DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz modified the release conditions for a non-fatal shooting co-defendant on March 21.  DeMarco Hayes, 22, and Donte Bennett, 26, are charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowing while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for their alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting where one victim sustained injuries at the intersection of Marion Barry Avenue and 18th Street, SE on July 24, 2024.  At the start of the hearing, Judge Kravitz notified the parties of two positive marijuana tests that were flagged as violations of Hayes’ release conditions.  An officer from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) said that Hayes had been ordered to submit to a full screen drug test.  Bunke argued that the positive marijuana tests should not be considered violations as Hayes was never ordered to not use marijuana and he is over the legal age to use marijuana. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz told parties, “I don’t think I can accept this plea under these circumstances,” during a hearing on March 20. Read more »

Dominique Winters, the defense attorney for Christian Johnson, told DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 14 that her client had rejected a plea deal offered by the prosecution and plans to file for dismissal on based on the prosecutor's conduct. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz approved defense attorney Sara Kopecki's request for her client, Oliver Gomes, to accompany her investigator in looking for potential witnesses for his trial in a March 14 hearing. Read more »

Rubin Holman waived his right to test DNA evidence during a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 14. Read more »

More than three weeks after a jury trial was slated to begin, the final motions for a six co-defendant homicide case were decided by DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 17, giving the defense a partial victory on constitutional grounds. Read more »

A homicide co-defendant asked DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz to sever his case from his brother’s on March 14.  Juvan Alston, 23, and Davon Alston, 22, are charged with conspiracy, first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz approved Tyler Stringfield's request to test DNA evidence at a hearing on March 14, even though Stringfield previously waived his right to perform independent testing. Read more »

Mark Price failed to appear before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 14, further delaying a homicide case that has been ongoing for more than six years. Read more »

Pretrial motions arguments continued in a six-codefendant trial before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 12.  William Johnson-Lee, 22, Erwin Dubose, 30, Kamar Queen, 27, and Damonta Thompson, 28, are charged with conspiracy, two counts of premeditated first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, for their involvement in the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Baxter, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner.  Dubose, Queen, and Johnson-Lee each have nine additional counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz heard arguments about the nickname of a murder weapon in pre-trial motions in a mass shooting case with six co-defendants during a hearing on March 10. Read more »

A stabbing defendant partially asserted his right to independently test DNA before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on March 7.  George Syndor, 45, is charged with three counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed that was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel committed during release, burglary while armed offense was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel offenses committed during release, and kidnapping while armed offense was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel offenses committed during release for his alleged involvement in a stabbing that killed Christy Bautista, 31, on March 31, 2023, at a hotel on the 1600 block of New York Avenue, NE. Read more »

Parties discussed the prosecution’s motion to admit six co-defendant’s prior words and actions suggesting violence in a homicide trial from March 3 to 6 before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz.  William Johnson-Lee, 22, Erwin Dubose, 30, Kamar Queen, 27, and Damonta Thompson, 28, are charged with conspiracy, two counts of premeditated first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, for their involvement in the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Baxter, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner.  Dubose, Queen, and Johnson-Lee each have nine additional counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz ordered a defense attorney to visit his client in person after having to reschedule a status hearing for the fourth time due to the defendant’s failure to appear in court on March 7. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz granted the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) request that a homicide defendant go through a full mental competency evaluation at the DC Jail on March 7. Read more »