Prosecution’s Request Confuses Judge, Defense Attorney

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 18, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During an emergency status hearing Oct. 18, a DC Superior judge said he was confused by a prosecutor’s request to make sure the scheduled trial date was still going to happen.

Wilbert Whitaker, 70, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 30-year-old Leo Hackett on the 800 block of 21st Street, NE on May 2, 2016.

The prosecution asked for an emergency hearing because they said they were concerned the defense was going to ask for a continuance.

The prosecutor said that if the trial was delayed, it would be the fourth trial date to be set. She did not want to draw the trial out any longer because it had been almost four years since the murder took place. The trial is set to begin on Feb.3, 2020.

The prosecutor also said she spoke with Whitaker’s defense attorney, Mani Golzari, over the phone, where he said that he had three trials in close proximity to each other. According to the prosecutor, Golzari said the trials could potentially run over.

However, Golzari said he never spoke to the prosecution over the phone and that he had no idea why this hearing was even happening. He said he know the prosecution was asking around about his trial calendar.

Golzari also said he was confused as to why the prosecution did not try to contact him first instead of asking other people about his schedule.

Golzari told DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman that he did not intend to ask for a continuance, at this point, but if he did he would fill out the proper paperwork.

Judge Edelman told the prosecution that there was nothing he could do to make sure the trial date would not change.

Whitaker is scheduled for a status hearing on Dec. 18.