Man Accused of Armed Sexual Assault Will Keep Current Public Defender

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A defendant facing a 21-count indictment for his alleged role in an armed sexual assault will be keeping his current legal counsel.

The 21-year-old defendant is accused of breaking into a woman’s vehicle and forcing her at gunpoint to drive to an alley, where he raped her. U.S. Park Police found her clinging to a ledge in the Anacostia River, where she alleged he forced her to enter despite her saying she could not swim, according to court documents.

The defendant was arrested on March 27, 2018. He was 17-years-old at the time.

During the most recent hearing for this case on March 9, the defendant asked for his public defender, Joseph Wong, to be replaced with someone else. It would not be the first time an attorney left the case.

“You have a great counsel. A very competent one,” DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan told the defendant. “Now there will be a delay so they can catch up to speed on the case so they can represent you in the best way possible.”

This did not sway the defendant’s opinion. Still, after an ex-parte bench conference to address his concerns, it was decided that the current counsel will remain on the case.

Parties are slated to reconvene on April 25.

The defendant was scheduled to go on trial last January. He is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual abuse while armed, assault with intent to commit armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, nine counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, threat to injure or kidnap a person, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, armed carjacking, unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and armed kidnapping.

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