Psychiatrists Fail to Show at Court

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On Feb. 3, expert witnesses failed to acknowledge a defense attorney’s subpoena to testify in a murder case. 

Faneshia Scott is charged with first-degree murder for a heinous crime where the victim was especially vulnerable due to age or physical infimity and first-degree cruelty to children for her alleged involvement in one-year-old Rhythm Fields death on the 5400 block of C Street, SE in 2017. According to court documents, Fields died from blunt force trauma. Scott, 33, is currently released from jail on personal recognizance with a few stipulations under the high intensity supervision program (HISP). 

According to Scott’s attorney, Steven Kiersh, he had been contacting two psychiatrists for a while. Both failed to comply with his requests.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said that if the defense was unable to subpoena the psychiatrists the prosecution would help. The judge said that if counsel was unable to get in contact, then they should notify the Metropolitan Police Department. 

Kiersh, and the prosecutor told Judge Dayson that they needed more time to gather more witnesses and to have a motion hearing. Kiersh also said he had an issue receiving body camera footage. 

Kiersh said he is expecting the trial to last at least four weeks. 

Judge Dayson granted more time to both the prosecution and the defense and set a trial date for Feb. 8, 2021.

This article was written by Jailynn Caraballo

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