Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.
Donate NowBy
D.C. Witness Staff
- July 17, 2018
Court
|
Homicides
|
Suspects
|
A man charged with second-degree murder for driving while under the influence is scheduled for trial in 2019.
Lavonne Beckett is accused of causing the death of Tanisha Ray in 2017 when he crashed his vehicle on the 600 block of Florida Avenue, NE. Ray was in the passenger’s seat of Beckett’s car. During an interview with police, Beckett said he smoked a cigarette dipped in PCP, a hallucinatory drug, before driving to DC.
Beckett pled not guilty in May and rejected a plea offer from the prosecution in June.
He is currently released under the High Intensity Supervision Program. However, his attorney requested that his release status change to personal recognizance. D.C. Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck said the attorney should file a bond review motion outlining the request.
A trial readiness hearing is scheduled for May 17, 2019, in advance of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on June 13, 2019.