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Who Stabbed Teen in NOMA Homicide?

During a preliminary hearing Nov. 15, a detective said no one could identify who stabbed a teen in NOMA in May.

Demonte Hewitt and Kurt Hewitt are charged with second-degree murder while armed for their alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Tyshon Perry on the 1300 block of 2nd Street, NE, which is located near the NOMA-Gallaudet metro station. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the suspects are cousins.

Demonte, 16, and Kurt,18, are both being charged as adults.

“We keep talking about the word involved … but nowhere in the four corners of the affidavit does it say Demonte Hewitt physically assaulted the decedent, correct?” Demonte’s attorney, James King, asked.

The detective agreed and said a Snapchat video implicated the cousins because they were part of the group of people involved in the stabbing. However, the detective said authorities have not verified if the video was actually taken on the day of the murder.

According to court documents, the victim was a friend of a male student who got into a confrontation with a female student earlier that day at KIPP DC College Preparatory, a charter high school in Northeast DC. The female student allegedly told the male student that she was going to “‘bring her hood boys to the school to fight [him].’”

When the male student, victim, who was also a student at the school, and their friends were walking to the metro station to go home, they apparently ran into the female student, but at that time, she was with four other boys who did not attend Kipp. A fight broke out between the groups. 

The defense was not able to conclude arguments on Thursday, so DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe continued the preliminary hearing until Dec. 3 due to a previously scheduled trial.

Continue following D.C. Witness for updates.

Prosecution Requests Delay in Double Homicide

On Nov. 13, nearly an hour after opening arguments for a murder trial were scheduled to begin, a DC Superior Court judge notified the jury that a trial wouldn’t begin until next year because one of the prosecutors had a “severe family emergency.”

Terik McLeod is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Devaun Drayton and Carlton Fisher on the 700 block of 26th Street, NE and on the 1100 block of 21st Street, NE, respectively. Fisher, who was killed in 2006, was apparently a witness to Drayton’s homicide in 2004.

According to the prosecution, another attorney wouldn’t be prepared to take on the case on such short notice. As a result, Judge Ronna Beck scheduled the trial to resume on March 25, 2019.

McLeod’s defense attorneys, Bruce Cooper and Michael Madden, requested their client be released because of the delay. According to the defense, McLeod would be detained for nearly two years by the time of the new trial date.

Judge Beck denied the defense’s request because of McLeod’s prior firearm convictions and because he is an “extreme risk” to public safety.

 

Jury Should Disregard Statements that ID Murder Defendant as Shooter, Defense Says

During closing arguments in a murder trial, the defense demanded that the jury disregard  statements that said a murder defendant was the shooter.

Kenneth Adams is charged with first-degree murder while armed, obstruction of justice and other firearms offenses for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Dante “Te” Kinard on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE in 2016. According to court documents, Adams,20, walked toward a group of people on Benning Road, pulled out a gun and started shooting. Kinard was not the intended target in the shooting.

Adams’ defense attorney, Nikki Lotze, said the two witnesses, who identified Adams during trial, should not be trusted. She said one witness admitted to only being about 80-85 percent sure about her identification. 

“[She] said it was so dark that it looked like people were wearing masks,”  Lotze told the jury. “Everything was black.”

Another witness told police, days after the shooting, that he did not know who shot Kinard. Lotze said the witness changed his story because he made a deal with the prosecution. 

The prosecution denied making a deal with the witness. The prosecution also said the witness did not initially identify Adams as the shooter because he was afraid Adams “was still on the street.” 

Other witnesses, who initially identified Adams as the shooter, told the jury that police coerced them into making the identification.

The jury began deliberating Nov. 14.

Document: Homicide in U Street Corridor

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the of 800 block of Florida Avenue, NW, inside the U Street corridor, on Nov. 14.

According to a press release, police found 26 year-old Javon Smith suffering from gunshot wounds on the 2100 block of 8th Street, Northwest. He died at a hospital hours later on Nov. 15.

Police are requesting information that can lead to an arrest and conviction. A reward of up to $25,000 may be provided. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099.  Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.



Doc Says Mother ‘Not Responsible’ for Infant’s Death

During a trial readiness hearing Nov. 14, defense counsel told the court that a medical report said a mother was “not responsible” for the 2013 homicide of her son.

Lillian Alvarado is charged with first-degree murder and child cruelty in connection to the death of her newborn son, who was found dismembered in an apartment bathtub on the 6400 block of 14th Street, NW.

In the report, a medical professional from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, said Alvarado, 26, was not conscious of her actions.

As a result, the prosecution offered a plea agreement, which would allow Alvarado to plead guilty by reason of insanity to second-degree murder. However, the defense objected to the details of the plea, which contradicted the report’s findings, because second-degree murder implies Alvarado was conscious of her actions.

According to court documents, the infant was discovered after neighbors in the apartment below reported bloody water leaking from their ceiling. During the investigation, police found the infant’s legs in a toilet.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported that the newborn did not display birth defects that contributed to his death. Instead, the medical examiner said liquid was found in the infant’s lungs and there were visible signs of asphyxiation including “red purple markings” on the front and back of the infant’s neck.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee scheduled a status hearing on Nov. 16 and said he expects a decision on the plea at that time.

 

Where Are DC Convicts Being Held?

Washington, DC does not have any federal prisons. Instead, felons of crimes in the District of Columbia are transferred to other states to carry out their sentences. The following article tracks where convicts are sent and whether their placement abides by policy guidelines enacted by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). 

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), a branch within the DOJ, there is a guideline in the Inmate Security Designation and Custody Classification Program Statement that states that convicts should be placed in prisons that are “reasonably close,” or 500 miles, to their release area; in this case Washington, DC.

From January 2015 to August 2018, 115 felons were sentenced for charges connected to DC homicides, according to D.C.Witness data. 

The BOP reports that 101 of those convicts have been placed at a prison facility or residential reentry center in the United States.

Of that number, more than half are imprisoned inside the 500-mile radius at facilities in West Virginia (48 inmates), Pennsylvania (11 inmates) and North Carolina (7 inmates), including:

The hash marks note where DC convicted felons are being held. DC’s 500-mile radius is identified in purple. Illustration by Thamar Bailey; Map Copyright @ Freevectormaps.com

Other District of Columbia convicts, who are also placed within the 500-mile radius, reside at facilities, including:

Although the BOP said it attempts to abide by the 500-mile guideline, it’s not unusual for a convict to be sent further away for various factors, including: security, population, programming and medical needs.

Convicts from DC, who are placed outside the 500-mile radius, are located at the following facilities:

Graphic by Thamar Bailey

Of the 14 remaining felons, who are not being held at one of the facilities listed above, one died serving her sentence, one is serving his sentence at an unidentified juvenile facility, four were released from prison and eight are “Not in BOP Custody.”

While “Not in BOP Custody” is vague in nature, the BOP explained the designation could mean the felon completed the sentence and was released, the felon is in the custody of the DC Jail, the custody of the felon was permanently or temporarily transferred to another agency or the felon is not in BOP custody for purposes related to appearing in court.

According to DC Courts, the eight felons who are “Not in BOP Custody” have not fulfilled their sentences.

D.C. Witness contacted the U.S. Marshals Service and the DC Jail in search of the eight felons who are “Not in BOP Custody.” As of Nov. 14, D.C. Witness has not received any information on where they are being held.

Editor’s Note: Over the course of the next few months, D.C. Witness will release a series of data-based articles concerning the judicial process for murder defendants in the District of Columbia dating back to January 2015.

LaTrina Antoine, Will Lennon and Shams Sohani contributed to this article.

Prosecution Explains Witnesses Story Changes During Closing Arguments

During closing statements Nov. 13, the prosecution addressed why witnesses, in a murder trial, changed their stories on the stand.

Kenneth Adams is charged with first-degree murder while armed, obstruction of justice and other firearms offenses for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Dante “Te” Kinard on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE in 2016.

According to the prosecution, some witnesses acted in “self-preservation” when they made inconsistent statements to the jury about what they saw on the night of the shooting. The prosecution emphasized that the witnesses changed their testimonies because they didn’t want to be labeled as “hot” or a “snitch”. 

However, D.C. Witness reported earlier that several witnesses told the jury that police coerced them into identifying Adams.

In an additional attempt to prove Adams’ guilt, the prosecution also referenced a witness who identified Adams as the shooter. He “summoned the courage and pointed [his] finger” at Adams, the prosecutor said during closing arguments.  

According to the prosecution, Adams, 20, walked toward a group of people on Benning Road and pulled out a gun and started shooting. Apparently, Adams was acting in part to an ongoing feud between the Langston and 21st and I Street neighborhoods. Kinard was not the intended target in the shooting. 

The defense is scheduled to make their closing arguments on Nov. 14.

 

Weekly Homicide Recap: Nov. 5-11

Over the last week, from Nov. 5-11, the Metropolitan Police Department reported four homicides and two arrests for homicides in Washington, DC.

According to D.C. Witness data, there have been 148 homicides in the city, a 35.5 percent increase from the 110 homicides reported at the same time last year.

On Nov. 9, police arrested Dale Thomas and charged him with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 38 year-old Jelani Mohammed on the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE the day before. 

Thomas, 28, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 19.

On Nov. 7, Eugene Johnson,37, was fatally shot on the Unit block of Galveston Place, SW. Police have not arrested a suspect in the case. 

The day before, Gibril Turner, 22, fatally shot on the 3900 block of Southern Avenue, SE on Nov. 6. Police have not arrested a suspect(s) in the homicide, either. 

On Nov. 5,  26-year-old Dewayne Weaver, was found fatally shot on the 300 block of 50th Street, NE. There have not been any arrests in the case. 

On Nov. 5, police arrested and charged 19-year-old Mark Anthony Fletcher, III with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting Travis Barksdale, 25,  on the 600 block of Evarts Street, NE in August.







Judge Finds Probable Cause Defendant Murdered Jogger in Logan Circle

A judge found Nov. 9 probable cause that a man fatally stabbed a woman while she jogged near her home in Northwest DC.

Anthony Crawford is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez as she jogged, during the evening, near her home in Logan Circle. The stabbing occurred on the 1400 block of 11th Street, NW on Sept. 18.

District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe denied the defense’s request to release Crawford, 23, on personal recognizance or to the care of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital. Crawford, who has not entered a plea, is being held without bond at DC Jail.

A homicide detective testified that Crawford’s DNA was found on a yellow sweater, an umbrella, a trail of blood left at the scene and the blade and handle of a knife that was allegedly stolen minutes before the attack.

According to WTOP, Crawford suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Apparently, family members told detectives that he had not been taking his medication at the time of the murder.

According to court documents, Crawford allegedly stabbed Martinez seven times, including in her head and neck. She was able to stumble into a nearby Chinese restaurant for help, but later died from her injuries at the hospital.

The case is being held for a grand jury.

Defendant Receives Multiple Counts of Murder for Young Woman’s Death

During a felony arraignment Nov. 9, a courtroom clerk read a murder defendant’s indictment, which included multiple counts of murder in connection to the death of a 23-year-old woman.

Ashton Briscoe was indicted on 10 counts, including felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, kidnapping while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged role in the shooting death of Kerrice Lewis on the 800 block of Adrian Street, SE in 2017.

Cell data shows Briscoe, 23; Marcel Vines, 22; and Malique Lewis, 21, at the crime scene at the time of the murder, according to court documents. Furthermore, data shows the defendants were in contact with each other. Lewis’ death was allegedly in retaliation for the death of Ronzay Green, 23, who was also killed on Dec. 28, 2017. 

Witnesses told police that Vines believed Lewis was responsible for Green’s death because, apparently, she set him up to get robbed, the documents said.

Vines and Malique are also charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged involvement in Lewis’ death. The co-defendants have a preliminary hearing on Dec. 23. 

Briscoe, who has not been paired with Vines and Malique, is scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 18, 2019.

Victim’s Grandmother Asks Judge to Reconsider Murder Defendant’s Confinement

Through a passionate statement to a DC Superior Court judge, the grandmother of a homicide victim appealed Nov. 8 for the confinement of one of the defendant’s charged in connection with her grandson’s murder.

Shaniah Davis is charged with being an accessory after the fact. According to a grand jury, Davis allegedly hid evidence and knowingly assisted John McRae with concealing the shooting of McMillan. McRae is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 22-year-old Marty McMillan on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE in 2017. 

“She lured him in [and] put him in danger,” McMillan’s grandmother told the judge.  “How do we say this woman is not a danger to society?” The victim’s grandmother also said that as long as Davis remained released, what happened to her grandson could happen to someone else.

Even though Davis was released on personal recognizance on Oct. 1, the prosecution used the status hearing to request that Judge Craig Iscoe reconsider holding her in the DC Jail. McRae, 41, is currently being held at the jail without bond.

Judge Iscoe acknowledged McMillan’s grandmother’s statement, however, due to Davis’ clean record and cooperation with release conditions, he said he could not hold her in jail.

A status hearing is scheduled on Jan. 18, 2019. Continue following D.C. Witness for updates on the case. 

Murder Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to 2017 Homicide

After a formal reading of a murder defendant’s indictment, he pleaded not guilty Nov. 8 to charges related to a 2017 homicide.

Ricardo Boston is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice for allegedly shooting Dante Coleman in an apartment building on the 3900 block of First Street, SE in 2017. Apparently, the incident happened after an argument.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows Boston allegedly point an object that is believed to be a gun at Coleman, 20. However, Boston’s hand was not visible in the footage.

A status hearing is scheduled on Jan. 18, 2019.

Adams Trial: Girlfriend Says She Wasn’t Threatened

During a murder trial, a murder defendant’s girlfriend denied receiving threats from her significant other before her grand jury testimony.

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

“He seemed irritated but … he only told me I don’t have to say anything,” the witness said, referencing her last phone call with the defendant. 

During cross-examination, the witness also said she never saw Adams with a gun. 

The trial is expected to resume on Nov. 13.

Murder Defendant Pleads Guilty to September Traffic Fatality

On Nov. 6, a murder defendant accepted a plea deal for a traffic fatality that occurred on Capitol Hill in September.

Phillip Peoples pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and leaving after colliding in connection to the death of 64-year-old Thomas Hendricks Hollowell on the 1200 block of Constitution Avenue, NW. Peoples was originally charged with second-degree murder.

According to court documents, Peoples, 20, ran a red light at the intersection of 12th Street and Constitution Avenue. He hit Hollowell, who was riding a bicycle. Peoples fled the scene.

The defendant could be sentenced from one to three years in prison.

Peoples is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 25, 2019.