Opening Statements in Murder Trial Over Sexual Slur

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Parties gave opening statements in an insult generated homicide trial before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on Feb. 19.

Darrell Moore, 47, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during the crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Julius Hayes, 37, on April 3, 2021, at the 300 block of 18th Street, NE.

In their opening statements, the prosecution argued that Moore shot Hayes after an argument over rumors that Hayes had spread, alleging that Moore was having sexual relations with men. They claim Moore, “angry, armed, and ready to prove a point,” shot Hayes six times from outside the driver-side door of a black Ford Fusion hybrid.

Brandon Burrell, Moore’s attorney, countered, questioning the evidence and claiming Moore’s phone records show he wasn’t near the crime scene. He also suggested that key witnesses for the prosecution were unreliable, including a convicted felon who might be seeking to curry favor with the prosecution, and who has given inconsistent testimonies.

The prosecution called on Hayes’ father, who gave an emotional testimony about his son’s life, including Moore’s relationship with his other son.

Prosecutors called on a neighbor and eyewitness, who testified to hearing the argument and gunshots, followed by her partner capturing video footage of the car, which shows the vehicle immediately after the shooting, and then later leaving the scene.

Two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers also testified about their responses, including attempting to assist Hayes with medical attention and searching for a weapon, which could not be located.

The officer’s body-worn camera footage was also reviewed in court which corroborates the accuracy of their testimonies.

The prosecution called an additional two eyewitnesses, a neighbor, and her friend who was visiting at the time of the incident. The neighbor and her friend both testified to hearing multiple gunshots.

The friend testified that she ran outside to see if anyone had been injured, and located the victim lying on the ground between two cars. She attempted to administer first aid by applying pressure to his wounds before the police arrived and said she counted two to three bullet holes in his jacket but could not tell exactly where he was shot.

The visiting friend additionally testified that although she distinctly heard the gunshots, she did not see a gun or a shooter, nor the black Ford Fusion allegedly driven by Moore.

The neighbor testified that at the time of the incident, she had two security cameras installed on her front porch. The prosecution reviewed the footage in court, where the shots can clearly be heard, and where a car said to be the black Ford Fusion hybrid Moore allegedly drove is visible.

The prosecution further called another eyewitness and neighbor, who testified to hearing gunshots, and alleged seeing Moore pistol whip Hayes through the upstairs window of her home. She called 911 to report the incident, and the prosecution reviewed the 911 call in court.

In the call, the neighbor can be heard telling the dispatcher what she had witnessed and alleged that she saw Moore take off running north on 18th Street after Hayes had fallen to the ground.

The prosecution called another neighbor to the witness stand, who was not home at the time of the incident, but had a Nest doorbell camera that captured similar footage. The court reviewed this footage, which shows the vehicle allegedly driven by Moore but not the shooting itself.

The trial is slated to resume on Feb. 20.