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Prosecution and defense go head to head arguing probable cause in El Toure’s arrest

The man charged with murdering 34-year-old Corrina Mehiel was presented in court Tuesday, for the first time since his arraignment last month.

Tuesday’s detention hearing was devoted to determining probable cause in El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure’s involvement in fatally stabbing Mehiel in March.

The prosecution called Detective Sergeant Keith Batton to the stand to provide details of the murder discuss Toure’s alleged responsibility in the murder.

While being questioned Batton, who supervised the detectives placed on Mehiel’s case, went through the information provided in Toure’s arrest warrant and provided insight on pieces of the investigation that were left out.

As mentioned in the warrant, officers responded to Mehiel’s apartment on 600 block of 14th St., NE on reports of an unconscious woman. Upon their arrival, police found Mehiel’s lifeless body with apparent stab wounds.

Upon further investigation, Batton pointed out that police found Metrobus surveillance footage from March 20, the day police believe Mehiel was murdered. The footage showed Mehiel loading the trunk of her car in preparation for her journey to her home in North Carolina.

Other surveillance footage from the neighborhood, showed a black male wearing a black shirt, black backpack and ripped light colored jeans heading in the direction of Mehiel’s apartment building.

Almost two hours later, a person in ripped light colored jeans is seen driving Mehiel’s car.

While on the stand, Batton noted that the lead detective on the case said that he believed it was a black male driving the car. However, Batton told the court that he was unable to specify the gender or race of the driver, he could only note that the driver was wearing ripped light colored jeans.

Later the same day, the black male as described previously was seen at a 7-Eleven attempting to withdraw money from an ATM using Mehiel’s bandcard.

In previous documents, police reported that the suspect was able to withdraw five-hundred dollars. However, in court Tuesday the prosecution made a correction and said the suspect was unable to withdraw money, though he didn’t explain why.

With regard to Toure, the detective said Toure was constantly accounted for until the day of the alleged murder, March 20.

According to the detective, Toure consistently stayed at a shelter sponsored by the Catholic Charity program until March 20. Toure was also a dependable worker, until March 20 when he didn’t show up for work for an entire week. Toure returned on March 27, they day of his arrest.

After the prosecution finished with his line of questioning, the defense began their cross-examination.

Defense attorney Jacqueline Cadaman asked the defense whether there was forced entry into the apartment, to which Batton said no.

When asked if there were any reports of a struggle or loud noise, Batton replied that there were not any reports other than that of an unconscious woman.

Cadman also asked if the apartment was in disarray when police arrived, to which Batton replied “no, not really.”

The time of death was another uncertainty brought up in Cadman’s cross. According to the detective, police based Mehiel’s time of death on gap of time between Mehiel being seen loading her car and the person in ripped light jeans driving her car. The medical examiner did not rule on the time of death, according to Batton.

Among other things, Batton mentioned that there was reason to believe there was a clean-up of evidence, which could explain why there was so little blood on the scene.

Cadman also tried to establish that there was a lack of tangible evidence that linked her client to the murder. However, her line of questioning was cut short as Judge Leibovitz had another matter to deal with on her docket.

Leibovitz granted a continuance in the case and rescheduled the hearing to continue on April 13.

Toure is being held without bond and is expected back in court Thursday.

Government refuses to identify key witness as defense grows frustrated in Dwayne Dillard murder case

Defense attorneys for co-defendants Shakim Lyon, Harry Herbert and Jonathan Taylor said they are frustrated with prosecutor’s refusal to identify a witness they believe could prove their clients’ innocence.

In court on Monday, Lyon’s lawyer, Natalie Lawson, requested  the government identify the witness who, according to Lawson, is a person other than “any of the suspects” currently charged with the murder of Dwayne Gene Dillard.

The government refuted the defense’s argument, and said that characterization was “false,” that the witness never said who the shooter was, and they will protect the individual’s identity.

Defense attorneys told the judge they it wants the government to provide “more information” to make sure there isn’t any information “being hidden from the defense in favor of the suspects.”

The defense also requested that one of the witnesses be dismissed from the case because their testimony is “irrelevant,” which the government denied.

Lawson requested her client’s prior conviction not be mentioned to “avoid prejudice” for the jury. Lawson does not want the jury thinking if “he’s been bad before” he’ll be “bad again.” she said of her client.

The judge said he will decide what to rule on if  “it reaches that point.”

All three suspects are being held without bond and due back in court on Wednesday.

Murder suspect requests new attorney


The second man charged in connection with the death of 31-year-old Melvin Williams is requesting a new lawyer.

In a letter written to Judge Zoe Bush, murder suspect Tyrale Johnson requested a new lawyer to represent him in court because he is not “pleased” with the one currently assigned to him.

Bush told Johnson if his current attorney does not represent him his trial will get “delayed.”

In court on Thursday, the attorney representing another suspect in the case, Derrick Carter, said she does not “oppose” Johnson’s request, but “just opposes” a trial delay.

She said her client has been held since 2015 and would prefer to move forward as quickly as possible.

Details of the letter were not disclosed to other parties. Bush asked Johnson to write another letter to her that does not include “inaccuracies.”

Trial date scheduled for July 14 is still on the calendar for now. Johnson is being held without bail and expected back in court on April 14.

Former Metrobus driver charged with murder after alleged drunk driving crash

The man accused of killing 58-year-old Lionel Bruce while driving drunk was presented in court Thursday for another chance at release.

After waiving his rights to a preliminary hearing, 57-year-old Michael Fenderson’s defense attorney advocated for her client’s release for a second time.

Fenderson’s lawyer emphasized Fenderson is “not a danger to the community,” arguing that his case was not an armed offense. Fenderson’s lawyer also emphasized that his criminal history is limited, citing two prior convictions of possession of a controlled substance.

To display Fenderson’s “outpouring support” from the community, the attorney read brief excerpts from 36 letters that were sent from community members detailing Fenderson’s impact on their life.

One of the excerpt read aloud, was from a woman who lost her husband suddenly. According to the woman, Fenderson stepped in and acted as a mentor to her son. The author of the letter said that because of Fenderson, her son didn’t become a part of a statistic and instead moved on to have a family of his own and a job at the Pentagon.

Fenderson’s work history as a metro bus driver for nine years was also cited as cause for his release, as he was called an “excellent worker” by his employer. Previously, Fenderson was a full-time roofer and before that he worked at NASA in computer science.

The prosecution opened his argument for detaining Fenderson by explaining that this crime, though it may appear minor in the likes of the overall felony calendar, should still be taken seriously.

The prosecution emphasized that Fenderson chose to drink and then drive which resulted in the death of a man. The prosecution pointed out that Fenderson self-reported his alcohol abuse while he was a metro bus driver, which the prosecution said, “should give the court pause.”

As a part of his argument, the prosecution also mentioned an April 2013 drunk driving incident that Fenderson was allegedly involved in.

After hearing both sides Judge Judith Bush ruled in favor of the defense and allowed for Fenderson’s release, though with conditions.

Under the terms of his release Fenderson must report for alcohol testing and undergo 24-hour home confinement except for verified medical appointments. In addition, Fenderson is not allowed to drive.

Judge Bush also granted the exception that Fenderson’s ankle monitor may be removed overnight in the event that he has surgery, which is a possibility mentioned by his attorney.

Fenderson is expected in court July 21 for a pretrial hearing.

Lawyers argue over evidence for Dwayne Grandson murder trial

Lawyers went head to head in court Thursday over evidence related to the motive in the Dwayne Grandson murder trial set to begin next week.

Grandson, 24, was killed in November 2015 after gunshots rang out on the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE.

According to police, officers found both Grandson and 25-year-old Clifton Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. Grandson succumbed to his injuries shortly after, and following his death Johnson was arrested and charged for Grandson’s first-degree murder.

In court Thursday, Johnson’s attorney, Harry Tun, said he will argue self-defense,  and plans to call four witnesses to the stand.

The prosecution rebuffed that if Tun were to build a case around self-defense then he would be inclined to bring up motive evidence, which was previously disclosed. However, as pointed out by Judge Judith Bartnoff there is more motive evidence.

The defense argued the additional evidence lacked relevancy. Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that the additional evidence makes his case stronger and pointed out that the additional evidence isn’t necessarily “new,” though he didn’t shed light on that aspect of his argument because he asked to approach the bench.

Both attorney’s took turns approaching the bench for a prolonged amount of time, and eventually both were called simultaneously until Judge Bartnoff decided to pass the case for a brief period of time.

Once the case was recalled the defense said his client, Johnson, still wanted to go to trial to which Judge Bartnoff accepted.

Johnson is expected in court April 17 for the start of his trial. He is being held without bond.

 

Dwayne Grandson was seen running from suspect, documents say

Dwayne Grandson, 24, was found dead in a parking lot, minutes after he was seen on surveillance footage being chased by a black male, according to charging documents.

According to police, in November 2015, officers arrived at the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE and found Grandson with an apparent gunshot wound to the torso lying between two parked cars in a parking lot in front of a Wah-Sing restaurant.

Shortly after finding Grandson, officers found 25-year-old Clifton Johnson kneeling on the street across from the restaurant suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Both were brought to a nearby hospital, where Grandson succumbed to his injuries and was eventually pronounced dead. Johnson was admitted in critical condition.

While at the hospital, police noted that Johnson was wearing a black shirt with “19” on it, black shorts and a red, white and blue shirt. The report also noted a gun was found near both Grandson and Johnson respectively.

Prior to the incident, surveillance footage showed Grandson walk out of the restaurant while on the phone. Seconds later, Grandson can be seen running from a black male wearing the same clothes police noted Johnson was wearing while at the hospital.

An eyewitness told police they saw Grandson speaking on the phone in the restaurant and seconds later described a man matching Johnson’s description firing a gun. After the shooting, the witness checked the area and said they saw Grandson lying on the ground in front of the Wah-Sing restaurant.

A month after the alleged murder, Johnson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for his alleged involvement in Grandson’s murder.

Johnson is being held without bond as he awaits the start of trial on April 14.

Suspect’s DNA found on shell casings, prosecutor says

The government on Wednesday announced additional evidence against suspect Carmelita Henderson for the murder of Levi Kinte Davis.

Henderson’s DNA was found on one of gun shells in her car, prosecutors said.

According to police, Davis was found shot in the 4200 block of East Capitol St. NE in September of 2015.

Police arrested Henderson last December in connection with Davis’ murder and charged her with first-degree murder while armed.

Defense Attorney Michael S. Morsier told the judge Wednesday his client is “innocent” and requested she be released. The judge denied Morsier’s request and said there is “probable cause” to hold her.

Henderson is being held without bond and scheduled for another hearing July 14.

Next update in case against Bikila Kejella scheduled for July


The case against suspect Bikila Kejella for the alleged murder of Eric Garrett moved forward Tuesday, and another court date for later this year was scheduled.

In the early hours of September 12, 2016, police arrived at the 2300 block of 11th St. NW.

Upon their arrival, police found Garrett suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Garrett was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a few days later.

In December police arrested Kejella in connection with the shooting. He is charged with first-degree murder while armed. Kejella is being held without bond and scheduled for his status hearing July 6.

Dennis Wise reported assault to police hours before he was killed, documents say

Hours before Dennis Wise, 51, was found dead, he flagged down police to report an alleged assault by a man named “Kenneth.”

Sometime later that day, that same man allegedly fatally stabbed Wise, according to charging documents.

Police identified “Kenneth” as Kenneth Rice, a man who among others, lived with Wise in a house on 1800 block of Bruce Pl., SE.

On March 10 around 11 p.m., when police arrived to the house to investigate the assault, the homeowner told officers Wise and Rice got into a fight over food and were told to “take it outside.” The fight was short and about five minutes later they were back in the house, according to the homeowner.

Charging documents detailing the investigation noted this was not the first time officers were called to the address for assault. The document detailed six instances when police were called to the house, and four of those calls resulted in arrests. Wise was arrested and charged twice, though the charges were later dropped.

This call did not result in an arrest. The issue was resolved and police left the scene, only to return a short time later.

Officers arrived at the house around 2:11 a.m. and found Wise face down on a bed upstairs with the homeowner crying nearby. Wise was pronounced dead on the scene.

Upon their arrival, a forensic investigator found Wise endured multiple lacerations to his right hand, and both arms, consistent with defensive wounds.

After conducting an autopsy, a coroner determined Wise’s cause of death as a stab wound to the chest and noted he also sustained two broken ribs.

According to a witness interview, the homeowner told police they left the house and took a walk shortly after officers left the house. When they left both Wise and Rice were in the house. However, when the witness returned Rice was dead and Wise was gone.

While Wise’s crime scene was under investigation, officers responded to a burglary on V Street, SE. At the scene police arrested and charged Rice with destruction of property and unlawful entry, charges associated with his allegedly role in the burglary.

While at the police department, officers noted Rice had blood on his left hand. When asked about it Rice attempted to wipe it off. Officers also observed Rice spitting on his left hand and rubbing it on his pants as he was brought into a room to be interviewed.

Once in the room Rice invoked his Miranda Rights and asked for a lawyer. He also asked to make a phone and during which police heard Rice say, “I’m gonna be gone for some years,” and, “ I ain’t never gonna see my kids again.”

Rice is being held without bond as he faces second-degree while armed murder charges.

He is expected in court April 13.

Police identify suspect in Leonte Butler murder

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding 25-year-old Leonte Butler‘s killer.

Police believe Leonard Martino Smith, 30, fatally stabbed Bulter last month.

According to police, Butler was found on March 11 on the 4000 block of South Capitol St., SE.

Police have a warrant for Smith’s arrest.

Police are asking for anyone with information about the suspect to come forward.

 

Leonard Martino Smith is wanted for his alleged role in Butler’s murder.

March tallies more homicides than the last two months combined

By the close of March the nation’s capitol tallied 15 homicides, more murders than the past two months combined.

The first homicide was on March 3, when 41-year-old Desmond Joseph succumbed to his injuries. Joseph was injured the day before in an argument with construction worker Paul Hagan, 36. Hagan delivered a single punch that landed Joseph in the hospital and eventually claimed his life.

Hagan turned himself into police the night of the incident and now faces second-degree murder charges.

On the heels of Joseph’s death, on March 4 Delonta Alexander, 34, was shot and killed in Woodland with no suspect in sight.

Andrew McPhatter, 28, succumbed to his injuries, four days after being shot multiple times on 3500 Wheeler Rd., SE on March 5.

On March 10 officers found 24-year-old Tyrone Johnson fatally shot in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE. Johnson was taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Over the course of 24-hours Dennis Wise and Leonte Butler were both shot and killed in the Southeast quadrant.

Wise’s body was found early in the morning March 11.

The suspect, Kenneth Rice, was arrested and charged and now faces second-degree murder charges.

Butler, 26, was found unconscious and unresponsive when police arrived to the scene, in the 4000 block of South Capitol St., SE. Butler was pronounced dead on the scene.

On St. Patrick’s day, police found Bernard Coleman Jr., 43, dead in his house, 4000 block of Cole Blvd., SE with apparent gunshot wounds. A week later, police arrested and charged his son Bernard Coleman III, 23, with burglary and second-degree murder while armed.

Coleman III told police his father’s death was an accident.

Within the same hour officers found Coleman, police found 33-year-old Steven Edward Stewart Jr. laying on the ground in front of 2233 Minnesota Ave., SE suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Days following the incident police said they were looking for a black man wearing a black skully who was last seen running toward 19th Street.

March’s youngest victim, 18-year-old Ayana McAllister, was found suffering from gunshot wounds on March 20 on the 4300 block of Benning Rd., NE.

In a news conference, Interim Police Chief Peter Newsham said the teen was a college freshman visiting D.C. on her spring break.

McAllister succumbed to her injuries March 21, the same day a 34-year-old visiting artist was found dead in her apartment, 600 block of 14th St., NE.

A week after Corrina Mehiel was found with apparent stab wounds, police arrested and charged El Toure, 28, with her murder. According to charging documents, Toure allegedly tortured, killed and stole four-thousand dollars from Mehiel in the days following her death.

Toure marks the fourth and final suspect apprehended this month.

In the fifteen murders in D.C. this month, ten deaths were gun-related, three victims suffered from a stabbing and two had trauma-related deaths.

In the span of seven days D.C. saw three consecutive murders in the southeast portion of the city.

On March 23, Daquan Hooks, 38, was shot and killed on the 1900 block of 13 St., SE. The followed day Maurice Jackson, 32, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at 1900 block of Fairlawn Ave., SE. The next day Nathaniel Davis, 24, was found fatally shot on Minnesota Avenue.

In the final week of March, police were called to Alabama Ave., SE and located a car accident that progressed into the death of 34-year-old Antwan Jones.

March’s final murder came as the month came to a close. Leoncio Loza, 75, was pronounced dead March 31. Ten days prior, police found Loza on a trail in Kenilworth Park, NE suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The average victim for March was a 36-year-old male from the Southeast.
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Cases Closed

As a part a plea bargain Edy Martinez, 28, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter March 20. Martinez was sentenced to six years for stabbing her fiance, 32-year-old Pedro Sixto Esparragoza, in the heart. According to charging documents, Martinez killed her fiance during a heated argument about Esparragoza texting other women.

On March 24, 34-year-old Daniel Scott and Raymond Harper, 54, plead guilty to their involvement in James Neal’s 2015 murder. Scott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed while Harper pleaded guilty to carrying a dangerous weapon.

Under the parameters of their plea bargains, Scott was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Harper was sentenced to a year for his involvement. According to charging documents, an argument over money quickly escalated into murder.

After two years in prison a jury found Dujuan Garris, 21, not guilty on March 30. Garris was found not guilty of all charges relating to and including the second-degree murder of 27-year-old James Anderson.

Government to retry murder suspect Derryck Decuir


After a mistrial last month, the government announced Monday it will move forward with a retrial of Derryck Decuir’s case for the alleged murder of Malek Mercer.

After three days of deliberations last month, the jury could not come to a decision on government’s charges against Decuir for first first-degree murder while armed against a minor, and a possession of a firearm during crime of violence.

During trial the defense argued that Decuir acted in self-defense and requested the jury find him not guilty on all charges.

The jury ultimately found Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm based on a prior conviction, obstruction of justice, carrying a pistol without a license and tampering with physical evidence.

Decuir is still being held without bond, and a trial readiness hearing is scheduled for December 15. The case is expected to head to trial next February.