Kevin Charles was set to be sentenced Wednesday in the December 2011 shooting death of Steven Curtis Moore, but a judge instead postponed the matter after Charles expressed doubt about his own guilt.
Charles pleaded guilty in June 2013 to voluntary manslaughter while armed and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in connection with Moore’s death. But after reading a series of letters from Charles, Judge Henry Greene explained that he was no longer convinced that Charles believed himself to be guilty.
“I don’t see how I can sentence a man for a minimum of five years for something he says he didn’t commit,” Judge Greene said.
Read more
James Cornelius Robinson pleaded innocent Wednesday to four criminal charges in connection with August 2013 shooting death of 30-year-old Jason Alexander Murphy.
Robinson was arrested in December 2013 on suspicion of second-degree murder. A grand jury formally charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed and three related weapons charges, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that they do not intend to offer Robinson a plea bargain in connection with the case.
Read more
It’s a scene that has become a staple in modern pop culture.
A witness to a crime walks into a room, looks at a lineup of stone-faced suspects from behind a two-way mirror and dramatically points to the person they saw commit a crime.
From there, it usually only takes a few dramatic speeches from lawyers before that suspect is on his or her way to prison.
As it turns out, the reality of eyewitness identifications is much more complicated and much less reliable than it is presented in movies and television shows. Read more
Charles Young pleaded innocent to five criminal charges Tuesday in connection to the shooting death of 21-year-old Rokeida Spriggs. A grand jury indicted him on second-degree murder while armed and four related weapons charges, all allegedly committed while he was released in connection with another case.
Spriggs was found suffering from a gunshot wound shortly after 1:00 a.m. in the 4900 Block of G Street Southeast on Nov. 22, 2013. She died at a local hospital later that day.
According to charging documents, a witness told police that on the night of the shooting, Spriggs and two other women saw Young with a large black handgun, shouting in the hallway of their apartment building.
Then one of the women sprayed Young with mace, according to another witness, and Young said, “Why the f–k you mace me?”
Read more
Willard Carlos Shelton died at a local hospital Sunday after being found with gunshot wounds in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road Southeast.
Police found Shelton, 38, just around 7:04 a.m. Sunday.
Read more
In brief:
No homicides were reported this week in D.C.
Keir Johnson was sentenced Friday to 54 years in prison, including 32 years for the shooting death of Jamal Coates.
Corey Saxton was sentenced to 15 years Friday for the March 5 death of Roshaine Henry. Saxton pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting Henry after trying to rob him at gun point.
A judge found probable cause that Nilson Maldonado did not fire accidentally in the fatal shooting of Anthony Sanchez. Prosecutors argued that Maldonado and his friends tried to turn the fatal shooting of Anthony Sanchez into an accident though the evidence shows otherwise.
Donte Graves was sentenced to 10 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of Tyrone Joyner. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after a mistrial in May.
A judge declared a mistrial Monday in the murder trial against Lamonte Perry after jurors were unable to reach a verdict for his charge of second-degree murder. Earlier in the day, jurors acquitted Perry of first-degree premeditated murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol outside of the home, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting death of Andre Jackson.
Each week, Homicide Watch brings you a list of upcoming hearings in the cases we follow. All hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. To add an item to the listing, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
Read more
Judge Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Keir Johnson Friday to 54 years in prison, including 32 years for the shooting death of Jamal Coates.
“Taking lives is the most tragic thing you can do and it’s distressing to see Mr. Johnson, who could have done anything, in this position,” Leibovitz said before delivering her sentencing.
Johnson, along with three other men involved in the case were convicted of multiple criminal counts including conspiracy, murder, obstruction of justice, assault, and weapons charges. Read more
Corey Saxton was sentenced to 15 years Friday for the death of Roshaine Henry on March 5, 2014.
Saxton pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting Henry after trying to rob him at gun point. Read more
A prosecutor argued Friday that Nilson Maldonado and his friends are working together to turn the fatal shooting of Anthony Sanchez into an accident, but the evidence, she said, shows otherwise.
At a preliminary hearing Friday, Judge Russell F. Canan found probable cause in the case against Maldonado for the shooting death of Sanchez on July 3, 2013. He will remain released under high-intensity supervision.
According to police, witnesses heard Maldonado say, “I didn’t mean to shoot him,” and that Maldonado tried to take the gun from Sanchez, they struggled, and the gun went off. But a medical examiner’s report didn’t match up with Maldonado’s story of a struggle. Read more
