Prosecution Locates 3 Missing Witnesses for Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 9, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

During a hearing on April 9, the prosecution in a murder case announced they located three of their six missing witnesses and are prepared to proceed to trial.

Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 15-year-old Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, in 2015. Decuir, 26, has been tried twice before. Both trials resulted in mistrials after the juries could not come to a unanimous decision regarding Decuir’s murder charge.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said he signed material witness warrants on April 5 and April 8. Apparently, all six witnesses testified in Decuir’s previous trials.

The three located witnesses appeared in court on April 9 and signed notices agreeing to testify in the upcoming trial.

Judge Iscoe “quashed” the three material witness warrants, but said he would issue new warrants if the witnesses failed to appear in court for the trial. He also permitted the prosecution to introduce transcripts of previous witnesses testimony if the remaining witnesses are not located.

D.C. Witness previously reported that a jury found Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony, carrying a firearm without a license with a prior felony, obstruction of justice and tampering with physical evidence in connection to Mercer’s death.

Decuir was sentenced for the firearms, obstruction and tampering charges in August of 2018. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence.

The trial is scheduled to begin on April 10.