Murder Trial Resumes on Halloween

A defendant’s murder trial was continued until Oct. 31.

Kenneth Adams is charged with first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Dante Kinard on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE in 2016. Kinard was not the intended target in the shooting.

There will be a 3-day gap in the trial because District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff said Oct. 25 that she will not be able to preside over the trial until Wednesday.

On Oct. 22, the prosecution told the jury that Adams, 20, walked toward a group of people on Benning Road, pulled out a gun and started shooting.

According to court documents, multiple eyewitnesses identified Adams as the shooter. However, when police inquired further, one witness said that it was too dark to identify the shooter. The decedent apparently warned the witness as Adams and a group of unidentified individuals approached them.

Adams allegedly robbed the sister of an individual in a group that was with the witness and decedent. According to the prosecution, the individual was from the Langston neighborhood which rivals with the 21st and I Street, NE neighborhood. Adams, who is from the 21st and I Street neighborhood, allegedly said the individual was “next.”

Follow D.C. Witness for updates on the case.

Defense Attains Second Attorney for Murder Trial

On Oct 26, a judge granted the defense’s request for co-counsel in a murder case.

Denzel Grandson, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 36-year-old Simwone Milstead at 2700 block of Langston Place, SE in 2014. Milstead succumbed to his injuries at a hospital the following day.

According to DC Courts, attorney Charles Murdter, a partner at the Law Offices of Oliver and Murdter in Washington, DC, will assist defense attorney Andrea Antonelli with the case.

In addition to another defense attorney, Assistant United States Attorney Ellen D’Angelo was assigned to the case.

A status hearing has been scheduled on Dec. 14 to discuss an inquiry on DNA testing.

Follow D.C. Witness for updates on the case.

Judge Releases Murder Defendant Diagnosed with Cancer

During a hearing, a DC Superior Court judge released a murder defendant after learning he was diagnosed with cancer.

Andre Gray is charged with second-degree murder for his alleged role in the death of 37-year-old Keisha Whitaker on the 1500 block of 18th Street, SE in September.

According to court documents, officers responded to 18th Street on reports of a car crash and found a car on fire and people trapped inside. Whitaker was in the passenger’s seat. Apparently, the car struck a tree.

During the investigation police learned the backseat passenger and the decedent smoked a “dipper,” a cigarette laced in PCP, and Gray, 56, picked them up in a green Subaru. According to the passenger, Gray was “acting weird and talking funny.” The passenger told police, that after passing by police cars Gray started speeding, mounted a curb and drove on the sidewalk.

Another witness told police that prior to crashing into a tree, the car sped around a corner and appeared to be on two wheels during the turn.

On Oct. 26,Judge Ronna Bec k granted defense attorney Kevin Mosley’s request to continue the preliminary hearing. Mosley told the court he needed time to review new information, including his client’s toxicology report from the day of the murder.

Subsequently, Mosley argued in favor of his client’s release noting that Gray has prostate cancer and is scheduled to begin chemotherapy at the end of November. Furthermore, Mosley said it’s “difficult” for his client to receive treatment at a correctional facility.

The prosecution disputed Mosley’s claim and said the defendant can receive treatment in jail. The prosecution also argued that there hasn’t been a ruling on probable cause and therefore the defendant’s detention should be maintained until a preliminary hearing is held.

Judge Beck granted Gray’s release and said she wanted to be sure he received “proper treatment.” Per the terms of his release, Gray will be confined to his home unless he’s traveling in connection to medical treatment or court proceedings. Gray is not allowed to drive.

Gray is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 14.

Defendant Rejects Plea, Opts for Third Murder Trial

On Oct. 23, a murder defendant rejected a plea offer and decided to proceed with his third trial.

Derryck Decuir has been tried twice for allegedly shooting 15-year-old Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, in 2015. Mercer died days before his 16th birthday.

During a status hearing, prosecutors offered Decuir, 26, a plea deal for voluntary manslaughter. However, Decuir rejected the plea offer, choosing to take his case to trial.

In 2017, 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. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence. A mistrial was declared on the murder charges.

In March, Decuir was tried a second time for murder and gun possession charges. The trial resulted in another mistrial.

The third trial against Decuir is expected to be held on April 1, 2019.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled on March 8,2019.

Co-Defendant Receives 16-year Sentence in 2007 Homicide

A co-defendant was sentenced Oct. 25 to 16 years in prison for fatally shooting and robbing a man in 2007.

Kadeem Quarles pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for shooting and robbing Timothy Spicer on the 1100 block of Howard Road, SE. Quarles, 27, initially pled guilty in April but withdrew his plea in September because he was skeptical of the deal he made. DC Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff gave Quarles extra time to speak with new counsel and consider the plea. Quarles ended up moving forward with his original plea.

According to court documents, a witness said Quarles, along with 27-year-old Maurice Blakey, Randolph Williams and an unnamed individual, robbed Spicer, 25, at the Anacostia Metro Station. The witness said Quarles’ girlfriend allegedly orchestrated a set-up, convincing Spicer to meet her there.

When Spicer arrived, he was shot twice, crashing his vehicle before fleeing inside the metro station. Quarles and Williams, 27, allegedly drove Spicer’s car, a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice, from the scene.

Police pursued the 1994 Chevrolet Caprice in a chase. Both Quarles and Williams were seen fleeing the car. Williams was arrested shortly after. Quarles, on the other hand, was able to escape by foot.

Years later, a witness placed Quarles at the scene of the robbery and he was officially charged with murder in 2016.

“Because of Quarles’ decision, one life was lost, and the trajectory of multiple people’s lives changed … He has the ability to rebuild his life,” the prosecutor said, requesting a sentence of 20 years.

Quarles’ defense attorney, Justin Okezie, said the defendant was barely 16 when he committed the crime and asked for the lower end of the sentencing range, which was 16 years. Okezie argued that after the shooting, Quarles wasn’t charged for anything nearly as significant.

“He has started his road to recovery,” Okezie said. “He came from a tough neighborhood, and he never blamed Barry Farms.”

Judge Bartnoff said that given Quarles age at the time of the crime and the role he played, 16 years was an appropriate sentence. “I’m sure it’s the case that 27-year-old Mr. Quarles has changed from 16-year-old Mr. Quarles,” the judge said.

Quarles has been held since 2016 and will receive credit for time served. He is also required to serve five years on supervised release after his sentence.

Counsel Delivers Closing Arguments in 2010 Murder Trial

During closing arguments in a murder trial, the prosecution argued the decedent died because he was labeled a “snitch.” Meanwhile, the defense argued the prosecution’s witnesses weren’t credible.

Anthony Waters is charged with first-degree murder while armed and related gun charges for the shooting death of 37-year-old Derrick Harris on the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE in 2010.

According to the prosecution’s theory, the motive behind Harris’ death dates back to 1998 when he testified against his best friend in a murder trial. Apparently, Harris, Waters, 51, and the individual in the case were a close group from the same neighborhood: Parkchester.

The prosecution explained that because Harris testified against the friend he was labeled a “snitch” and it wasn’t safe for him in the neighborhood. According to the prosecution, Harris stayed away from Parkchester until the day of his murder. Apparently, Waters saw Harris in the neighborhood, approached him and punched Harris in the face saying, “I bet not see you when I get back or I’m going to kill you.”

Multiple witnesses testified that shortly after the altercation, they saw Waters, who was wearing a ski mask, approach Harris and open fire. One witness, who was on the same street when the shooting occurred, said the gun was a silver revolver, which is consistent with the ballistics evidence in the case because shell casings were not found on the scene.

The defense argued that various eyewitnesses are flawed and “lack credibility.” According to defense attorney Joseph Caleb, one of the eyewitnesses, who saw the shooting from her apartment and identified Waters as the shooter, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Caleb told the jury that, in the weeks leading up to the murder, the witness heard voices and said she saw green people. Caleb told the jury that the witness’s diagnosis is an “unfortunate reality that makes her an unreliable witness.”

Furthermore, the same eyewitness allegedly saw Waters punch Harris and said an unnamed individual broke up the fight. However, the individual testified in court that there was no fight and that he didn’t break it up.

The defense also said witnesses gave different timelines of the murder. One witness said the murder occurred in the early afternoon while another witness said the shooting occurred at 6 p.m. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, Harris was shot and killed at 9:05 p.m.

The defense also sought to argue against the prosecution’s motive in the case. According to Caleb, Harris wasn’t labeled “hot” or a “snitch” because other people from the neighborhood testified in the 1998 murder case and didn’t leave the area.

The jury began deliberating on Oct. 25.

Facebook Photo May Decrease Credibility of Witness, Defense Says

During a status conference Oct. 24, the defense questioned the credibility of an eyewitness in a murder case after seeing a photo.

Eric Smith is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the death of Rondell Wills, 38, on the 200 block of 50th Street, NE in May.

The photo, which was located on Facebook, shows the witness holding a gun and standing near another individual who is a defendant in an unrelated case. Even though it seems as if the photo suggests a dispute between the decedent and the defendant, it is not clear as to why the photo could destroy the witness’s credibility.

Apparently, the witness is the only person to identify Smith, 19, as the shooter.

As a result, Blasé Kearney, Smith’s defense attorney, said he will file a request for bond review.

A felony status conference is scheduled on Nov. 16.

Mansion Murders Trial: Jury Finds Daron Wint Guilty on All Counts

A jury found Daron Wint guilty Oct. 25 of murdering a family of three and their housekeeper in Northwest DC in 2015.

Wint, 34, was found guilty of all counts, including felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, kidnapping, first-degree burglary, extortion, arson, and first-degree theft for killing Amy, Philip and Savvas Savopoulos, and Veralicia Figueroa, their housekeeper, on the 3200 block of Woodland Drive, NW.

The prosecution began closing arguments on Oct. 22 by going through key pieces of evidence that pointed toward Wint as the murderer. The prosecutor displayed digital records of Wint’s web browsing history. “His first instinct when he gets stuck in a corner is to lie … the first thing he did was look up how to beat a lie detector test,” the prosecutor said, referencing Wint’s actions after he realized that he could be a person of interest in the case.

According to court documents, on May 14, 2015, the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department reported to a house fire. While extinguishing the fire, firefighters found Savvas, Amy and Figueroa unconscious in a bedroom on the second floor. Firefighters also found Philip, the Savopoulos’ 10-year-old son, unconscious in an adjacent bedroom, which is where the fire is believed to have begun. All three members of the Savopoulos family were pronounced dead on the scene. Figueroa was later pronounced dead at Georgetown University Hospital.

According to the prosecution’s theory, Wint, 37, kidnapped and brutally killed the four individuals after obtaining a $40,000 ransom. The prosecution also said that Wint tried to destroy evidence, referring to the fact that the house was set on fire and the Porsche that was also set on fire near an apartment complex in Maryland.

The prosecution concluded their closing statements urging the jury to act on the findings presented and punish Wint for the brutal killing and kidnapping of the family and their housekeeper.

However, Wint’s defense attorney, Judith Pipe, said the crime could not have been done by one person since the hostages were held in separate rooms throughout an entire day.

“There is no way one person could do this, and that’s reason to doubt the government’s theory,” she said. The defense’s theory was that Wint’s brothers Darrell and Steffon committed the murders.

Pipe also said the prosecution left out witnesses because their testimonies didn’t work with the prosecution’s theory of Wint being the sole murderer.

According to the defense attorney, there was a witness who saw the Porshe drive away from the mansion. The witness said the driver had short hair. Wint has dreadlocks. Pipe also referenced another witness who said she saw a suspicious man walking in the neighborhood before the murders. The witness said that man did not have dreadlocks. The prosecution did not call on either witness to testify.

Pipe said Wint’s brothers set him up. The defense cited phone records, saying the brothers’ calls to each other kept lining up with the timing of the crime.

“The fact that there’s a chance that Steffon or Darrell did it, means Daron Wint didn’t,” said Pipe.

The prosecution dismissed the defense’s theory about the brothers by showing phone records from Darrell and work records from Steffon to confirm their whereabouts during the time of the crime.

“Hold him accountable for a 10-year-old who never got a chance to live his life,” the prosecutor said. “Hold him accountable for parents who couldn’t save their little boy.”

After six weeks of listening to counsel, recordings, witnesses and experts, the jury began deliberating on Oct. 23. The guilty verdicts were reached on the second day of jury deliberations.

Read D.C. Witness’s coverage of the case, here.

Shams Sohani reported on this story.

Document: Homicide on 17th Street, NE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the 1200 block of 17th Street, NE.

According to a press release, 22-year-old Roger Marmet was found suffering from a gunshot wound on Oct. 24. He was transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Up to a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in Washington, DC. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may also be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

Judge Reschedules Preliminary Hearing for Suspected Child Killer, Again

A District of Columbia Superior Court judge rescheduled Oct. 23 a preliminary hearing for a murder defendant accused of beating a child to death. This is the sixth time the hearing has been rescheduled since June, according to DC Courts.

Brian Wooden is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly killing his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son, Carter Sanders, on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE on May 16. Wooden, 28, is being held without bond.

Judge Milton Lee rescheduled the hearing to Nov. 26. The hearing was continued to give the defense more time to review evidence and consider a pending plea deal. The pending plea deal would reduce Wooden’s charge to second-degree murder.

Court documents state that the boy’s injuries included a fractured skull, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver. Wooden was apparently caring for the boy at the time of the murder.

Defense Questions If Witness Really Saw Murder

On Oct. 22, the defense questioned the reliability of an eyewitness’s observation.

The defendant, Anthony Waters is charged with first-degree murder while armed and related gun charges for allegedly shooting 37-year-old Derrick Harris on the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE.

According to court documents, an eyewitness saw the murder from a bedroom window. But, pictures, which were shown to the jury, showed trees blocking the view of where Harris was murdered outside of the apartment building.

A detective on the case told the jury that another witness said Waters, 51, who was also known as Reds, and Harris, who was also known as Fats, got into an argument because Harris “snitched” on a close friend of Waters in a 1988 murder trial, causing the friend a life sentence.

The detective also said the witness told him that “Reds came through the cut and shot Fats.” It is unknown whether the witness actually saw the homicide or heard about it from someone else.

Waters decided not to testify in the trial.

Counsel Delivers Closing Arguments in 2017 Murder Trial

During closing arguments in a murder trial, the prosecution argued that even without DNA their case has “overwhelming” evidence that a defendant fatally struck a 65-year-old woman with his car.

David Jones is charged with second-degree murder and driving under the influence for the death of Carolyn Ellis at the intersection of 10th and U Street, NW in 2017. According to court documents, a witness told police Ellis’ body was thrown 8-to-10 feet in the air before hitting a parked car and landing on the street.

Jones, 38, is also charged with reckless driving and leaving after colliding.

The prosecution said a Metropolitan Police Department officer saw a black man with dreadlocks, which matches Jones’ description, speeding in a black car in the vicinity of the crime scene on the night of the murder.

Surveillance video captured a dark-colored car run a red light and turn onto U Street, fatally striking Ellis, who was crossing the street.

Shortly after, the officer saw the same car on 14th Street, NW, a short distance from the crash. Police discovered an opened Heineken bottle in the front passenger’s seat. During the investigation, officers also found part of a watch strap on the driver’s seat, according to the lead detective’s testimony.

An expert witness said the car also displayed damage to the exterior that was consistent with the fatality.

When police located Jones a short distance away, he was holding the keys to the black car and a broken watch that matched the strap found in the car. An officer on the scene deemed Jones intoxicated and testified that Jones smelled of alcohol and, at times, couldn’t stand up.

Jones’ defense attorney, Antoini Jones, argued that regardless of who the driver was, the fatality was an accident and that Ellis may have played a role in her own death.

Apparently, Ellis did not have the right of way and chose to cross the street “against the light.” Furthermore, the defense noted that Ellis was wearing all black and that the incident occurred at night. The defense also said that the other individual who was crossing the street with Ellis stopped when they saw a car coming, but Ellis ran across the street.

According to the defense, no one was actually able to identify Jones as the driver and there was no scientific evidence that the driver was speeding.

“This case is reeking of reasonable doubt,” the defense said.

The jury is scheduled to begin deliberating on Oct. 23.

Was Decedent’s Death Part of a Neighborhood Rivalry?

During opening arguments in a murder trial, the prosecution said the decedent was not the intended target and instead got caught up in a shooting that stemmed from a neighborhood rivalry.

Kenneth Adams is charged with first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Dante Kinard on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE in 2016.

On Oct. 22, the prosecution told the jury that Adams, 20, walked toward a group of people, on Benning Road, NE and pulled out a revolver.

Apparently, Adams robbed the sister of an unnamed individual who was in the group. According to the prosecution, the individual was from the Langston neighborhood which rivals with the 21st and I Street, NE neighborhood. Adams, who is from the 21st and I Street neighborhood, allegedly said the individual was “next.”

The prosecutor said there were multiple eyewitnesses who identified Adams as the shooter. However, the prosecutor also said the witnesses were hesitant to come forward because they didn’t want to be labeled as a “snitch.” The prosecution said witnesses took months to come forward and corroborate that Adams was the shooter.

Adams’ defense attorney, Nikki Lotze, said the eyewitnesses couldn’t have been able to identify the shooter because it was dark and the shooting was “extremely fast.”

Lotze also argued that the investigation went from days to weeks to months without witnesses and as a result detectives became angry. According to Lotze, detectives coerced witnesses to identify Adams.

Lotze told the jury that one of two eyewitnesses initially said, during the investigation, that the shooter couldn’t be identified because it was too dark. However, the same witness, who was later arrested on unrelated charges, was questioned about the murder, again. Apparently, an officer questioned if Adams was the shooter and the witness said they were “80 percent sure” but didn’t want to testify.

Lotze said the witness’s pending charges were dropped after the witness agreed to testify in the murder case.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Oct. 23.

Document: Suspect Arrested in Traffic Fatality

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Oct. 19 the driver of a Mercury Grand Marquis and charged him with second-degree murder and possession of PCP, a hallucinatory drug.

According to a press release, Rodney Bell was allegedly driving the Marquis at a high speed on South Capitol Street, SW around 3 a.m. The Marquis hit the rear of a Volkswagen Passat when it was stopped at a red light.

After hitting the Passat, the Marquis slid down the street, striking the rear of a Toyota Corolla that was also stopped at a red light on South Capitol Street and Galveston Street, SW. The Marquis then jumped a curb, hitting a traffic signal on the 4700 block of South Capitol Street, SW and caught on fire, the release said.

Bell’s passenger, 32-year-old Kevin Thomas, died on the scene. Bell, 42, was taken to an area hospital and later charged.

Bell’s court appearance has been continued four times because he is in the hospital. His next appearance is scheduled for Oct. 25.

View photos of the crash from WTOP.

Editors Note: Bell was presented in court Nov. 21. He is being held without bond as he awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 30.

Judge Finds Substantial Probability Despite Lack of Positive ID

During a preliminary hearing Oct. 19, a DC Superior Court judge found substantial probability that a defendant could have fatally shot a man in July.

Kewon Hunter is charged with second-degree murder while armed for shooting 21-year-old Dion Boyd on the 1400 block of Maryland Avenue, NE.

Judge Craig Iscoe said that the individual seen running after the shooting in the videos appeared to be the defendant.

According to court documents, Hunter, 19, allegedly approached the decedent, pulled out a gun and shot Boyd three times. Prior to the shooting, an unknown individual was captured on surveillance video, giving an object to Hunter. The video shows the defendant attempting to conceal an object near his waistband.

“We have different pieces, but those pieces aren’t being put together by someone who can give facial recognition,” Howard McEachern, Hunter’s defense attorney, said, noting that other items the prosecution procured for evidence were irrelevant because no one can clearly identify Hunter in the video.

However, the prosecution insisted that the figure in the video was Hunter. “Everything leading up to it and after it corroborate this defendant as the shooter,” the prosecutor said.

Judge Iscoe ordered Hunter held without bond and noted that the defendant is also being held for an unrelated armed burglary charge.

A felony status conference is scheduled on Jan. 25, 2019.

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