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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- June 21, 2018
Court
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Homicides
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Suspects
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During a murder trial, a cooperating witness told the jury that the defendant said he committed a murder while they were housed in the same jail unit.
Andre Joyner is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Jamie Washington on the 700 block of 18th Street, NE in 2014.
According to the witness, Joyner said he fatally stabbed Washington, 31.
The witness is currently awaiting sentencing for a first-degree murder charge in an unrelated 2015 murder case. Following his trial, the witness entered a plea deal with the government that would downgrade his charges to second-degree murder in exchange for his testimony in Joyner’s case. A date for sentencing has not been scheduled.
Per the voluntary sentencing guidelines, first-degree murder while armed has a 30-60 year sentencing range. According to the defense, a second-degree murder charge has a sentencing range of 13- 25 years. However, if the prosecution finds the witness gave “substantial cooperation” the judge could sentence the witness to less than 13 years.
Amid cross-examination, Kevin Mosley, Joyner’s defense attorney, accused the witness of saying anything to get a lesser sentence. According to Mosley, a few months after the witness was found guilty and his request for an appeal was denied, the witness sent a letter to the court claiming that he had information about Joyner’s case.
There’s “no glory” or “kickbacks” associated with testifying, the witness told the jury. “ No one where I’m from like a snitch, it’s the worst thing you can be.”
The trial is scheduled to resume on June 21.