Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrested June 21 Eric Maurice Smith as a suspect for Rondell Wills murder.
Smith, 19, is being charged with first-degree murder while armed. According to court documents, Smith allegedly shot Wills, 38, on the 200 block of 50th Street, NE near the Kelly Miller Recreation Center on May 3.
The teenager, who resided in Suitland, Md., is scheduled for an arraignment on June 22 at 1p.m.
Defense counsel for a 16-year-old boy charged with murder requested June 21 that a preliminary hearing be postponed to give him more time to prepare for his client’s case.
Titus Iracks is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Larry Harrell on June 13 on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found 43-year-old Harrell suffering with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was declared dead at the scene. Iracks was arrested on June 14.
DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson rescheduled the hearing for July 10.
Counsel scrutinized inconsistencies between a witness’s grand jury testimony and his testimony during a 2015 murder trial.
Charles McRae, Willie Glover, and Joseph Barbour are charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing of Lenard Wills at an apartment on the 700 block of 24th Street, NE. According to the prosecution, the apartment was a place where people would hang out and do drugs, especially crack cocaine and heroin. Prosecutors said they believe the defendants killed Wills, 50, while attempting to rob him.
A witness, who acted as an unofficial “doorman” for the apartment, said he saw McRae, 66, go to the apartment’s kitchen, grab a knife, and stab Wills as he struggled with Barbour, 38, and Glover, 40.
However, Glover’s lawyer pointed out that, during his grand jury testimony, the witness said he had not seen the stabbing but heard about it later.
Glover’s attorney also said the witness told a grand jury that he called Wills’ girlfriend the next day to discuss the incident, inferring that the witness did not know Wills was dead.
Glover’s attorney suggested the witness lied to detectives and prosecutors about seeing the stabbing in hopes that they would help him curry favor with the parole board. However, the witness said there was no reason for him to do that since he was only locked up for a minor crime and would be out on parole, soon.
According to prosecutors, the witness told a grand jury that McRae was gone from the apartment for 20 or 30 minutes after his alleged argument with Wills. During the trial, the witness said McRae was gone for about two hours.
The trial is set to resume with more questions for the witness on June 21.
As new evidence surfaces in a murder case, a judge took on the challenge of solving defense counsels’ dispute of when to hold trial.
Co-defendants Antoine Byrd, 38, and Devonte Johnson, 29, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Robinson Pal at Barcode, a lounge located on the 1100 block of 17th Street, NW, in 2016. According to court documents, officers found Pal, 29, and another victim unconscious and bleeding. The other victim survived.
During a status hearing on June 20, Byrd’s defense attorney, Brandi Harden, requested more time to review “385 pages of raw data,” adding that she would not be prepared for trial by July 30. Harden initially requested additional time at a status hearing on June 6 to conduct more DNA testing.
Earlier testing revealed that Byrd’s DNA was on the murder weapon’s handle.
Even though Johnson’s attorney, Brian McDaniel, still needs to review DNA evidence and surveillance video, he opposed Harden’s motion to postpone the trial.
Johnson “has already been incarcerated for two years,” McDaniel said. He said he doesn’t want his client to spend another year in jail.
DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe moved the trial date to Oct. 7, 2019. But, he said he is maintaining the initial July date in case McDaniel is successful with his motion to reconsider postponing the trial and separating the defendants.
Johnson is scheduled for a status hearing on June 22. Both defendants are scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on July 13.
During a murder trial, a cooperating witness told the jury that the defendant said he committed a murder while they were housed in the same jail unit.
Andre Joyner is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Jamie Washington on the 700 block of 18th Street, NE in 2014.
According to the witness, Joyner said he fatally stabbed Washington, 31.
The witness is currently awaiting sentencing for a first-degree murder charge in an unrelated 2015 murder case. Following his trial, the witness entered a plea deal with the government that would downgrade his charges to second-degree murder in exchange for his testimony in Joyner’s case. A date for sentencing has not been scheduled.
Per the voluntary sentencing guidelines, first-degree murder while armed has a 30-60 year sentencing range. According to the defense, a second-degree murder charge has a sentencing range of 13- 25 years. However, if the prosecution finds the witness gave “substantial cooperation” the judge could sentence the witness to less than 13 years.
Amid cross-examination, Kevin Mosley, Joyner’s defense attorney, accused the witness of saying anything to get a lesser sentence. According to Mosley, a few months after the witness was found guilty and his request for an appeal was denied, the witness sent a letter to the court claiming that he had information about Joyner’s case.
There’s “no glory” or “kickbacks” associated with testifying, the witness told the jury. “ No one where I’m from like a snitch, it’s the worst thing you can be.”
The trial is scheduled to resume on June 21.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on June 20 on the 600 block of Atlantic Street, SE.
During the morning hours, police located Andre Simmons, Jr., 28, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He did not show any signs consistent with life on the scene.
The Prince George’s County Police Department apprehended June 21 Darin C. Moore, Jr. in connection with kidnapping Simmons.
Apparently, Moore, along with another individual, kidnapped Simmons from a parking lot near his home in Bowie, Md. News reports state that Simmons’ family paid a $7,000 ransom to get him back, but he was shot anyway. Homicide charges have not been filed.
The Washington Post reported that police located Moore through his vehicle, a black Nissan. According to the Post, police were currently tracking a black Nissan they suspected was involved in a robbery. When police discovered a black Nissan was also involved in Simmons’ abduction, police checked the tracking information. The vehicle, which was registered to Moore, was at the site of the kidnapping and where the victim’s body was found.
The Post also reports that both the victim and suspect have convictions in Prince George’s County for drug and gun charges, respectively. Authorities refused to provide any information on whether the shooting and convictions are linked.
Moore is being held without bond.
During a hearing June 19, counsel questioned the mental competency of a man who allegedly killed his neighbor over noise from a lawnmower.
William Hunt is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing George White on the 400 block of Newcomb Street, NE in 2011. Hunt, 62, did custodial work at the apartment building where he and White lived.
According to multiple witnesses, White, 48, confronted Hunt when the sound from the lawnmower disturbed White’s sleep. Court documents said White suffered 59 stab wounds to the head, neck, shoulder and hands.
In 2015, a doctor from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, testified that Hunt was competent to stand trial. That same doctor was questioned about Hunt’s competence again on June 18 and June 19. Hunt is currently being held at the hospital.
The witness shared information about Hunt’s diagnosis and treatment while at St. Elizabeth’s. She said, since his arrest, Hunt has been diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder.
Due to conflicting schedules, the court decided to continue the motion hearing on Oct. 15. The court is also open to setting a later date in January if complications arise.
Stay tuned to D.C. Witness to find out more about the case.
DC Superior Court Judge Ronna L. Beck postponed a trial date for four men who are accused of murdering another man during an Independence Day shootout that left one dead and three injured.
The defendants are charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Dwayne Dillard on the 2600 block of Douglass Place, SE.
Shakim Lyons, one of the defendants, was shot in the eye during the shootout.
A trial for Jonathan Taylor; Lyons, 28; James Coffield, 26;, and Harry Herbert, 30, is scheduled for Sept. 24. DC Superior Judge Milton Lee will preside over the trial.
The trial was initially set for July 9, but Taylor, 27, requested new counsel, which further delayed the date. The other defendants kept their existing attorneys.
In place of the trial, a status hearing is scheduled for July 9.
A man, who was initially charged with second-degree murder while armed, pled guilty June 19 to a possession charge.
Sean Smith was accused of shooting 26-year-old Matthew Walker on the 900 block of Eastern Avenue, NE in 2016 after an altercation at a party. Smith claimed the shooting occurred in self defense, according to court documents. Both Smith and Walker’s DNA was found on the alleged murder weapon.
Smith, 38, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. His murder charge and gun possession charges were dismissed on June 6.
DC Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff accepted Smith’s plea under the condition that he remains in the high intensity supervision program, registers as a gun offender and pays a fine.
Smith’s original trial date and status hearings were suspended. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5.
During a 2014 murder trial, the defendant’s ex-girlfriend gave inconsistent testimony while detailing events leading up to the murder of Jamie Washington.
According to court documents, Andre Joyner, his girlfriend at the time and her cousin went on a hunt for the girlfriend’s stolen laptop. The prosecution and defense said the girlfriend believed Washington stole the computer.
Together the trio questioned Washington’s mother about her son’s whereabouts. Joyner and his girlfriend subsequently confronted Washington, 31, in an alleyway on the 700 block of 18th Street, NE, where police found him dead.
Joyner, 27, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Washington. Joyner is also charged with tampering with evidence for getting rid of the clothes he wore on the night of the homicide.
Joyner’s ex-girlfriend pled guilty to being an accessory to Washington’s murder. As part of her plea agreement, she testified about the events leading up to Washington’s death. Committing perjury or lying under oath would violate her agreement.
During her testimony, Joyner’s ex-girlfriend told the prosecution that Joyner was involved in a physical altercation or “fight” with her cousin the day Washington was murdered. When questioned by the defense, she changed her answer and said the “fight” only consisted of arguing. There were various other instances when the girlfriend’s statements contradicted her grand jury testimony.
Noting the discrepancies, defense attorney Kevin Mosley asked the girlfriend if she knew the definition of perjury and reminded her of the consequences associated with lying on the stand.
Mosley accused Joyner’s ex-girlfriend of “sugar-coating” the facts in an attempt to shift the focus from herself to Joyner. During his opening statements, Mosley said the girlfriend was responsible for Washington’s murder.
Following cross-examination, the girlfriend told the prosecution that she knew her testimony implicated Joyner, but she was also further incriminating herself. During her testimony, the girlfriend admitted to devising and executing a plan to get rid of Joyner’s bloodied pants from the night of the murder.
The trial is scheduled to resume on June 20.
A witness in a 2015 murder trial confirmed that he saw the three co-defendants attempt to rob an apartment in Northeast DC.
Charles McRae, Willie Glover and Joseph Barbour are charged with first-degree murder while armed. The three men are accused of stabbing Lenard Wills in the course of the alleged robbery.
The witness was a frequent occupant of the apartment on the 700 block of 24th Street, NE. According to counsel, the apartment was a place where people would convene to do drugs. The witness said that he was the one who let three attackers in to the apartment.
According to the prosecution’s opening statement, Wills’ girlfriend was making dinner when McRae, 66, and Wills, 50, began arguing about money. McRae stormed out and found Glover, 40, and Barbour, 38, outside. The prosecution said the three then returned to the apartment to rob it.
According to the witness, he was nervous about letting McRae back into the apartment because McRae looked nervous.The witness also said he heard McRae talking about robbing Wills in the past.
The witness said once he opened the door, three men stormed in. Two of the men had guns and masks. When asked if he recognized the men in masks, the witness became silent. After a long pause, the witness said “Will and Short.” According to government documents, Barbour is sometimes known as “Shorty.”
In his opening statement, Barbour’s lawyer said his client was actually a victim of the attack. He said there was another attacker who worked with McRae and Glover. The lawyer said the third man escaped.
“(He) ran from apartment 81 into the night forevermore,” said Barbour’s lawyer. “He’s not in this courtroom today.”
Barbour’s lawyer also said a bloody knife, recovered from a trash can near the crime scene, was used to attack Barbour. The lawyer said Barbour did not use the weapon to attack Wills. The blood on the knife was found to belong to Barbour, according to the lawyer.
McRae’s attorney said that McRae and Wills actually had a good relationship and that most of their disagreements were about sports. “(McRae) was there to do what everyone else was there to do. He was there to get high,” McRae’s attorney said. “He left the apartment with the sole purpose of getting some more drugs.”
The lawyer noted that witnesses were inconsistent as to whether one, two or all three of the robbers wore masks.The prosecution acknowledged that their witnesses were not always consistent in their accounts.
The trial is scheduled to resume tomorrow, June 20.
After witnesses failed to show at a post disposition hearing, a DC Superior Court judge postponed the hearing until September. The witnesses were subpoenaed by the defense to testify that a convicted murderer was not the shooter.
Even though, Chamontae Walker was sentenced to 40 years for the first-degree murder of Darrel Hendy, Walker, 40, still insists that he is innocent. According to the defense, several witnesses said Walker did not shoot Hendy, 29. The incident happened in 2010 on the 800 block of Southern Avenue, SE.
Only one of three witnesses went to the hearing. The one witness who did go was already in custody for a probation violation when summoned.
The witness repeatedly stated that he knew Walker didn’t shoot Hendy. “When the shooting rang out we all ran inside the apartments,” he said. According to the prosecution, Walker was convicted of the murder because he provided the murder weapon.
Counsel was initially given time to locate witnesses that were in the vicinity of the murder after a post disposition hearing in April. DC Superior Court Judge Thomas Motley refused to allow the defense to put convicted murderer Meeko Carraway on the stand. Carraway pled guilty to Hendy’s murder in 2011. He is currently serving a 25-year sentence at Lee County Industrial Park, a U.S. penitentiary in Virginia.
Walker’s hearing is scheduled for Sept. 26. The defense expects to hold a video conference with a witness, who is currently in custody in Prince George’s County, Md., at the hearing.
During a felony status hearing June 15, a DC Superior Court judge set a trial date for an alleged murderer in order to give counsel ample time to present the case. The trial is scheduled for May 20, 2019.
Charles Young is charged with allegedly shooting Kenneth Poindexter on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE. on Jan. 20.
The motion to set a date comes after the 26 year old’s defense team requested an official trial date. The prosecution had no opposition with this request.
The defense also requested Young be released under the High-Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). However, Judge Judith Bartnoff feared Young was a “flight risk” and denied his release.
Young’s next status hearing is scheduled for Sept. 7.
A man who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after killing a close friend in a traffic collision was sentenced to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release.
Tyre Donnell Bailey was in the passenger’s seat of Lawrence Dukes’ car at the time of the accident. According to court documents, traffic cameras caught Dukes running a red light and hitting a Metrobus. Along with killing Bailey, Dukes also injured four people. Dukes was driving erratically between 55 and 60 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone. He ran a traffic light at the intersection of Stanton Road, SE and Suitland Parkway, SE in 2016.
When police arrived on the scene, Dukes, 28, and Bailey, 20, were unconscious according to court documents. Officers managed to remove Dukes from the car, but Bailey’s legs were pinned by the passenger’s side dashboard. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were unable to extricate him before flames consumed the vehicle. Bailey burned to death.
Dukes is currently undergoing rehabilitation to recover from the injuries he sustained in the crash.
“Mr. Dukes is just like a son to me,” one of Bailey’s family members said. “I’m here for Mr. Dukes. And I understand the government’s gonna do what it’s gonna do.”
According to Dukes’ defense attorney, Bailey’s family has come to every one of Dukes’ court hearings to show their support.
The defense also said that Dukes was enrolled in college classes and asked that he be allowed to complete them before being sent to prison. DC Superior Court Judge Zoe Bush declined the request.
“When you’re released from prison you’ll still be a young man,” Judge Bush told Dukes. “You’ll be living for two people now.”
During a status hearing June 18, a man accused of fatally shooting his cousin presented a letter requesting new counsel to DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson.
Gary Proctor is charged with second-degree murder while armed. He allegedly shot Jerome Diggs, 47, on the 1300 block of First Street, SW in 2015 because he was being teased, according to court documents.
Judge Dayson granted the defendant’s request for new counsel. She appointed Steven Kiersh as Proctor’s, 40, new defense attorney.
A status hearing is scheduled for June 25.
