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David Jones undergoes drug and alcohol treatment for drunk driving and hit and run charges

The man charged with drinking, driving and striking a pedestrian is undergoing drug and alcohol treatment while the case against him continues.

David Jones, 36, is being held without bond and is facing second-degree murder, driving under the influence, and leaving after colliding charges. He is undergoing drug and alcohol treatment.

On Feb. 6, Carolyn Ellis and another pedestrian were crossing on 10th and U St., NW when a black car sped around the corner and struck Ellis at 10:45 p.m. Ellis, 65, was found unconscious, and transported to a nearby hospital where she died due to major head trauma.

Officers later located a visibly intoxicated Jones stumbling around 14th street.

A felony status conference hearing was scheduled for Nov. 7.

Suspect arrested in Jamar Morris killing

The police have charged a suspect in the February 2016 killing of Jamar Morris.

Stephon Marquis Williams, 24, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed on Oct. 27 for the fatal shooting that occurred on the unit Block of M St., NW.

Morris, 28, was found unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound on Feb. 9 2016. Morris was transported to a local hospital, where lifesaving efforts failed.

Williams is being held without bail.

Milkiyas Bayisa ordered back on high intensity supervision


The man charged with the murder of Kassahun Abebe Edo was ordered back on high intensity supervision on Friday.

Milkiyas Bayisa allegedly fatally assaulted Edo on Aug. 22, 2015 in the 700 block of Fairmont Street, NW. During an altercation, Edo fell and hit his head on the sidewalk. He was taken to a hospital, but died the next day from his injuries.

Because of good behavior, Bayisa’s release conditions were modified in February. He was placed under the supervision of Pretrial Services, and removed from the High Intensity Supervision Program that required him to wear an ankle bracelet with GPS.

In Friday’s hearing, Judge Judith Bartnoff placed him back on high intensity supervision. According to a Pretrial Services, Bayisa had been arrested recently for a permit violation. The arrest violated the conditions of his release because he was arrested in the District of Columbia and at a time where he was supposed to be at home. He also did not turn in his work schedules, or follow the hours he agreed to.

Under the new conditions, Bayisa has to stay away from DC unless he is at work, and he must remain home between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. He has a trial readiness hearing set for Dec. 15, and his trial is currently set for Jan. 8, 2018.

Trial date set for murder of Demetrius Medlay

A trial for the two men charged with the murder of Demetrius Medlay was scheduled for next May.

Justin Robinson and Kevin Grover are being held on charges they murdered 22-year-old Medlay. Medlay was found with gunshot wounds in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, on Feb. 24, 2016.

Grover was charged with murder in August 2016, and Robinson was charged in July of this year. Both have been indicted and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

They are both scheduled for a status hearing on Dec. 15.

Attorneys argue Rashad Allen’s innocence days before trial begins

The day before the murder trial against Rashad Lamont Allen began, Allen’s attorneys continued to argue their client’s innocence.

Allen is charged with allegedly murdering David Simmons on March 15, 2015. The defendant has been held on charges for second-degree murder since April 27, 2015 when police allege Allen killed Simmons.

However, during a full-day of court where Judge Lynn Leibovitz decided motions for how the case would continue, Allen’s defense attorney April Downs and Quo Mieko Judkins continued to argue Allen was innocent.

According to Downs, witness testimony alleges the shooter involved in the murder went by the name “Hype.”

Downs argued that while Allen might answer to the name “Hype,” there are others who also go by that name. The government will call numerous witnesses to testify that Allen is “Hype,” she said.

The government countered that when someone agreed to let Allen stay in their house Allen introduced himself as “Hype” and then as “John.”

In a list of other motions, the defense and prosecutor also argued about Allen missing a court appearance.

Allen failed to show up to an unrelated court appearance after the shooting, which the government used to allege Allen’s guilt. However, the defense argued that it was not uncommon for people to not come to court appearances, especially if they’re homeless — which is why Allen was “couch surfing” after the shooting.

Judge Leibovitz said that Allen’s disappearance immediately after the murder, staying with someone and introducing himself under a different name, and failure to appear in court after the shooting is all admissible in the trial.

A jury was selected for the trial which is set to begin Tuesday and expected to end next Friday.

Eugene Burns sentenced for the murder of his best friend

A fight between two friends ended in murder and now a conviction.

Eugene Burns was sentenced by Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo to 31 years in prison for killing Onyekachi Osuchukwu III in 2015.

Burns was found guilty in July 2017 of first-degree murder while armed and other weapon offenses. According to a witness at his trial, Osuchukwu was living in California but had travelled to D.C. on Nov. 14, 2015. Another witness mentioned that he and Burns had been selling drugs and were having disputes. Prosecution’s evidence showed that Burns started planning his friend’s murder after their dispute.
A government cell phone expert examined Burns’ phone and found searches including “How to kill your best friend” and “Does God forgive murderers”. He also had searched for information about cocaine, marijuana, and how it feels to murder.
On the day of his murder, Osuchukwu was lured by Burns to stay at Burns’ mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of Second Street and was shot multiple times on the living room floor. The next day, Eugene Burns, along with two relatives, returned to the apartment and supposedly “discovered” that his best friend had been killed. Burns testified at his trial that he had shot Osuchukwu out of self defense.
An investigation led to Burns’ arrest in Dec. 2015, and he has been in custody ever since. His verdict followed a trial, and he will be placed on 5 years of supervised release.

Jerome C. Lewis found guilty of four-year-old child’s murder

A jury has found the man charged with the 2013 murder of 4-year-old Samurai Jenkins guilty.

Jerome C. Lewis, 50, was convicted of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, second-degree murder, and first-degree cruelty to children on October 25. He will be sentenced on January 26, 2018 and faces a possible sentence of life without parole.

According to charging documents, Jerome Lewis watched as flames engulfed the house on the 2600 block of 33rd Street, SE with a “calm demeanor”. The government argued that Lewis set fire to his mattress in the early morning of Feb. 17 and watched as the fire spread through the house. Everyone one but little Jenkins escaped uninjured. She was rescued by fire fighters from the second floor of the house but died from her injuries two days later.

Weekend homicide by asphyxiation

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the weekend homicide of an adult male by asphyxiation.

Police found the man unconscious at around 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 after responding to a call to the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE. The victim was announced dead at the scene. An autopsy the next day ruled the death a homicide by asphyxiation.

Police are withholding the name of the victim until they can inform the next of kin. No other details have been released.

Infographic: Average time between arrest to resolution

The graph below shows the 81 homicide cases in DC between 2015-17 that were resolved. The average times between death to arrest was 53 days and that time of arrest to resolution was 334 days with the maximum time being 1005 days.

Police charge man with murder of Carl Hardy

Police have announced the arrest of a man, charged with the murder of Carl Hardy.

Hardy, 24, was shot on Sept. 10 and died on Oct.1.

Saquan Williams, 16, was arrested and charged as an adult with first-degree murder while armed.

Police arrived at the scene at approximately 5:56 p.m. on Sept. 10 and found Hardy, of Northeast, in the 1200 block of I St., SE. Hardy was transported to an area hospital with life threatening injuries where he later died.

Motion to exclude defense expert addressed in Rashad Allen case

A judge in the Rashad Allen case is considering blocking a defense expert from testifying when the trial starts Monday.

Judge Lynn Leibovitz is weighing the government’s concerns about the qualifications of a crime scene expert expected to testify.

Allen is charged with the fatal shooting of David Simmons in 2015.

The government questioned the experience of the expert and whether they are qualified enough to give testimony on gunshot residue, tool mark analysis and blood patterns.

The judge has yet to make a decision and jury selection in the case is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Charles Sykes offered another plea deal

The man charged with the fatal stabbing of Cheryl Schafer in April, 2016, was offered another plea deal Thursday.

Charles Sykes was charged with second-degree murder while armed when police found Schafer with stab wounds in an apartment building in the 4000 block of Tunlaw Road, NW. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police classified the homicide as a domestic incident.

At Thursday’s hearing, Sykes gave no response to the offer, and his attorney told Judge Puig-Lugo that she would have to discuss it further with him before he made any decision. The details of the plea offer were not made public.

Earlier this year, prosecutors offered Sykes a plea deal of not guilt by reason of insanity. He rejected that offer. rejected by reason of insanity. Sykes’ attorney on Thursday mentioned that her expert disagreed with the government’s opinion regarding Sykes’ competency.

A status hearing has been set for Nov. 28 of this year to discuss the plea offer.