old Kyre Robinson, who was charged with Assault With A Dangerous Weapon (Gun) in connection to a shooting on June 9. The incident occurred in Northeast, where two adult males were found with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and were transported to hospitals for treatment.

Carjacking Defendant’s Probation Revoked

A carjacking defendant reportedly violated his probation and is now scheduled to be re-sentenced before DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean on Oct. 14.

Damian Lea, 24, pleaded guilty on Jan. 18, 2022, to robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in an armed carjacking on July 28, 2020, on the 100 block of Piece Street, NW.

A probation officer addressed the court regarding a bench warrant for the defendant, who failed to appear at the previous court hearing. During the proceedings, concerns were raised about the defendant’s loss of contact and failure to comply with drug treatment.

The court was informed that the defendant had recently been admitted to the Re-Entry Sanction Center (RSC) for treatment. However, he was discharged from the program allegedly due to assaultive behavior directed at staff members which raised further concerns about the defendant’s compliance and progress under probation supervision.

The prosecution formally requested the revocation of the defendant’s probation and asked the court to proceed with re-sentencing.

The court granted the request and scheduled the matter to reconvene on Nov. 18.

Release With GPS Tracking Denied for Stabbing Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe denied a stabbing defendant’s request for release with GPS tracking due to the extreme circumstances of the case on Oct. 14.

Chela Ruffin, 39, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for her alleged involvement in a stabbing that occurred on Sept. 15 on the unit block of Galveston Street, SW.

Ruffin’s defense attorney, Stuart Johnson, informed the court that he had not yet received the bodyworn camera footage of the arrest or a plea offer in Ruffin’s case. The prosecution claimed to have sent it several days prior, but said they would extend it again.

The prosecution stated that, according to the deal, Ruffin would plead guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and that the prosecution would only ask for the minimum of guidelines of the sentencing range. The defense will speak to Ruffin about the plea.

Johnson also requested Ruffin be released with GPS monitoring, as she has a stable job and children to provide for. The prosecution argued against her release due to the nature of the case and Ruffin’s prior criminal history of assault.

Judge Pipe believed that the facts of the case are extreme, as the stabbing was allegedly a reaction to a very minor incident. She denied releasing Ruffin with GPS tracking, claiming that there are no conditions she could impose that would guarantee public safety.

Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 29.

Home Surveillance Clips Featured Evidence in Homicide Trial

Three witnesses appeared before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Oct. 8, and testified about the day their home surveillance footage captured a non-fatal shooting.

Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with first-degree murder conspiracy, first-degree murder, ten counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

The charges relate to Steele’s alleged involvement in four shootings, including the murder of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes and injury of another juvenile on March 1, 2020 on the 600 block of S Street, NW.

Steele’s accused of a separate shooting the same day with no reported injuries on the unit block of Channing Street, NE.

Steele is also charged with a non-fatal shooting that injured two individuals on Feb. 22, 2020 on the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW, and a non-fatal shooting that injured three on Feb. 24, 2020 on the 1700 block of 9th Street, NW.

The prosecution called one of the residents of the 5000 block of 7th Street to testify about the shooting on Feb. 22, 2020. In addition to the footage on his Ring camera, the witness had a clear view of nearby street events from his front door window.

The witness testified to hearing multiple gunshots. Turning to look outside of his front door, he observed an individual wearing a green sweatshirt jump into a car and then speeding off. This was captured on the Ring doorbell footage that was shared with the jurors.

The defense did not conduct a cross-examination.

Prosecutors called two more witnesses, also nearby residents, who gave similar testimonies.

One, who resided on the 700 block of Gallatin Street, NW, was also at home and heard multiple gunshots in front of his home. The man said when he went to the front of his house, he saw multiple cars moving in different directions.

His home surveillance footage, which he provided to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, was shown to the jury. In the footage, a vehicle was parked in the middle of 7th Place, NW. An individual wearing a green jumpsuit was seen entering the driver’s side of the car. Another individual wearing all black clothing was seen entering the passenger’s side of the vehicle. Shortly after, the vehicle sped off.

Another witness, who also lived on the 5000 block of 7th Place, NW, testified that he was not home when the shooting occurred but was informed by a neighbor. However, he provided his home surveillance footage to MPD officers.

In his footage, a grey vehicle was seen turning recklessly on 7th Place, nearly hitting another vehicle, and heading north towards Gallatin Street. Shortly after, multiple gunshots were heard and bystanders reacted.

An MPD officer who responded to the shooting testified that 11 gunshots were fired based on the home surveillance footage. He also identified the vehicle in the footage as a grey or silver Kia Soul which prosecutors previously identified as the suspect vehicle.

Additionally, the officer said he spoke to other residents. One, in particular, was a young Black man who interacted with the officer the most.

The officer described his demeanor as “collected,” and explained that he was calmer than his family members and gave an impression that he had more knowledge of what happened that day than he was willing to provid–and his story was not adding up, according to the officer.

Parties are slated to reconvene Oct. 9.

Document: MPD Arrest Suspect in Fatal Stabbing

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 36-year-old Christopher Taylor on Oct. 15. 

Taylor allegedly stabbed 31-year-old Michael Alanzo Jackson on April 10 on the 1600 block of V Street, SE. 

Jackson was found unconscious with puncture wounds and later pronounced dead at a hospital. 

Taylor, who was already incarcerated, has been charged with second-degree murder while armed.

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