The prosecution called witnesses who highlighted a homicide defendant’s internet search history before DC Superior Court Judge Dayna Dayson on April 13.
Jamil Whitley, 38, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than one year. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Kevin Redd, 32, on June 11, 2020 on the 4700 block of Jay Street, NE. Redd sustained a gunshot wound to the chest, forearm, and shoulder.
The prosecution called a witness who works as a records custodian for Google. The employee explained that part of his job was responding to demands from law enforcement about user data. He revealed that an account that was connected to Whitley through his date of birth and phone number, Google searched, “DC crime page” multiple times allegedly in the days following the shooting.
The account connected to Whitley also frequently visited a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Twitter post about the shooting, said the Google employee.
On cross-examination, Whtiley’s attorney James Brockway established that the website that Whitley would have accessed in 2020 could have been updated since then.
The prosecution then called the Deputy Director of Communication for MPD who oversees the MPD social media accounts to testify. He explained that unless deliberately deleted, Twitter posts stay up indefinitely. He also demonstrated that the link Whitley kept visiting allegedly led to an MPD Twitter post about the shooting on Jay Street.
The prosecution also called a witness who works for MPD as a handler with the K9 dog patrol unit. The MPD officer was patrolling the area at the time of the shooting and testified that they searched for bullet casings at the scene but did not recover any evidence.
On cross-examination, Brockway established that the MPD officer did not search the whole area surrounding the shooting. He also testified that he conducted the search in the dark, with a flashlight, and did not come back to the scene during the day.
Additionally, prior to the jury’s returning, the parties agreed to stipulate that Whitley was familiar with the area surrounding where the shooting occurred.
Prosecutors also called an MPD sergeant to testify. He explained that it was not his responsibility to collect evidence. The Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) has that authority, he said.
The prosecution published a diagram from the ShotSpotter app. This is used by law enforcement to “determine the vicinity” in which gunshots occurred, the sergeant said. In the diagram, there is a marking in the center of a circle. This marking represents where the “actual shots” took place. This marking is consistent with the location of a backyard searched by MPD.
The sergeant testified that the ShotSpotter app is not always precise and no evidence was collected from the backyard.
Parties are slated to reconvene on April 14.
