Ronald Page pleaded innocent today to a charge of second-degree murder for the shooting death of his stepson, Nicholas Satcher, in January at the family’s home in Northeast DC.
According to charging documents in the case, Page had been in an argument with his 17-year-old son when Satcher stepped between the two.
Said Satcher’s brother, Craig Satcher, “He said ‘you’re not going to shoot my brother you’re gonna shoot me. My brother stood in front of that barrel for his little brother … it’s rough and hard that he had to go but at least he went out like a man.”
Page’s defense attorney, Larry Kupers, maintains the shooting was unintentional. Page said he planned to shoot only at the ceiling of the home to scare Satcher and Page’s biological son, Adrian. But when the two boys “lunged at him,” Page shot Satcher, Kupers said.
Page was arraigned on the second-degree murder charge Tuesday, as well as two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and three counts of possession of a firearm.
He was released from custody after his preliminary hearing in January and remains free. He is due back in court July 14 for a status hearing in his case.
