Victim’s Mother Expresses Her Frustration in Murder Case

By Alesar Harfoush [former] - March 29, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

“How is he still out? This is absolutely unfair and a slap in the face to my entire family and Dasha’s loved ones,” a victim’s mother said during a motion hearing over Webex on March 28.

Nineteen-year-old Gerald Thomas is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a shooting that left four victims injured and 20-year-old Dasha Cleary dead. The shooting occurred on Jan. 27, 2022, at a Days Inn Hotel, located on the 4400 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW. Thomas is currently under total home confinement and GPS monitoring in connection to the shooting.

During the hearing, the prosecution renewed a request to revoke a previous release order and asked for Thomas to be jailed based on recent indictments for drug-related charges.

Judge Raffinan stated that she wanted time to consider the matter.

But, Cleary’s mother wasn’t satisfied.

“How do I explain to my remaining children that our system is so broken and allows him to stay on release after he killed their sister and still have access to illegal guns and weapons,” she asked in frustration. 

Meanwhile, defense attorney Jacqueline Cadman expressed concern that the prosecution waited for more than a month before filing a motion to revoke home confinement only a day before the hearing. 

Cadman said the defense was planning on asking for Thomas to be taken off home confinement and not respond to the motion.

Cadman reminded DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan that there aren’t any new violations other than the ones that were presented by the prosecution in January when the court denied a request to jail Thomas.

According to pretrial services, Thomas has been in full compliance while on home confinement. 

Judge Raffinan reminded Thomas to continue to comply with the orders in place. 

Another motion hearing is scheduled for April 13.