As Andrew Wesley Williams’ murder trial came to a close Wednesday, defense attorney Kevin Irving asked jurors whether they could trust the testimony of security guards who detained a man for loitering but failed to follow up on a murder in the same night.
But prosecutors say this is “no mass conspiracy,” instead, they say, evidence proves that Junon Tyree Snead was shot by Williams from less than three feet away as he turned to walk home because Snead refused to retaliate against the guards who detained their friend that night.
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A shooting in the 1900 block of Fenwick Street Northeast killed 33-year-old Rashard Raigns early Wednesday morning, according to MPD.
Police officers responding to a call for service at approximately 2:42 a.m. found Raigns suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency personnel on the scene found no signs consistent with life.
Medical examiners later determined that Raigns died from the gunshot wound and ruled his death a homicide.
A press release from MPD is after the jump.
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According to prosecutors, Arik Sims and Lamar Fonville were good friends until the night Sims shot Fonville without warning, allegedly because he believed Fonville burglarized his mother’s house.
But Sims’ defense attorneys say Sims had no motive to kill his friend and argue that prosecutors rely on the testimony of one witness who is “jealous” of Sims.
These were the opening arguments jurors heard Tuesday, the first day of trial in the case.
Sims, 24, is charged with first degree murder and three weapons charges in connection with the Sept. 30, 2012, shooting death of 29-year-old Fonville.
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Andre Burks pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder while armed and assault with a deadly weapon for the shooting death of Antwan Boseman and wounding another man after Burks and Boseman got into an argument.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a 13 year sentence for the second-degree murder charge and a two year sentence for the assault with a deadly weapon charge to run consecutively. Burks was arrested in December 2013 on suspicion of a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the case.
Boseman, 24, was found on August 4, 2012, in the 800 block of Barnaby Street Southeast suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Plea documents state that Boseman was shot multiple times in the neck, back, and left knee area.
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Prosecutors say that Andrew Wesley Williams was mad at three special police officers who handcuffed his friend before Williams, angry, shot Junon Tyree Snead.
But Williams’ defense attorney Kevin Irving argued that prosecutors lack physical evidence and witness testimony to prove Williams was the shooter. Instead, Irving says the rests entirely on “similar clothing” and “looks like” to prove that Williams is the man in the video who shot Snead.
Police found 30-year-old Snead on May 14, 2011, in the 3700 block of Jay Street Northeast suffering from a single gunshot wound. Williams, 27, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and three related weapons charges in connection with Snead’s death.
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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.
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A Friday night shooting in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street Northwest resulted in the death of 32-year-old Donta Thrower from Northwest D.C.
At approximately 9:24 p.m., police officers responding to a call for the report of a shooting found Thrower with an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police. Read more
Stephanie Lawson was sentenced Friday to 33 months in prison for the stabbing death of her friend, Karen Jordan.
But before she begins her sentence she’ll spend three weeks on high-intensity supervision while she finishes an externship program. Attorneys in the case declined to say what type of program she is participating in, but did say that she is expecting to work 40-hour work weeks to complete her 200 hour program.
Lawson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the case.
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Lillian Alvarado was found competent to stand trial for the death of her newborn son, according a May 29 report from the the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health.
During Friday’s mental observation hearing, defense attorneys asked Judge John Ramsey Johnson for time to evaluate whether they want to challenge the department’s findings and asked for Alvarado to remain in St. Elizabeths Hospital until the next scheduled hearing at 10:00 a.m. on July 24.
Alvarado, 21, is suspected of first-degree murder and one count of cruelty to children in connection with the death of her newborn son, who was found on November 28, 2013, in the bathroom of her apartment in Northwest D.C.
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There was one homicide reported this week:
Donta Thrower from Northwest D.C. was killed after a shooting Friday night at the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, Northwest. He was found by police at approximately 9:24 p.m. suffering from a gunshot wound, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Davon Thomas was sentenced Wednesday, to four years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in connection with the January 2013 death of 53-year-old Emanuel Campbell. Campbell died from blunt force injuries in the hospital two weeks after Thomas assaulted him outside an apartment in Northeast D.C., where they both resided. According to prosecutors, moments before the assault, Campbell and Thomas had a verbal altercation inside the apartment. As a result of that first altercation, Campbell cut Thomas on the side of his neck. Prosecutors argued Thomas knew Campbell had previous medical frailties and overreacted by assaulting him.
Lillian Alvarado was found competent to stand trial for the death of her newborn son on November of last year. Alvarado is charged with first-degree murder and one count of cruelty to children for allegedly drowning and dismembering her baby after delivering him in the bathroom of her apartment in Northwest D.C., according to court documents. A status hearing is scheduled for July 24, at 10:00 a.m. to determine if defense attorneys will challenge the latest mental observation report.
Stephanie Lawson was sentenced Friday to 33 months in prison for the stabbing death of her friend, Karen Jordan. Lawson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in February but was initially charged with first-degree murder. Prosecutors argued that Lawson stabbed Jordan in an argument over a $20 debt while she was at Jordan’s apartment playing cards. Before Lawson begins her sentence she’ll spend three weeks on high-intensity supervision while she finishes an externship program.
