On July 12, defense counsel for a shooting defendant confirmed that the defendant would be concluding his education shortly. Read more »

A mass shooting defendant's counsel expressed her frustration with a defense attorney in another jurisdiction where he is being held, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on July 11. Read more »

A homicide defendant accepted a plea deal extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on July 11. Read more »

Prosecutors extended a homicide defendant’s plea deal for two weeks in front of DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan on June 27. Read more »

Jaleil Jones pleaded not guilty in front of DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan in a felony arraignment on June 3.  Jones, 19, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting and robbery of 44-year-old Robert Lavender. Read more »

Video evidence was presented before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan in a co-defendants non-fatal shooting in a May 28 hearing. Read more »

Parties argued for probable cause in a fatal shooting that killed one teenager and seriously injured another in an April 25 hearing. Read more »

On April 8, following a two-week trial, an alleged member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, was found guilty of two counts of murder before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan.  Oscar Ramos, 34, was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for his involvement in the fatal shooting of 50-year-old Pedro Alvarado Melendez. Read more »

On April 5, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, a homicide defendant rejected a plea deal offered by prosecution.  Tywan Morris, 28, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business, and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 27-year-old Danielle Stuckey on Oct. Read more »

On April 4, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, the prosecution and defense delivered closing statements in a homicide trial hinging on revenge. Read more »

On April 4, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, the prosecution dismissed the primary charges against a non-fatal shooting defendant following a hung jury, which rendered a guilty verdict on the lesser counts. Read more »

On April 3, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan heard from a key witness who said he was forced to testify “against my will” in a homicide case. Read more »

On March 29, homicide co-defendants filed a motion for severance before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan.  Rafael Stevens, 39, and Jermall Johnson, 40, are charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed, attempted robbery - felony murder, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm, among other charges, for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of 50-year-old Aniekobo Umoh on Dec. Read more »

On March 27, opening statements in a murder case suggested a possible "catfishing" ploy to track and trap a murder victim. Read more »

On March 11, a jury acquitted a shooting suspect on the charge of assault with intent to kill but found him guilty on lesser counts in a case before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan. Read more »