Witness Testifies Defendant was ‘Sweating Profusely,’ in the Moments Following a Shooting

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

A woman, whose house a juvenile frequented before his arrest in connection to a homicide, testified he and her grandson typically shared clothes, including the alleged shooter’s shoes. The information was presented before DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell in a hearing on May 6.

The juvenile, a 16-year-old boy, is charged with first-and-second-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to kill, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of ammunition for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Jihad Darden. The incident occurred on Dec. 18, 2023, on the 5400 block of Illinois Avenue, NW.

According to the witness, the defendant, whom she identified in court, and her grandson had been friends for a while, saying “he was young… must’ve been 13-years-old” when she met him. She added the defendant frequently spent the weekend at her house.

The witness testified that on Dec. 17, 2023, the defendant spent the night at her apartment, stating that when she arrived home from work at 11 p. m. “They [the defendant, grandson, and her nephew] were all in there sleep.”

When she woke up Monday morning, the defendant was gone, said the witness.

However, he knocked on her door “sometime before or after 12 p. m.,” she told Judge Crowell.

According to the witness, the defendant was “sweating profusely,” and was wearing an all black outfit with white and red sneakers, which belonged to her grandson.

“They always exchanged clothes,” said the witness, adding that the defendant removed the shoes and the two left the apartment a few minutes later.

Prosecutors have previously displayed surveillance footage that depicts the shooter wearing similar clothes.

They displayed surveillance footage, in which the witness identified her grandson and the defendant, leaving her apartment building. The individual, who she identified as the defendant, was wearing the shooter’s clothing, without the shoes.

In the footage, the individual identified as the defendant was seen entering a silver SUV. The witness’ grandson returned to her apartment.

The witness further testified that officers and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) executed a search warrant in her home on Feb. 7, during which her grandson and her nephew were put in handcuffs.

“The homicide squad and them took it out of my house,” she said about the sneakers.

During cross examination, Amanda Epstein, the juvenile’s defense attorney, asked her if she would do anything to protect her grandson. “Which grandma wouldn’t?” said the witness.

She insisted MPD didn’t have a reason to handcuff her grandson and her nephew, stating “they didn’t do anything.”

Parties are slated to return May 7.

Follow this case