In brief:
Andre Jackson, 22, was found dead after a shooting early Sunday morning in the 300 block of Ridge Road Southeast. Police have not yet named a suspect in the shooting.
A body found near a burning car was ruled a homicide Friday, the Metropolitan Police Department announced. Two juveniles have been arrested in the case, but the victim’s name has not been released.
Keir Johnson and Lester Williams pleaded not guilty Friday to conspiracy, first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill and several weapons charges. The two men were among seven named in an 80 count indictmentthat detailed five years of gang violence in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and the U Street corridor.
Gary Niles Montgomery pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday. Montgomery is accused of first-degree murder while armed in the stabbing death
Gary Niles Montgomery pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday. Montgomery, 55, is accused of killing 23-year-old Japarker Deoni Jones in February. Prosecutors say Montgomery stabbed Jones in the head at a bus stop in the 4900 block of East Capitol Street Northeast and took her purse.
A jury found Dominique Bassil guilty of killing her boyfriend, Vance Harris III. They had deliberated for three full days before returning the verdict at about 11 a.m. Friday.
Arvel Wills, who is accused of killing his cousin Dewayne Wills in May, was considering a plea offer from prosecutors. The offer would reduce his charges from second-degree murder to involuntary manslaughter. Wills would also plead guilty to felony possession of a firearm as part of the deal.
Judge Thomas Motley found that there was “barely” probable cause to send a second-degree murder case against Lloyd Bright to a grand jury. Bright is accused of killing Darryl Eugene Sweet, Sr. in July. Prosecutors say Bright hit Sweet, but Bright’s attorney contended that Bright didn’t know the slap would kill the man.
Millions of Americans cast ballots in the nation’s presidential election Tuesday. Even inmates at the D.C. jail got in on the electoral action. The Associated Press reported that the District of Columbia is unusual among governments for actively encouraging its inmates to cast ballots. The AP reports that 88 voted at the jail this year of about 1,700 inmates.
Judge Thomas Motley turned down a request for a new trial for Corey Yates. Yates, convicted in August of second-degree murder in the death of Darrel Hendy, didn’t have a strong enough case that prosecutors kept evidence from his defense team that would have changed the jury’s mind, Motley said.
