Sexual Assault Case Ready to Go to Trial, Judge Says

By Graham Krewinghaus [former] - September 26, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault | Suspects | Victims |

During a Sept. 22 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee discussed how parties should present their evidence ahead of a jury trial in a sexual assault case.

The defendant, 53, is being charged with first-degree sexual abuse for allegedly forcing himself on a woman in her apartment located on the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE on March 11, 2021.

Judge Lee asked the prosecutor to outline the evidence she planned to present as the trial nears. The prosecutor said that aside from testimony from custodians of the apartment building, she expected to present surveillance footage of the hallway. 

The relevant footage was seven hours long without any cuts, she told the judge. She requested to call a summary witness, with prior approval of the summary from the defense. The abridged version would only be two and a half hours, she said.

When defense attorney Wole Falodun appeared to begin to comment, Judge Lee interjected, saying he would not entertain a request to show the jury the unabridged footage. “We’re not going to sit here and watch seven hours of hallway video,” Judge Lee said.

The defendant said he and Falodun had to be able to present a relevant defense, which could include additional parts of the footage.

The prosecutor said although she was ready for trial, she was wasn’t available until late October.

Judge Lee said he had several other jury trials after that point, keeping him busy through December. “We’ve done everything but try this case,” Judge Lee said.

“I’m ready today,” the defendant said.

According to court documents, the complainant called Metropolitan Police Department from the lobby of her apartment building, telling officers the defendant confronted her in her hallway with a knife and forced her to let him into her apartment. He hit her several times on her head, chest and back, and raped her, according to court documents.

The victim said she was able to escape when the defendant allowed her to use the restroom, running down the stairs from the fourteenth floor to call the police in the lobby.

When officers arrived, they escorted her back up to her apartment, where the defendant was located. He opened the door for officers and was arrested. The complainant confirmed to officers that he was the man who had raped her.

The parties are scheduled to return to court on Sept. 28 for a status hearing.