Plea Offer Remains Outstanding as Murder Defendant Doubts New Counsel

By Mark Lu [former] - March 11, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A public defender said he is struggling to communicate with his client, who is charged with two homicides.

Rasheed Young is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 26-year-old Cedric Rodgers on June 11, 1996, on the 300 block of Franklin Street, NE. He is also charged with second-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 39-year-old Ronald William Richardson on May 20, 2018, on the 2300 block of 4th Street, NE.

The 44-year-old was arrested in relation to both homicides in December 2020 and has remained in custody ever since.

During the most recent hearing for this case on March 10, defense attorney Kevin Mosley said he has tried to speak with his client about the case on five different occasions but only had three substantive conversations.

“I’ve never had a preliminary hearing or nothing [sic]. Everything about this case is illegal. The police never investigated. Everything they did, everything the government did is illegal,” Young told DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun. “I’m not going to be an informant working with the police.”

Judge Okun tried to assure the defendant that his lawyer is not connected to the police, and told him he needs to talk to Mosley in order for the attorney to effectively assist him.

Okun asked if the defense was requesting a competency evaluation in light of these issues. Mosley said he hasn’t had the necessary conversations with the defendant to make that determination and instead asked for a 45-day continuance to familiarize himself with the case as well as try to speak with the defendant. Mosley was appointed to the case in February.

The prosecutor had no objection to the postponement but also noted that there was a plea offer on the table that was offered in June of 2021 and that the defendant should take the time to consider it sooner rather than later. Young has changed lawyers on multiple occasions since that time.

The plea agreement would require the defendant to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree murder while armed in both cases with a sentencing range of six to nine years. A five-year supervised release period would follow.

The next hearing in this case is scheduled for April 29.