Trial Date for Suspect in 2019 Homicide Delayed 9 Months

By Caleigh Bartash [former] - March 11, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge postponed a murder trial for a man arrested in November 2019 at the defense’s request.

Terrance Prue is accused of shooting 39-year-old Bruce Gilmore to death in the parking lot of an apartment complex on the 3500 block of 22nd Street, SE, on June 5, 2019. A juvenile male was shot in the wrist but survived, according to court documents.

The 21-year-old defendant is indicted on charges of first-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed. He was scheduled to go on trial in May.

During Prue’s most recent hearing on March 10, defense attorney James King, who was assigned to the case less than four months ago, asked Judge Maribeth Raffinan to push the trial date back. Still, since his client has been held at DC Jail for more than two years now, King asked for the new trial to take place in 2022.

Judge Raffinan said her earliest availability right now is in February, though other dates may open up in the future. She said there may be space for a trial in late November, depending on the movement of other cases.

“Every other day someone’s trying to move something,” Judge Raffinan said.

Parties agreed to set a Feb. 13 trial date.

The prosecutor anticipates needing a maximum of four days to present their case. She said that at the time Prue was arrested, a firearm and ammunition were recovered. She said the caliber of the firearm did not match the one used in the homicide, but the caliber of the ammunition did.  

Prue is scheduled to return to court on April 19 for a status hearing.