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Jerrell Powell’s defense opposes statement of competency

In court on Friday, Jerrell Powell’s counsel rejected a Mental Competency Restoration Report that said he was competent to stand trial.

Powell was arrested in August of 2016 for the alleged murder of Antoine Danell McCullough in July.

Jeremiah Jordan was also arrested and charged for McCollough’s death and is scheduled for trial next year.

Both Powell and Jordan are being held without bail and are being charged for murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The two have pleaded not guilty.

Though their trial has already been set for July of next year, Powell has been undergoing mental observation and is staying at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The prosecutor presented the report that he is competent to stand trial in court, and defense counsel requested that an independent expert be hired to do another examination. Judge Zoe Bush granted this request, and Powell will continue to stay at St. Elizabeth’s while both parties prepare for the agreed hearing.

Powell is set for another mental observation hearing on March 23, 2018, and his trial along with Jeremiah Jordan’s is set for July 31, 2018.

Andre Joyner rejects another plea deal and new trial date is set

Amid new evidence, a new case has been scheduled for the murder charges against Andre Joyner.

In court on Friday, Joyner’s defense requested that the charges and trial against him for Jamie Washington’s alleged murder be pushed back due to the appearance of new evidence. Judge Judith Bartnoff granted this request and the trial date has been pushed to June 4 of next year.

Also on Friday, the government mentioned that they offered Joyner a new plea deal. Joyner is currently being charged with second-degree murder.

As part of the plea deal, Joyner would have to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in exchange for dropping the other charges and a shorter sentence. Joyner rejected this offer before the hearing and also clarified his rejection in court.

Joyner is set for a trial readiness hearing in May of 2018, and his trial is set for June 4, 2018.

Donald Hairston agrees to DNA testing

The man charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend agreed to DNA testing as the case against him moves forward.

Hairston has been charged with allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Goodloe. Goodloe was found shot to death in her home in June of 2016. Days before she was found, Goodloe had filed a restraining order against Hairston. In her restraining order request, she requested Hairston stayed away from her 11-year-old daughter’s school.

In court on Friday, the government requested DNA testing and Hairston agreed to it. However, during the testing defense will have an investigator present. Hairston pleaded not guilty in July of this year, and is being held without bail.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 15 and is set for trial in April of 2018.

Deangelo Thorne pleads not guilty to killing ex

Deangelo Thorne pleaded not guilty during his felony status conference on Oct. 18.

Thorne allegedly stabbed and killed 23-year-old Waliyatou Amadou on Jan. 8, with footage and a GPS tracker placing Thorne at the scene of Amadou’s stabbing.

Amadou was taken to a hospital where she died from her injuries.

Thorne’s charges were changed from second-degree murder while armed to first-degree murder while armed during a felony arraignment on Oct. 11.

The defense still has to decide whether they want to independently test DNA that the prosecution tests.

A status hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1.

A year after being charged with murder, Brandon Byrd’s competency remains in question

Brandon Byrd, 20, charged with killing his father, continues to undergo mental examination hearings. Byrd has been held for mental examinations since Nov. 4, 2016, and has been declared incompetent to stand trial since July 2017.

During a hearing, Byrd told of Byrd’s history of violence, and said his mother, “feared for the safety of [his] younger siblings for his psychotic symptoms.”

The government stressed that the trial needs to be moved along, to make efficient use of everyone’s time. Judge Jose Lopez decided that the defense and government will present their closing summations in writing, and the judge will make his decision with that and the pleadings in mind.

Byrd faces second-degree murder charges for allegedly stabbing his father Otis Byrd, 44. The next court date will be on Jan. 12, 2018.

30 year-old-man discovered in vehicle after fatal shooting

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of Norman James Sunday, October 8.

At around 2:34 a.m., James, 30, was discovered in the 5100 block of H street, SE, inside a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. James was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the medical examiner’s office.

Police are investigating the shooting and have not yet made any arrests.