Victim Shouts ‘You Lose!’ to Defendant in Heated Testimony

By Alex Garcia Pecina - September 23, 2024
Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

A victim told a shooting defendant, “You lose!” during testimony before a jury in DC Superior Court Judge Erik Christian’s courtroom on Sept. 20.

Calvon Brown, 31, is charged with aggravated assault knowingly while armed, possession of a firearm during crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a shooting on March 22 on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. One individual sustained injuries.

Prosecutors called on the victim of the shooting to continue his testimony during cross examination. Tammy Thom, Brown’s attorney, cross examined the victim.

During testimony, the victim claimed that he took a gun from Brown during the incident but discarded it in a nearby trash bin. Thom referenced a 911 call indicating the victim carried the gun away from the scene. The victim responded, “I am no liar,” leading to a heated exchange with the attorney.

Frustrated by Thom’s questioning the victim repeatedly shouted, “I am the victim!” After stepping down from the stand, he exclaimed, “You have to respect my fu***** word!” before addressing Brown directly, saying, “I am the victim. You lose!”

The prosecution called several witnesses to establish the context of the shooting and the investigation.

The lead detective testified that he obtained video footage of the interaction before the incident. He was able to post a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) for a suspect seen in the video. A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer patrolling the area recognized the suspect as Calvon Brown.

Another MPD detective interviewed the victim to identify the shooter. She testified that the victim never mentioned the shooter’s wearing glasses or a head covering —both of which Brown was allegedly seen wearing on the day of the incident.

After the prosecution finished its case, Thom requested acquittal arguing that the victim, the sole witness, lacked credibility due to contradictions in his testimony and failure to accurately identify the shooter.

In response, the prosecution maintained that the victim was clear in identifying Brown as the shooter and he did not waver on that point throughout his testimony.

Judge Christian denied acquittal explaining that there was sufficient evidence for a jury to determine the defendant’s guilt. 

Parties are slated to reconvene Sept. 23.