Donte Graves was arraigned Monday on charges of second-degree murder, armed robbery and five related weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyrone Joyner. Graves, 19, pleaded innocent to all charges and a trial date has been scheduled for March 2014.
Joyner was found around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the 1400 block of Canal Street Southwest suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach; he later died at Howard University Hospital. About a week later Graves was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Joyner’s death.
At a preliminary hearing in March, Metropolitan Police Detective Michael Fulton testified that a witness observed Graves at the scene of the shooting trying to rob Joyner.
Charging documents in the case say a witness told police that Graves ran out of a building on Canal Street SW carrying a jacket and a handgun. The witness said Joyner chased after Graves and grabbed the coat. The coat fell on the ground, the witness said, and then Graves pushed Joyner away from him.
According to the witness, Joyner then threw a punch at Graves, and Graves shot Joyner once in the stomach. Graves then grabbed the coat and ran through an alley, the witness said.
The case is scheduled for a status hearing November 22.
The indictment is below.
