Witnesses Reveal Police Coercion and ‘Hood Beef’

By D.C. Witness Staff - November 2, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Several prosecution witnesses during the murder trail of Kenneth Adams told the jury they were pressured by police to identify Adams as the shooter in a 2016 murder.

Kenneth Adams is charged with first-degree murder while armed, obstruction of justice and other firearms offenses for allegedly shooting 21-year-old Dante “Te” Kinard on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE.

One of those witnesses told police Nov. 1 that he saw “ Kendawg,” or Adams, at the shooting. During cross-examination, however, the witness said he also told police that he couldn’t see who shot Kinard. The witness said police responded by getting in his face and yelling at him.

“I felt pressured when they asked me who was behind the gun,” the witness said.

The prosecution says the shooting was sparked by a rivalry between two gangs from the 21st and Langston and the 21st and I Street neighborhoods. The intended target of the shooting was not Kinard, but someone Adams identified from the rivaling gang.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Nov. 5.

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