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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.

Officer Testifies to Turning Body Cam Off

During a murder trial, a Metropolitan Police Department officer testified that he turned his body-worn camera off before interviewing a witness, despite laws prohibiting him from doing so.  

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 stabbing death of 34-year-old Corrina Mehiel on the 600 block of 14th Street, NE in 2017. According to court documents, Mehiel was found in her apartment with stab wounds that were consistent with torture.

The officer testified Feb. 26 that he turned his body worn camera off shortly after arriving on the murder scene. Footage from the camera seems to indicate that he was instructed to do so by another officer. 

Another officer, who specializes in evidence collection, said he took pictures of Mehiel. The officer said he found the victim tied up and covered in clothing.He also said he found lacerations on Mehiel’s body and stains in her apartment that resembled blood.

During her cross examination, defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman questioned how  evidence, including a coffee cup and electronic tablet were handled during the investigation. Apparently, the coffee cup, which was intact at Mehiel’s apartment, was broken during transport to a police station, Cadman said.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Feb. 27.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in North Capitol Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a suspect in a murder that took place in January.

According to a press release, 22-year-old Tyree Irving was arrested Feb. 26 and charged with first-degree murder while armed (premeditated) for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Davane Williams on the 1200 Block of North Capitol Street, NW on Jan. 15. Williams died at an area hospital.

Irving was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for a separate offense that occurred on Feb. 18 on the 1300 block of North Capitol Street, NW.



Document: Police Identify Victim of SW Homicide

The victim of an alleged homicide that took place on the 4700 block of 1st Street, SW has been Identified by the Metropolitan Police Department.

According to a press release, police responded Feb. 25 to reports of a shooting. Officers found 35-year-old Georgette Godman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She died on the scene.

As of Feb. 26, Godman is the 27 homicide in DC in 2019, nearly a 93 percent increase from this same time a year ago, according to D.C. Witness data. 

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case or any other homicide in DC. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE — 50411.



Defendant ‘Confessed’ to Murder, Prosecution Says

During closing arguments in a murder trial, the prosecution said Feb. 26 that a defendant “confessed” to the murder of a transgender woman.

Co-defendants Monte Johnson and Jalonte Little are charged with felony murder while armed and robbery while armed, among other offenses, for their alleged involvement in the death of 22-year-old Deeniquia Dodds, also known as Gregory Dodds, on the 200 block of Division Street, NE in 2016. Brothers Cyheme and Shareem Hall are also charged with the murder.

The prosecution told the jury that Johnson, 23, confessed to his girlfriend that he is responsible for Dodds’ death.

Johnson’s defense attorney, Kevin Irving, said there is no evidence that his client was involved.

Both Cyheme, 23, and Shareem, 25, testified that Johnson shot Dodds and that Little, 28, was the getaway driver. According to the prosecution, the brothers entered plea agreements in exchange for their testimony. A plea has not been filed as of Feb. 26.

Little’s defense attorney, Brandi Harden, told the jury that her client knew nothing about the robberies or Dodds’ murder. Harden said that even though Little’s GPS monitor placed him at the scene, it doesn’t mean he was involved.

But, the prosecution said Little knew what was going on and wanted to be a part of it.

During the hearing, the defense also sought to discredit the brothers’ testimonies by saying they both previously admitted to lying to law enforcement. The defense said the brothers are only cooperating in exchange for a lighter sentence. A sentencing date has not been scheduled for the brothers. 

The prosecution refuted the defense’s claim and said the Hall brothers came forward, accepted responsibility and admitted to being involved in the robberies.

The jury began deliberating on Feb. 26.

Murder Defendant Sexually Assaulted and Robbed Victim, Prosecution Says

During opening arguments in a murder trial, the prosecution described the murder of a visiting artist and how she was “brutally” raped, robbed and killed. But, the defense told the jury not to let sympathy get in the way of the truth.

El Hadji Toure is charged with first-degree murder while armed, first-degree sexual abuse and robbery, 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 the prosecution, Mehiel’s death is being tried as an “especially heinous” crime.

The prosecution told the 16-member jury that Mehiel, a visiting artist from North Carolina, was getting ready to head home when Toure, 30, “snatched” her life away. A prosecutor said Mehiel was found face down in her bedroom, her body bound with clothes and bed sheets. He said that she was stabbed at least 39 times in the neck and multiple times in her side.

The prosecutor said that Toure’s DNA was found on some of the items that were used to bind Mehiel. He also said the defendant’s semen was found in her body.

During the hearing, the prosecution spoke about surveillance footage that showed Mehiel loading up her car just as another individual could be seen walking toward her apartment.

The prosecutor said three hours later Mehiel’s car is seen leaving the area. According to the prosecution, the defendant’s robbing spree began shortly after. Apparently, Mehiel’s bank cards were used at seven different ATMs in Maryland and Virginia. Footage from many of the ATMs show Toure withdrawing money from her account and using the correct pin number each time, the prosecution said.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found Toure after he ditched Mehiel’s car and started using the Metro. Ultimately, they found a SmarTrip card on Toure when he was arrested.

However, defense attorney Emily Stirba said the police were “pressured” to make an arrest because it’s a high profile case. She said the detectives on the case had “tunnel vision” and failed to investigate other leads.

Stirba said the police incorrectly assumed that the same person depicted in the ATM videos was the same person responsible for Mehiel’s murder. She said the police’s theory was “nothing more than a guess, pieced together by assumptions and speculation.”

Stirba told the jury that a week prior to Mehiel’s death, there was a “strikingly similiar” assault on a woman. Apparently, the victim was bound, had something placed over her head and her assailant had a knife.

Stirba said police looked into Toure as a possible suspect in the case but later stopped when they learned he was at a shelter during the time of the offense.

“She’s a real person who deserves real justice,” Stirba said, referring to Mehiel. “ And there is no real justice in this courtroom.”

The trial is scheduled to continue on Feb. 26.

Document: Police Arrest Suspect in 2015 Murder

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrested Feb. 25 a man suspected of committing a murder in 2015.

According to a press release, police arrested Joshua Artis and charged him with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 28-year-old Ryan Matthew Addison on the 200 block of Elmira Street, SW. There has been a bench warrant out for Artis’ arrest since November 15, 2018, when he failed to attend a felony arraignment hearing connected to the case.

Artis is also charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, according to DC Courts.

In December of 2018, D.C. Witness reported that Artis, 29, is a member of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods also known as IGB, which is a criminal organization that operates in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, amongst other states in the United States.

A grand jury indictment states that a regional IGB leader “authorized” Artis to travel from Virginia to Washington, DC to kill Addison, who they believed killed 25-year-old Rodney Davis, who was a friend of theirs. Davis was fatally shot on the Unit block of Galveston Place, SW on Aug. 11, 2015.



Jury Tampering Allegations Delay Murder Trial

A D.C. Superior Court judge delayed closing arguments in a murder trial Feb. 25 because of allegations of jury tampering.

Co-defendants Monte Johnson and Jalonte Little are charged with felony murder while armed and robbery while armed, among other offenses, for their alleged roles in the death of 22-year-old Deeniquia Dodds, also known as Gregory Dodds, on the 200 block of Division Street, NE is 2016. Brothers Cyheme Hall, 23, and Shareem Hall, 25, are also charged in Dodds’ murder.

Judge Milton Lee said he was concerned that a juror was exposed to information about the case that could impact their decision. He is continuing closing arguments so he could investigate the allegation.

The defense said they also have concerns about the prosecution coercing a witness and tampering with the jury. However, the government said there is no evidence of misconduct.

Johnson, 23, and Little, 28, are allegedly connected to a string of armed robberies that targeted transgender women in the summer of 2016, which ultimately led to Dodds’ death.

According to the prosecution’s theory, Little acted as a getaway driver and Johnson shot Dodds.

Closing arguments are scheduled to continue on Feb. 26.

Murder Defendant Will Not Receive Extension for Plea Deal, Prosecution Says

On Feb. 22, prosecutors said they would not extend a plea offer for a murder defendant they believe stabbed a man in 2017.

William Edward Smith is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 29-year-old Dominic Brooks on the 800 block of Chesapeake Street, SE. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found Brooks suffering from multiple stab wounds to his chest.

Defense attorney, Jason Tulley, requested that a plea deal for Smith remain open until the results of an independent DNA test were released. Tulley said testing should be completed by March 11. 

Prosecutors said that unless defense told them what evidence was being tested and why, the plea offer would close. The plea deal expired on Feb. 22. 

Judge Juliet McKenna ordered the prosecution to hand over evidence, including cell phone information and jail calls to defense by March 8. She also said she had to push back Smith’s trial date because of scheduling issues with an unrelated trial.

According to court documents, a witness, who was in a relationship with Brooks, said Smith and another individual named Lou ran into Brooks and the witness when they were walking away from a birthday party. The witness said a conversation started but turned violent.  

Smith’s new trial date is scheduled on April 8, which is seven days later than the previous trial date. 

Prosecutors Inquire About Permissible Actions Under Sanctions

When prosecutors discovered the true extent of their sanctions in a murder trial they requested advice from the judge about how to proceed forward. 

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

During a hearing on Feb. 22, prosecutors asked DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna about what they were permitted to say during opening arguments under their current sanctions. Judge McKenna set the sanctions after prosecutors neglected to hand over evidence regarding a rape that occurred weeks before Mehiel’s murder.

Defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman said the crime, which took place in Kalorama on March 3, had a lot of “striking” similarities to Mehiel’s murder.

According to Judge McKenna, prosecutors are not allowed to make any reference to Toure being the assailant in the March 3 rape. This includes the introduction of any evidence that may tie Toure to the other crime.

A prosecutor said that witch hazel was used to clean the victim of the March 3 rape, but the assailant asked the victim for rubbing alcohol. Toure was found with a bottle of rubbing alcohol on his person when he was arrested by police.

Judge McKenna said she would allow evidence that referred to the rubbing alcohol evidence or the witch hazel but not both.

Cadman says she intends to argue that the same person who commited the earlier rape murdered Mehiel, and that the assailant was not Toure.

Prosecutors were also asked to remove some of the photos that will be submitted into evidence, including depictions of Mehiel’s wounds, which Cadman called “excessive”.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Feb. 25.

Document: 2 Fatal Shootings Sunday, Suspected Murderer Still Loose

Two deadly shootings on Feb. 24 added to Washington, DC’s dismal homicide count in 2019. The count now stands at 26, nearly an 86 percent increase since the same time last year.

According to press releases, during the evening hours Sunday, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found 33-year-old Mark Mosley suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 600 block of 46th Place, SE. He died on the scene.

Earlier that day, officers found 30-year-old David Elijah Brandon suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 4300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Police have not apprehended any suspects in connection to the two murders.

Juvon Julian Searles

In addition to the shootings, there is an arrest warrant out for 37 year-old Juvon Julian Searles for allegedly fatally shooting 46 year-old Paul Williams, Jr. on the 800 block of R Street, NW on July 24, 2018. He is wanted for second-degree murder while armed.

Searles is described as a 37 year-old black male, 6’1” tall, 249 pounds, medium complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

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. Up to a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.







Judge Refuses to Modify A Murder Defendant’s Release Conditions

A  D.C. Superior Court judge ruled Feb. 22 to keep a murder defendant’s release conditions in place.

Maurice Allen is charged with obstruction of justice and perjury for his alleged role in the death of 27-year-old Arthur Thompkins on the 5400 block of Hunt Place, NE  in 2017.

Allen is currently released under the High Intensity Supervision program (HISP).

Judge Danya Dayson told Allen’s defense attorney that she would not release Allen on his own personal recognizance. Instead, Judge Dayson ruled Allen would continue wearing a GPS monitoring device and undergo random drug tests.

During the hearing, the prosecution argued in favor of the court’s ruling, saying Allen has a lengthy criminal history and tried to avoid detectives when they attempted to serve him a subpoena to testify in a grand jury.

However, Allen’s defense attorney, Randy McDonald, argued against the ruling, saying his client has been compliant under HISP and that he was not a flight risk or danger to the community. McDonald also said Allen testified in favor of the prosecution’s case during the grand jury.

It’s unclear whether Allen testified against his codefendants, Markale Moore and Tyrone Harris, at the grand jury hearing. Moore, 29, and Harris, 30, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged roles in Thompkins’ death.

According to court documents, Moore and Thompkins had an argument about money and a woman. Witnesses told police that Moore shot Thompkins and Harris drove the getaway car.

Moore, Harris and Allen are scheduled for a status hearing on May 5.