Release Denied to Defendant in Stabbing Case

By Laura Berol , Lily Engel - July 15, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | stabbing | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow denied the request of defense attorney Michelle Lockard to release Warnell Reams pending trial at a hearing on July 15.

Reams, 57, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a stabbing on June 5, 2024, on the 200 block of Vine Street, NW, that left one person injured. 

At the hearing, Lockard argued that there was another suspect at the scene of the incident who was found sitting next to blood stains. This person’s name and appearance are allegedly similar to Reams’. 

She filed a motion for bond review with the court on June 23 in an attempt to get her client out on supervised release. 

According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives showed an eyewitness a photo array which included the potential suspect and Reams . The witness identified Reams, not who the Metropolitan Police Department believed was the potential suspect. 

Lockard argued that, when a witness picks out someone other than the target from a photo array, the person identified is not usually considered a suspect.

Lockard said that Reams was at the scene of the incident to pick up a bank card, and that the prosecution has found no connection between Reams and that building. She said he has no previous criminal history involving weapons. 

The prosecution opposed releasing Reams, arguing that he was on supervised release in a separate case, an attempted burglary, when this incident happened.

Judge Pasichow noted that Reams has accrued five convictions since 2020 and 17 executed bench warrants in the past three years. 

“These arguments will be perfect, I’m sure, when it comes to the trial, but for now I’m denying your request,” Judge Pasichow told Lockard.

The parties are set to reconvene for Sept. 3.