The victim in a domestic violence stabbing case testified on June 4 before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt.
James Callen, 42, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant body injury while armed. These charges have an aggravating factor of allegedly being committed during Callen’s release for a prior matter. The charges stem from allegedly stabbing his former romantic interest on July 12, 2024 on the 1600 block of Morris Road, SE.
Callen is also charged with four counts of felony contempt for allegedly violating a stay-away order by calling the victim from the jail.
In her testimony, the victim claimed that Callen stabbed her repeatedly on the evening of the offense. She testified that they were celebrating starting new jobs. An argument ensued when Callen asked her to move in with him, and when she said no, he became violent.
The victim alleged Callen then disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a large knife, and yelled, “If I can’t have you, no one can, b***h!”
The victim said she sustained major injuries from the assault. She alleged that Callen wrestled her to the floor, and slit her jugular vein–a critical set of blood vessels– and windpipe. She claimed Callen stabbed her upper left arm, and that she can no longer move her left pinkie finger as a result. The victim suffered significant scarring on her right hand from attempting to block the blade.
She finally woke up in the hospital four days after the assault given her injuries. The prosecution showed both the victim and the jury several images of her body after the assault which she explained to the court
The victim was then asked to show the jury the physical scars she sustained from the assault. The prosecution instructed her to leave the stand and illustrate the damage to the jury. She lifted her hair, revealing a long, vertical black scar on her neck.
On cross-examination, Callen’s attorney, Alvin Thomas, argued the victim grabbed the knife from Callen and tried to threaten him with it. The victim responded that the blade went through her hand as she was defending herself. She affirmed that she was never gripping the handle.
The victim stated that what transpired seemed “out of the blue” to her and the events escalated quickly.
Thomas also asked the victim about an incident that occurred in August 2023. The defense asked if the victim recalled a text conversation between her and Callen asking the defendant to pick her up from her home. She only recalled the defendant breaking into her home.
In redirect examination the prosecution asked the victim what she remembered from the stabbing. She said she went to hang out with Callen, and that he was “infuriated,” and “mad all over again as if this was news to him” about the victim not wanting to move in.
The victim elaborated that everything “went from zero-to-1000 real quick.” It was a disagreement, more than a fight, described the victim but the next thing she knew he came at her with a butcher knife.
After the victim left the stand, the prosecution played a 10-minute 911 call from the incident. Throughout you can hear Callen crying asking the dispatcher to “send somebody hurry up” and repeatedly saying, “She needs you.”
In the call, Callen was incoherent and non-communicative. Once help arrived, the dispatcher asked, “Sir, are you ever gonna open the building door?”
The prosecution then questioned an analyst from the Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) who described photos he took of the scene and evidence he collected, including the knife handle, knife blade, and a blood stained blanket.
Parties are set to reconvene on June 8.
