Prosecution Presents Officers and Forensic Scientists As Trial Arguments Continue

By Azziah Hunter [former] - October 25, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A homicide trial resumed with three witnesses called in to testify regarding their role in the DNA extraction of evidence. The fourth witness was a detective on the scene. 

Malik Holston, 20, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to the shooting of 15-year-old Gerald Watson on the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE on Dec. 13, 2018.

On Dec. 18, 2018, a member of The Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) collected a student’s school schedule, a Helly Hanson jacket, a BAPE sweatshirt, a pair of shoes, three black masks and a cellphone from an apartment on the 2300 block of ​​Hartford Street, SE. 

Defense attorney Shawn Sukumar said there were many items not collected from the apartment. DFS members said they were given directions on what to collect from the apartment by other law enforcement.

A forensic scientist testified that she swabbed the interior wrist and interior neck parts of a jacket to test for DNA. There were also stains tested for blood, but the results were negative. 

A member of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fugitive Task Force testified to the arrest procedure.

Another witness from MPD said she was given two phones to extract data from. However, one phone was not functional, and the other phone was extracted.

The extraction resulted in over 5000 pages of data. From this extraction, the prosecution presented messages from the defendant’s phone to the court.

Prosecution stated they have about twelve witnesses remaining. 

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt will resume trial on Oct. 26.