Witness Said to Contradict Previous Statements in Nightclub Murder Retrial

By Jenna Lee - November 8, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Uncategorized | Victims |

A witness who was at the scene with a homicide defendant allegedly contradicted statements he made to police and in previous proceedings in a stabbing case in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun on Nov. 7.

Mark Beasley, 52 is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, and unlawful possession of a firearm for the fatal shooting of Darryn Conte on April 26, 2015 on the 6900 Block of 4th Street NW outside a nightclub. One other individual sustained injuries.

Beasley was convicted and sentenced to 40 years of incarceration in 2017 and in 2019 the case was reopened after the defense filed an appeal. 

Prosecutors called Beasley’s friend, who was at the club with him that night. The witness was detained for failing to appear after he was served a subpoena to testify on Nov. 4.

The witness testified that Conte earlier in the night had almost hit him in the face while dancing in the club. He said as he was leaving the club, he caught up with Beasley and a silver car pulled up next to them at a corner. He said he saw the victim in the car with another individual and Beasley flashed a gun.

When he asked why Beasley had a gun, Beasley allegedly said “This is what I do.”

The witness said he then lost sight of Beasley and heard gunshots as Beasley followed the car into an alley. He said Beasley had given him his keys earlier in the night, and he drove Beasley’s car to meet at a nearby Denny’s restaurant after the shooting. 

On cross examination, defense attorney Destiny Fullwood-Singh read the witness a statement he made to defense investigators in 2016 where he said Beasley never had a gun during the night. They also read a statement he gave to investigators where he said that he drove his own car to Denny’s, not Beasley’s.

Fullwood-Singh also noted the witness had previously been convicted of child sex abuse, larceny, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Fullwood-Singh also played security camera footage of the witness walking out of the club, which she said showed he did not ever get close enough to Beasley to see him flash the gun and that he was never near Beasley while the silver car was on the corner. 

On redirect, prosecutors asked if he wrote the statement given to investigators and the witness said no, adding he just signed it because he felt that was what he was supposed to do.

Prosecutors also called an Uber driver who was picking up a customer at the club that night. He testified that he pulled up behind a silver car and saw a bald, light skinned African American man arguing with the people in the car and he thought he saw a gun on the man’s waist. He said he then pulled up closer to the club and heard gunshots. 

Prosecutors called a firearms expert who testified that all 12 casings he received in this case were consistent with coming from the same 9 millimeter handgun but he could not narrow down the make and model. He said he also received a bullet in this case that was consistent with a 9 millimeter gun, but could not be sure if it came from the same gun. 

Parties are slated to reconvene Nov. 12.