Bernard Fleming pleaded innocent Tuesday to a 12-count indictment charging him with the 2012 shooting death of 30-year-old Michael Edward Jones.
Fleming, 23, is the third suspect arrested in connection with Jones’ death. He remains held pending a Friday hearing scheduled for the case.
Police found Jones on July 7, 2012 around 10:40 p.m. in the 1700 block of 7th Street Northwest unconscious and unresponsive suffering from a gunshot wound.
Medical services responded to the crime scene and pronounced Jones dead.
Four days later, Joseph Peoples was arrested and charged as the sole suspect in Jones’ murder. But a superseding indictment filed last week charged Fleming, and Peoples, with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, assault, tampering with physical evidence and several weapons offenses in connection with Jones’ death.
Police arrested Fleming on Monday after a warrant for his arrest was issued last week. A third man, James Hamlin, was also arrested and indicted on two weapons violations in connection with the case.
According to charging documents, a witness told police they saw Peoples walk up to an unidentified male adult in the 1700 block of 7th Street Northwest moments before the shooting.
The witness said the unidentified man passed something to Peoples, and Peoples immediately turned and shot in the direction of Jones, causing his death, documents state.
The case is scheduled for a felony status conference on Friday with Judge Robert Morin.
