An attorney's argument that excerpts from a shooting defendant’s recorded jail call should not be submitted as evidence fell flat before DC Superior Court Justice Danya Dayson on Oct 1.  Ato Ocran, 46, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, two counts assault with a dangerous weapon, four counts possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, five counts possession of an unregistered firearm, destruction of property of $1000 or more, and carrying a pistol without a license outside the home. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson denied a motion to dismiss a shooting case because of a potential evidence violation in a hearing on Sept. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean sentenced a non-fatal shooting defendant to three years of imprisonment after passionate statements from both sides on Sept. Read more »

A potential conflict regarding a homicide defendant’s lawyers was resolved in a status hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on June 12.  Demonte Gibson, 27, is charged with conspiracy, first-degree premeditated murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and destruction of property for his alleged involvement in the murder of Delonte King, 34, on Nov. Read more »

A status hearing took an unexpected turn as DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt announced her tentative intention to dismiss Demonte Gibson’s legal team on June 6.  Gibson, 27, Tre’Quan Nelson, 25, and Asani Forte, 27 are charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy, and destruction of property less than $1000, for their alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Delonte King on Nov. Read more »

A teen murder defendant pleaded not guilty to all indictment charges, and was denied release on June 2 by DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.  Jaylen Suggs, 19, is charged with first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit robbery, attempted robbery while armed, unauthorized use of a vehicle during a crime of violence, and four charges of assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Ricky Canty. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan released a fatal stabbing defendant to home confinement, despite the victim’s family opposing it, during a hearing on May 2.  Vanessa Bonaparte, 32, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, threat to kidnap or injure a person, destruction of property, and tampering with physical evidence, for her alleged involvement in the death of 31-year-old Dwayne Boyd on June 22, 2024, on the 3500 block of East Capitol Street, SE. Read more »

Jurors began deliberations after prosecution and defense presented their closing arguments in a four-year-old homicide case before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 22 and 23. Read more »

The prosecution’s rebuttal in a homicide case was delayed due to a co-defendant's reported illness in a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 9.  Demonte Gibson, 27, and Asani Forte, 27, are charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and destruction of property for their alleged involvement in the murder of 34-year-old Delonte King on Nov. Read more »

A homicide defendant claimed he acted in self-defense during a trial before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 8.  Demonte Gibson, 27, and Asani Forte, 27, are charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and destruction of property for their alleged involvement in the murder of Delonte King, 34, on Nov. Read more »

The defense in a murder trial called witnesses on April 7 who say they were stabbed by Delonte King, 34, the ultimate victim. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt denied two homicide co-defendants’ requests for acquittal of a conspiracy charge following the prosecution’s presentation of evidence in a hearing on April 3.  Demonte Gibson, 27, and Asani Forte, 27, are charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and destruction of property for their alleged involvement in the murder of Delonte King, 34, on Nov. Read more »

A forensic pathologist described how a homicide victim died before a jury in DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt’s courtroom on April 2. Read more »

Defense attorneys attempted to undermine the testimony of two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives in a murder trial before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 1.  Demonte Gibson, 27, and Asani Forte, 27, are charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and destruction of property for their alleged involvement in the murder of Delonte King, 34, on Nov. Read more »

A murder trial was delayed March 27, as the parties spent time litigating a statement made by the recently severed defendant, Tre’Quan Nelson, 25, before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt.  Demonte Gibson, 27, and Asani Forte, 26, are charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and destruction of property for their alleged involvement in the murder of Delonte King on Nov. Read more »