Seth Sinquan Holmes was ordered held without bail, despite allegations of contradicting witnesses in his arraignment hearing.
Holmes was charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly killing 25-year-old Damonta Thompson in the 100 block of Irvington Street, SW, on May 9.
The defense motioned to have Holmes released to a halfway house, but their motion was denied.
Holmes is next scheduled to appear in court on July 20.
Police are investigating the shooting of two men, one of whom was pronounced dead by the time emergency workers arrived.
Kennedy Javier Amaya-Olivares was found early Saturday morning in the 3500 block of Water St., NW. Both Amaya-Olivares and another unidentified victim suffered from apparent gunshot wounds.
The other victim, who has remained unidentified, was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Amaya-Olivares was dead by the time police arrived.
Police have yet to release any suspect information.
After days of trial followed by more days of deliberation, the jury delivered a guilty verdict on five out of six charges in Jonathan Taylor’s trial.
Taylor was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a violent crime, assault with intent to kill while armed and obstruction of justice for the murder of Dexter Motley and attempted murder of Motley’s friend in August 2014.
The jury found Taylor not guilty on the count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Taylor was affiliated with a group of men who had an issue with Motley, witnesses testified. Taylor confessed to a witness that he shot Motley in the head.
Taylor will be sentenced August 25.
Charles Sykes will continue to stay hospitalized at St. Elizabeth’s, for the time being.
Sykes is charged with second-degree murder while armed after he allegedly killed Cheryl Schafer on April 22, 2016.
Judge Puig-Lugo decided Sykes would remain in the hospital until September 1 unless it is determined he no longer needs to stay there beforehand. Sykes’ attorney has previously raised a not guilty by reason of insanity defense. The case is set to continue Sept. 1.
Saeed Woodall, 23, was ordered held without bail on an allegation that he murdered Deonta Farrar last month.
Farrar, 32, was found on the 4500 Block of Quarles St., NE, on Aug. 9.
Police responding to reports of gunshots in the area, found Farrar suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Woodall was charged with first-degree murder while armed.
The defense and prosecution went back and forth during Woodall’s first appearance, arguing that there is not enough evidence identifying Woodall as a suspect. The defense also motioned to have Woodall released to a halfway house.
The judge ruled that there is enough evidence from surveillance footage and witnesses to justify holding Woodall.
He is next set to appear in court on July 14.
A man charged with the death of his father was ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Brandon Byrd currently faces second-degree murder charges for the fatal stabbing of his father, Otis Byrd.
Judge Jose Lopez ruled in favor of a doctor’s findings that the 20-year-old is “incompetent” and cannot stand trial on the charges.
In rebuttal of the judge’s ruling, the defense asked that Byrd be able to stand trial regardless of the mental examination’s results.
A mental observation hearing is scheduled to proceed on the morning of July 27.
Whether two cell phones could be used as evidence in the trial against Eugene Burns was the topic of much debate days before Burns heads to trial.
Burns is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business, obstructing justice and threatening to kidnap or injure, when he allegedly killed Onyekachi Osuchukwu III on November 15, 2015.
In Burns’ pre-trial hearing, the government and defense also went back and forth over whether it should be mentioned that the defendant was on pre-trial release when he was arrested.
The defense argued that both of the Burns’ phones were obtained illegally, because Burns spoke with detectives while not formally being under arrest, but was told he couldn’t leave until he turned over his phone. The judge decided that both phones could be used as evidence.
Whether certain evidence is admissible in the trial of Kimberly Thompson was discussed by the defense and prosecution in court.
Thompson allegedly shot Charles Mayo, on Dec. 10, 2016 in the 1900 block of Bennett Place, NE.
The prosecution began by laying out their witnesses they will call to testify followed by the defense mentioning the witnesses they want to call to testify.
The defense mentioned they were worried about the testimony of a firearms expert and that they needed to be modified.
The prosecution agreed to talk to their firearms expert and then discussed whether or not two guns found in the car of the defendant would be used as evidence. That decision is still yet to be made.
The trial is set for July 10.
The man charged with killing his best friend, allegedly performed online searches on his phone in weeks prior to the murder such as “How to kill your best friend” and “Does God forgive murderers,” a cell phone expert testified Thursday.
Suspect Eugene Burns’ cell phone was the focus of much of Thursday’s testimony. Burns is on trial for allegedly killing Onyekachi Osuchukwu III in November 2015.
The expert had examined Burns’ phone, and said some some of the searches recovered off his phone, dated a few weeks before the shooting took included searches about cocaine, weed and what it feels like to kill someone.
Burns’ cousin also testified that he, Burns and Osuchukwu were involved in selling drugs. Before Osuchukwu was shot, Burns told his cousin he wasn’t happy with their “arrangement.” Text messages introduced in court relayed messages from Burns to his cousin revealing a plan to kill Osuchukwu, sent just days before the 24-year-old was found killed. The witness said Burns called him and said he had killed Osuchukwu, alleging aht he tried to take Burns’ gun away before he was shot.
A murder suspect’s father was arrested within the first five minutes of Thursday’s trial.
Eugene Burns’ father, Eugene Burns Sr. was brought to the holding cells in the back of the courtroom after police executed an arrest warrant due to an allegation of witness intimidation.
Burns Sr. has been in attendance for nearly every part of his son’s case, who is on trial for the alleged murder of Onyekachi Osuchukwu III.
Eugene Burns Sr. conduct in the courtroom has been the subject of many disruptions, and he has been reprimanded several times by court marshals for falling asleep and snoring inside the courtroom. During an earlier proceeding, Eugene Burns Sr. engaged in a shouting match with the judge, after the judge refused to speak with him.
After being escorted to holding cells behind the courtroom, Burns Sr.’s shouts could still be heard in the courtroom, and he was brought to a different room.
Eugene Burns’ attorneys motioned for a mistrial, arguing that the jury could no longer remain impartial after the father’s behavior. The government argued that the jury barely saw Burns Sr. The request for a mistrial was denied, and the proceedings continued.
The parents charged with the murder of their seven-week-old infant accepted a plea deal.
Trinity Jabore was found unconscious by police and then transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on Dec. 25, 2016.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be malnutrition and hyponatremia, with a secondary cause being trunk trauma. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Trishelle Jabore, 26, and Jay Crowder, 33, both pleaded guilty to counts of voluntary manslaughter, first degree child cruelty, and welfare fraud. Crowder also pled guilty to a charge of attempted distribution of a controlled substance.
The prosecutor explained how the defendants failed to provide adequate food and nutrition for their child, sold food stamps for cash and never took their child to the hospital. Additionally, Crowder sold synthetic marijuana to an undercover cop.
Judge Jose Lopez accepted the plea and Crowder faces 10 to 12 years in prison, while Jabore faces 6 to 15 years.
Sentencing is set to take place on Sept. 8.
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Jeffery Lawrence King, of Woodbridge, VA.
King was killed by multiple gunshot wounds. He was found in the 800 block of 46th St., NE, on June 29.
Police have not yet released any suspect information.
Prosecutors are awaiting an indictment for murder suspect Bikila Kejella.
Kejella faces charges of first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Eric Garrett. Garrett was found on the morning of September 12, 2016 in the 2300 block of 11th St. NW, and died days later from multiple gunshot wounds.
Kejella is next due to appear in court on September 7.
Tavon Maurice Davis was arrested and charged Friday for the alleged murder of Michael Vest.
The 22-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder while armed.
Vest was found last week suffering from blunt force trauma to the head in the 1300 block of Trinidad Ave., NE. Responding officers determined he was already dead by the time they arrived.
Davis is due to appear in court on July 10.
