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Martell Hall ordered held without bail

A judge found probable cause exists to hold Martell Antonio Hall for allegedly fatally stabbing David Thomas Neal.

Police say Hall fatally stabbed the 31-year-old outside of a 7-Eleven in the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., on Sept. 11. According to evidence gathered by the government, a “man in a blue suit,” allegedly Hall, had offered Neal free marijuana outside of the convenience store. After Neal stepped out of store, the two got into a fight where they were “throwing punches” and it led to his death.

Judge Zoe Bush agreed that it was “not a mutually armed fight” and found probable cause to hold Hall without bail.

He is scheduled for a felony status conference in February 2018.

Defense argues incompetency in David Norwood killing

During what was supposed to be his felony arraignment on Friday, the attorneys for Malcolm Cunningham argued the murder suspect is incompetent.

On April 16, police officers found 79-year-old David Norwood, in the 619 block of C St., NE with apparent stab wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene and taken to a medical examiner shortly after.

A witness gave a tip to an officer that a “suspicious” person with Cunningham’s description had placed in a knife in a recycling bin in the rear ally of the same block. According to charging documents, Cunningham allegedly used a knife to threaten to kill Norwood weeks before the fatal stabbing. According to another witness, Cunningham had allegedly threatened others, including family members, with a knife in the weeks before the incident. Cunningham was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed, after the family turned him in.

According to his defense, Cunningham’s “intellectual functioning is extremely low and he is incompetent in not just his mental health, but also in his cognitive ability.” The prosecution asked for the arraignment to continue regardless of his competency in question.

Judge Jose Lopez decided to set the arraignment for a later date after getting a report from defense on his competency. Cunningham is set for another hearing on Jan. 5, 2018.

16-year-old pleads guilty to the murder of Malachi Yisrael

In a hearing on Friday, Lamont Mcdonald pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of Malachi Yisrael.

On July 5, Malachi Yisrael and one other man were found by police with apparent gunshot wounds in the 300 block of 50th St., NE. Both were transported to a nearby hospital, where Yisrael succumbed to his injuries shortly after.

According to Lamont McDonald’s arrest warrant, he and Yisrael had been partaking in an illegal drug sale when they got into an argument that led to McDonald being struck in the face. The scuffled continued, and while on the ground, McDonald proceeded to shoot at Yisrael. Another male in the vicinity began shooting at McDonald shortly after. Yisrael was found with eight gunshot wounds.

McDonald was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed and is being tried as an adult. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter while armed. As part of his agreement, his other charges will be dropped and he will expect a maximum sentence of five years of incarceration.

The defense requested for his release before his sentencing, as his uncle had promised to take care of him. Judge Lopez was not “comfortable” deciding release and denied this request.

McDonald is expected to have a full report and sentencing on Feb. 16 of 2018.

Derek Cook sentenced to 20 years for murdering his mother

The man charged with killing his 81-year-old mother was sentenced to 20 years in jail.

On the evening of Aug. 12, police officers found Anne Alfredia Cook severely injured in her apartment. She was taken to a hospital, where she died later that night. According to court documents, Derek Cook and his mother had been having a conversation when Cook began to repeatedly strike Cook with a closed fist. The 81-year-old yelled for help when Cook began repeatedly beating her with a wooden stick and an iron. At the time of the beating, his mother was unarmed and in bed.

When the police officers arrived at the apartment building, Derek Cook would not let police into the apartment. Police had to ram down the apartment door to gain entry. Derek Cook was arrested that night and has remained in prison ever since.

In September the 52-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed as part of a plea deal. After the sentenced is fulfilled, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.

Kenneth Rice sentenced for the murder of Dennis Wise

On Friday, Kenneth Rice was sentenced to 9 years for the fatal stabbing of 51-year-old Dennis Wise in March.

At around 2 a.m. on March 11, police found Dennis Wise face down on a bed in a house in the 1800 block of Bruce Pl., SE. A few hours earlier police had arrived at the house to investigate an assault that was called in by Wise. Wise reported that he was assaulted by a man named “Kenneth.” When police arrived at the scene, the homeowner told officers that Kenneth Rice and Wise had gotten into a short fight over food and that it was over. When officers returned a short time later, Wise had stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rice, 31, had been arrested for a burglary on V Street at the same time as the crime scene investigation for Wise’s murder. Once at the police department, Rice immediately asked for a lawyer before responding to any questions. He was arrested three weeks after the murder and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

In September he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. After his sentence is fulfilled, he will undergo three years of supervised release.

Man arrested after fatal shooting Saturday morning

A 47-year-old man was arrested in connection to a fatal shooting on Saturday morning.

Kevin Lamont Smith was arrested on Dec. 2 for the alleged murder of Valerie Regina Coleman. He is charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Officers found Coleman, of Southeast, with multiple gunshot wounds in a house on the 1700 Block of 16th Street, SE. She was pronounced dead on the scene and taken to the Chief Medical Examiner.

Smith is due back in court on Dec. 4.

42-year-old man arrested for alleged murder

Gregory Williams, 42, was arrested on Dec. 4 for the alleged murder of Andrew Alphonso Cook, III, of NE.

Officers arrived on the 1700 block of North Capitol Street, NE, on Sept. 23 and found Cook with a stab wound. He was taken to an area hospital where he died from his injuries two days later.

Williams was charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Witness testifies he was robbed near shooting

A witness who was nearby when a 38-year-old man was fatally shot was called to testify during trial.

Antwon Green is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly murdering Breond Keys, who was shot while getting a haircut at a barbershop in Southeast DC.

The witness on the stand was robbed in an alleyway near the barber shop and a book bag was taken from him. Inside the bag were 18 dollars, some knives and personal documents — one knife and a personal document from the book bag were identified by the witness during the trial.

The witness testified he was in the alleyway the previous night to hand out samples of drugs he had purchased and returned the next morning to see people’s reactions, when he was robbed by someone he didn’t recognize in a mask.

The robber assaulted and threatened to shoot the witness, before taking his belongings.

The witness returned to his stepdad’s house nearby, where he stayed for the rest of the day.

The government played video recordings from various stores, including the front of the barber shop, and asked the witness if he was in any of the recordings.

The witness said he was not recorded in any of the videos played for the jury. He testified he had never been inside that barber shop and did not murder Breond Keys.