Prosecution Violated Defendant’s Right to Speedy Trial, Defense Says

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 28, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

During a motions hearing Feb. 28, a murder defendant’s attorney accused the prosecution of violating her client’s constitutional right to a speedy trial. 

Hakeem Burroughs, 27, is charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill while armed, among other offenses, for his alleged role in the death of 22-year-old Jarell Walker on the 3700 block of Hayes Street, NE in 2016.

Burroughs’ attorney, Dominique Winters, told the court that the prosecution failed to follow through with the arguments they made to continue the defendant’s trial date. Apparently, the prosecution was supposed to take steps toward obtaining a second indictment, assess a potential cooperating witness’s “viability” and give the defense evidence about the witness.

The trial was continued to April 5 from May of 2018.

Winters also said a lawyer, who was representing another witness in the case, told her the prosecution said the case was “going away.” Winters said she believes the prosecution never intended to obtain a second indictment and instead “threatened” to, as a “last ditch effort,” continue the trial.

Winters filed a motion to dismiss the indictment on Feb. 5.

A prosecutor refuted the defense’s claims, saying a cooperating witness threw a “wrench” in her attempt to follow through. Apparently, the witness was charged with a felony in connection to an unrelated “incident” that occurred on July 16, 2018. The prosecutor said she doesn’t plan on calling the individual as a witness.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson requested that the prosecution provide a timeline of the actions that were taken on the case leading up to the July incident and after the incident occurred.

Judge Dayson also scheduled the motions hearing to resume on March 22, when she is expecting to make a ruling on whether or not to dismiss the indictment.