Man Waives Right to Trial for 2017 Homicide

Samuel Davis pleaded guilty July 13 to one count of second-degree murder.

Davis, 59, was previously charged with first-degree murder for allegedly strangling Mawuli Kocuvie on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE. Kocuvie, 53, was killed on Oct. 28, 2017.

DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck told Davis that he could, under the agreement, receive life in prison. Davis insisted on waiving his right to trial and moved forward with the plea deal.

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

Judges Find Probable Cause in Deadly Spring Assault

On July 16, a DC Superior Court judge found probable cause that a murder defendant’s actions led to the death of a 64-year-old man.

Manuel Bermudez is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Miguel Pineda-Hernandez. According to court documents, while intoxicated, Bermudez, 37, pushed Pineda-Hernandez on the 1300 block of Irving Street, NW on April 11. Pineda-Hernandez died on April 29. The medical examiner deemed his cause of death as “complications of blunt force trauma.”

While DC Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond found probable cause for assault during Bermudez’ s arraignment, Judge Craig Iscoe found probable cause for second-degree murder.

During a preliminary hearing, the prosecution showed the lead detective on the case surveillance footage of Irving Street from the time of the assault. The video shows Bermudez walking down the street and pushing a bicyclist against a fence and then continuing down the street and pushing Pineda-Hernandez into a metal fence near a tree.

According to the detective, Pineda-Hernandez suffered from end-stage renal failure and multiple heart conditions.

Defense attorney, Emily Stirba, argued that her client did not know that Pineda-Hernandez was “uniquely fragile” and therefore couldn’t have a conscious disregard for something he didn’t know.

The prosecution argued that Pineda-Hernandez’s prior conditions did not lead to his death. According to the prosecution, Pineda-Hernandez “never got back to the same quality of life.” Apparently, after the assault, Pineda-Hernandez received physical rehabilitation services at a local facility where he went into cardiac arrest and ultimately died.

Judge Iscoe said that based on the detective’s testimony and medical examiner’s expert opinion, it was clear that Bermudez acted in a conscious disregard for serious bodily injury. According to Judge Iscoe, regardless of the defendant’s knowledge of Pineda-Hernandez’s medical history, he saw Pineda-Hernandez walking at a “slow shuffle” and chose to push him into a “metal jagged fence.”

Bermudez is being held without bond. He is scheduled for a felony status conference on Sept. 7.

Will Lennon contributed to this article.

Judge Sentences Murder Defendant to 12 years

On July 13, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a man convicted of killing a teenager to 12 years in prison.

Rocquel Bradley pled guilty May 2, 2018, to voluntary manslaughter while armed for shooting Marquette Hooks on the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue in 2015. According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2014, Hooks, 18, robbed Bradley, 24, and in retaliation, Bradley shot Hooks and one other surviving victim on the same day.

Judge Danya Dayson said she recognized the seriousness of the offense, and didn’t think a minimum sentence was appropriate.

“You destroyed my family’s life,” Hooks’ mother told Bradley during the sentencing.

Other members of Hooks’ family also addressed the defendant in open court.

“At no point was this young man to play judge, jury and executioner,” Hooks’ sister said. “I’m praying my family can forgive you.”

In a statement to the judge, Bradley apologized to Hooks’ family and said his decision affected his own future as well. Bradley told Judge Dayson that he wants to reform himself and work with kids as a mentor when he is released.

Bradley will also serve five years on probation after his release.

Counsel Question Impact of Alerting Jurors of Quadruple Homicide Trial Commitment

During a status hearing July 12, counsel disagreed about whether or not it was permissible to inform potential jurors of the time commitment needed for a trial for a man charged with commiting a quadruple homicide.

Daron Wint is charged with four counts of first-degree murder while armed for the deaths of 47-year-old Amy, 46-year-old Savvas and 10-year-old Philip Savopoulos, and Veralicia Figueroa, 57, on the 3200 block of Woodland Drive, NW in 2015. According to court documents, Wint, 34, beat the Savopoulos family and their housekeeper, Figueroa, with a baseball bat after holding them hostage in their home for the purpose of obtaining a ransom. According to news outlets, Wint worked at Savvas’ company American Iron Works.

Wint is also charged with kidnapping, burglary, theft, extortion and arson.

The prosecution asked DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna to let potential jurors know, during the selection process, that the trial could last up to eight weeks. The prosecution said this would help find jurors that are available for the entire duration of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on Sept. 4.

Wint’s attorney, Judith Pipe, objected to the prosecution’s request, saying that an eight week commitment might cause potential jurors to decline to serve.

Judge McKenna ruled in favor of the defense and said that jurors will be informed about the schedule of the trial after they’ve been selected.

Wint is scheduled for a motions hearing on Aug. 3.

Counsel Disagree About Evidence in 2013 Murder Case

On July 12, defense counsel for a murder defendant disagreed with the prosecution about what evidence should be given to experts in the case.

Stefon Kirkpatrick is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend Julisa Brittney Washington on the 400 block of Chesapeake Street, SE in 2013. According to court documents, Kirkpatrick confessed to Washington’s murder at the crime scene. However, in 2014, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

During the status hearing, Kirkpatrick’s defense attorney, Arthur Argo, said he does not want certain sealed files given to doctors at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital. Argo previously told DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck that the government was trying to “flip” his experts.

Prosecutors said they were in favor of the doctors receiving all of the files.

Judge Beck said she would not make a finding on the matter until Argo’s co-counsel, Laura Rose, was present to make additional arguments.

The prosecution also told Judge Beck that there is a possibility the Nov. 5 trial date would need to be pushed back because there was a large amount of evidence for the experts to review. The defense agreed on the need for another date.

Judge Beck gave counsel until the next status hearing, which is scheduled for July 25, to speak with experts and establish a timeline.

Trial Begins For 2016 Murder Defendant

Gabriel Carlos Turner was unknowingly caught in the middle of a dangerous situation that resulted in his death, according to the prosecution. The man believed to be responsible begins trial on July 10.

A judge charged Kelby Gordon with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Turner, 46, on the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE in 2016. Gordon is also charged with attempted robbery while armed and attempted assault with intent to kill.

The prosecution showed area surveillance footage from Birney Place, which shows two individuals walking in the same direction as Turner.

One unnamed suspect is seen running from the other individual, whom the prosecution believes to be Gordon, 32, when multiple shots are fired.

The prosecution told the jury that they have reason to believe Gordon was walking down the sidewalk behind Turner when he saw the unnamed suspect with some money in his hand. Gordon allegedly pulled out his gun and approached to steal the money. The unnamed suspect is also believed to have been armed.

During opening statements, the prosecution said Turner was on his way to the bus after visiting his mother for breakfast. According to counsel, Turner was not the intended target.

“One shot, that was all it took and he immediately fell to the ground,” said the prosecutor after she showed the jury a video of the shooting.

Gordon’s defense attorney, Richard Holliday, said his client is not the man responsible for Turner’s death and suggests that the armed, unnamed individual could be to blame. Holliday told the jury that Turner was caught between two shooters but, “Mr. Kelby is neither of those individuals.”

Gordon’s trial continued on July 12.

Prosecution Requests Murder Defendant’s Medical Records

On July 10, the prosecution told a Washington, DC Superior Court judge that they are waiting on records of a murder defendant’s medical history to assess his placement during the course of the case.

David Timothy Blakeney Jr., 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the stabbing death of his father, David Timothy Blakeney Sr., on the 1200 block of Stevens Road, SE in 2017. Apparently, both the defendant and the decedent lived together at the time.

Before being transferred to St. Elizabeths Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, Blakeney was admitted to the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program and the Psychiatric Institute of Washington. According to the prosecution, medical reports from those institutions would help determine if Blakeney should be held at the DC Jail or return to St. Elizabeths. It is not clear if the prosecution will receive the reports before the defendant’s next hearing.

Blakeney was transferred to the DC Jail on May 11 at the hospital’s recommendation. He is currently being held without bond.

According to court documents, family members found Blakeney’s 53-year-old father, dead in his bathtub several days after his murder. A medical examiner from the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the head, neck and body.

Per Blakeney’s request, Judge Danya Dayson also dismissed his previous attorney, Howard McEachern, and appointed Justin Okezie, a private attorney with the Law Offices of Justin Okezie, as his new defense counsel.

According to the firms’ website, Okezie has served as lead defense counsel in more than 100 criminal trials and has experience representing more than 1,000 clients facing criminal charges in DC and in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland.

Blakeney is scheduled for a status hearing on Sept. 10.

Judge Schedules Trial Date for Co-Defendants in Homicide

On July 11, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a trial date for co-defendants accused of murder.

Tyrone Harris and Markale Moore are charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Arthur Thompkins on the 5400 Block of Hunt Place, NE in 2017.

According to court documents, police found Thompkins, 27, in his Ford pickup truck with 10 gunshot wounds to his head, abdomen and hip. A witness told the police that Moore, 29, and Thompkins got into a verbal argument earlier that day.

Judge Danya Dayson scheduled a jury trial for Sept. 3, 2019. The defense and prosecution expect the trial to last for four weeks.

Moore’s attorney, Kevin Mosley, requested his client be moved to a different jail because of harsh treatment. Judge Dayson told him she would review the situation after Mosley files a formal request for transfer.

Harris, 29, and Moore are scheduled for a felony status conference on Sept. 12.

*Correction: An earlier version of the article mentioned the victim sustained 16 gunshot wounds. The number was changed to 10.

Defense Counsel Questions Arrest on Night of Homicide

During trial, defense counsel raised speculation about an individual who was arrested on the same night as a homicide.

In 2015, Lenard Wills was allegedly stabbed during an attempted robbery. According to witnesses, Joseph Barbour, Willie Glover and Charles McRae barged into a crowded apartment on the 700 block of 24th street, NE with masks and guns. Barbour, Glover and McRae are charged with first-degree murder while armed for Wills’ death.

According to a Metropolitan Police Department detective, who was leading the investigation, there was an individual, who the detective called belligerent. Surveillance video showed the man ducking back and forth beneath the police tape near the apartment complex.

Police arrested the man, who claimed he was just doing the Limbo, a dance that originated from the slave trade. The man apparently had a kitchen knife in his waistband.

A D.C. Deputy Medical Examiner told the jury that the murder weapon was possibly a kitchen knife.

According to the detective, there wasn’t any visible blood on the knife. However, Glover’s attorney said that small traces of blood are not necessarily visible to the naked eye.

The detective said officers did not attempt to investigate whether the man had any connection to the apartment where the stabbing occurred, saying the stabber would have had some blood on his clothes or body.

Counsel moved to closing statements on July 10. The jury is expected to deliberate on July 12.

Defense Counsel Considers DNA Testing for Murder Cases

During a status hearing July 6, defense counsel for a murder defendant told a DC Superior Court judge that they are still considering if they would like to conduct DNA testing for two homicides.

Judge Judith Bartnoff gave the defense until Terik McLeod’s next status hearing, which is scheduled on Aug. 10, to make the decision.

McLeod is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Devaun Drayton and Carlton Fisher.

According to court documents, Drayton, 17, suffered a gunshot wound to the head on the 300 block of 26th Street, NE in 2004. Multiple witnesses told the police they saw McLeod, 32, fleeing the scene of the crime. Apparently, Fisher, who was facing felony charges at the time, told the police that McLeod confessed to shooting Drayton.

Two years later, police found Fisher, 23, suffering from six gunshot wounds on the 1100 block of 21st Street, NE.

Judge Finds Substantial Probability For 16-Year-Old Murder Defendant

A judge said the evidence presented against a 16-year-old murder defendant showed there was substantial probability that he committed the murder.

Titus Iracks is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Larry Harrell on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE, on June 13.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said her decision was based on Iracks’ “sufficient role in aiding in an armed robbery.” Judge Dayson ordered Iracks be held at a youth facility in Washington, DC until his next hearing.

According to court documents, Iracks allegedly robbed Harrell, 43, with two of his friends.

The documents indicate that there were apparently two shooters with two different guns. But, authorities could not determine which gun killed Harrell. The second shooter was not charged.

Surveillance footage showed one suspect, which Devlin identified as Iracks, initially running away from the scene, and then shooting toward a parking lot of a Circle 7 convenience store.

Iracks allegedly told Detective Devlin that he only shot the gun “to look good” and “didn’t want to get involved in the robbery or harm anyone.”

According to the prosecution, footage also shows Iracks aggressively pointing a gun at a witness.

Iracks is being charged as an adult for the murder. Iracks is scheduled for a felony conference on July 12.

Judge Sentences Convicted Murderers to 20 Years in Prison

On July 9, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced two men to 20 years in prison for a murder they committed more than a decade ago.

Don Hancock and Reynauld Cook were found guilty of second-degree murder while armed for the shooting death of Nacarto Gladden on the 4900 block of Quarles Street, NE in 2004.

According to court documents, multiple witnesses reported that they saw Hancock, 34, pull Gladden, 32, from his car and force him to the ground. Apparently, Hancock and Gladden were “tussling” when Cook, 34, shot Gladden.

During Hancock’s hearing, Judge Judith Bartnoff said she received a letter from Hancock claiming his innocence and requesting a sentence below the sentencing guidelines.

Several members of Hancock’s family told the judge that Hancock was not a killer.

“I am just gonna ask that you have mercy on my son,” Hancock’s mother told the judge.

Cook’s family was present for the sentencing but declined to speak. Cook said that he too maintains his innocence and asked for the lowest sentence possible.

“I appreciate that Mr. Cook maintains his innocence but that’s not what the jury thought,” said Judge Bartnoff. “There’s nothing that can make this better or easier, a man lost his life in horrible circumstances.”

Each defendant is also required to serve five years on probation following their release.

Judge Sentences Murder Defendant to 4.5 Years

On July 10, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a man to less than five years in prison for his involvement in a 2017 homicide.

Per the terms of a plea agreement, Antwaun Kingwood pled guilty to obstruction of justice and carrying a pistol without a license. He was initially charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license in connection with the shooting death of Steven Edward Stewart on the 2200 Block of Minnesota Avenue, SE in 2017.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows Kingwood, 25, pulling a gun from his waistband and shooting Stewart, 33, outside a store on Minnesota Avenue. A witness identified Kingwood as the shooter.

Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Kingwood to 4.5 years in prison and six years on probation following his release.

Was Murder Defendant Competent During 2017 Stabbing?

On July 9, a DC Superior Court judge said there was a possibility a man facing 12 charges, including multiple murder charges, was not competent at the time he allegedly committed a homicide.

El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure is charged with fatally stabbing 34-year-old Corrina Mehiel on the 600 block of 14th Street, NE in 2017. According to the medical examiner, Mehiel’s injuries “suggest some sort of torture.”

Toure, 30, is charged with felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping while armed, first-degree burglary while armed, robbery while armed, first-degree theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle and felony credit card fraud.

According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Mehiel at her car, which was parked near her apartment. Two hours later, a black male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and ripped jeans was seen driving away in Mehiel’s car. Over the course of the next five days, the same individual was caught on footage at multiple ATM machines making withdrawals from Mehiel’s account. He allegedly withdrew a total of $4,000.

Toure was initially deemed incompetent in July 2017 and ordered to inpatient care at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, until September 2017, when he was deemed competent.

During a status hearing, the prosecution motioned for a Frendak inquiry, which dictates that a judge cannot mandate a defendant to use an insanity defense if they voluntarily choose not to.

Judge Juliet McKenna said that during the initial competency screening there were concerns that Toure was “illogical” and “disconnected.” She also mentioned Toure was on anti-psychotic medicine at the time of the murder and had a history of schizophrenia.

Judge McKenna gave the defense time to file a response to the inquiry. A response is due by Toure’s next status hearing on Aug. 15.

Suspect Wanted in 12th Street Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 48-year-old Xavier Jerome Dunmore.

Dunmore is wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Wykeena Ferguson, 40, on the 700 Block of 12th Street, SE on June 10.

Dunmore is described as being a black man, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall, 280 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Police said Dunmore is considered armed and dangerous.

A reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in DC.

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