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In a July 14 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced a homicide defendant to 10- years for one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed.  Donjae Parker, 17, was convicted for the fatal shooting that killed 15-year-old Malachi Jackson on April 11, 2022 at the 3000 block of 13th Street, NW. Read more »

On July 12, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe continued a preliminary hearing for Julius Worthy. Read more »

On June 23, a defendant in a homicide case was arraigned before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe. Read more »

During a June 9 hearing, a homicide defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.  Morris Jones, 38, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the shooting of Tiffany Wiggins, 38, on April 17, 2022 at the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.  The prosecution wants DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun to reconsider Jones’ release while awaiting trial. Read more »

“Obviously this is a very serious case,” DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun said in a June 9 sentencing about a fatal shooting that occurred in 2020.  Nathaniel Bates, 38, was charged with first-degree murder, robbery while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm for his involvement in the murder of 28-year-old Eddie Crist on May 8, 2020 on the 4000 block of South Capitol Terrace, SW.  In March, Bates pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for his other charges to be dismissed. Read more »

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt admitted she erred in not telling jurors that testimony from a  key prosecution witness in a double murder trial was “inadmissible hearsay.”  “I will fall on a sword,” Judge Brandt said as she declared a mistrial in court on May 10.   Alphonso Walker, 45, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61st Street, NE, on April 25, 2018.  Walker has been held in the DC Jail since December 2018.  At issue was a statement made in trial by the witness on May 9 about a phone conversation she had with an individual who allegedly knew about the crime:  “Your date ( implied to be Walker) shot Minimoe and BeyBey (implied to be nicknames for Brown and Wilson).” Walker’s defense lawyers said this was prosecutorial misconduct on the grounds the witness was simply relating what she heard and the comment had no basis in fact.  At that point, Judge Brandt adjourned the proceedings.   In court on May 10, defense lawyer Prescott Loveland argued, “Inadmissible hearsay has gotten before the ears of the jury.” Loveland also charged that the prosecution tactic took him by surprise and compromised Walker’s chances of getting a fair trial.  “Mr. Read more »

On May 9, defense attorneys for murder suspect Alphonso Walker filed for a mistrial alleging  misconduct after prosecutors elicited a potentially prejudicial statement from a witness. Read more »

Whether a weapon introduced as evidence matches the gun used to kill two murder victims was hotly debated during an ongoing trial before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on May 8.  Alphonso Walker, 45, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61st Street, NE on April 25, 2018. Read more »

The defense disparaged a key eyewitness’s credibility in a murder trial after revealing inconsistencies in her testimony, and citing her prior conviction for perjury.  Alphonso Walker, 45, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit a robbery, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of attempting to commit robbery and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in connection to the death of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61st Street, NE on April 25, 2018.  During the incident, three individuals were in the home where the shooting took place. Read more »

On April 26, defense revealed its defense strategy by asking the prosecution’s witness about possible perpetrators who were thought to be suspects during a homicide investigation. Read more »