Suppression of Suspect Identification Denied

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In a Feb. 16 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt denied the defense’s motion to suppress an identification made by a witness in a double-homicide case.

Alphonso Walker, 45, is being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the death of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61 Street, NE on April 25, 2018. Walker has been held in the DC Jail since December of 2018.

Defense attorneys Prescott Loveland and Kevann Gardner argued that the circumstances in which the identification was made were suggestive. They said the police officer threatened the witness with jail time if the witness did not give a positive identification, and made highly suggestive comments that the person she needed to identify was Walker.

However, the judge and the prosecution both discussed that Walker had a sexual relationship with the witness. Because the witness knew Walker very well, the judge ruled that the suggestive nature of the identification did not reach the threshold for suppression.

An additional issue was brought up by Loveland and Gardner during a private conversation with Judge Brandt. They discussed a severe medical issue. It is currently unclear who is afflicted by the medical issue and what the details of the issue are.

Judge Brandt saw this issue as significant enough to reschedule opening statements to Feb. 27. Jury selection is still scheduled to begin next week, Feb. 23.

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