Carl Purvis | Homicide Watch DC

Motley Hesitatingly Sentences Timothy Foreman and Carl Purvis to 13 Years Incarceration

Laura Amico — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:28:00 -0400

It would have been a first-degree murder case, except that the victim, when he was shot, had a gun and a criminal history. And the defendants, both handicapped, were older than your average murder suspect.

Those facts before a jury might not have led to acquittal, but they would likely have led a jury to find a much lesser crime than first-degree murder; a crime like manslaughter, Prosecutor Todd Gee said today, explaining the government's plea agreement with Timothy Foreman and Carl Purvis.

Foreman and Purvis appeared separately before Judge Thomas Motley today for sentencing. Not on murder, but on manslaughter. Their plea agreements with the government outlined a period of incarceration of nine to thirteen years. But first Gee had to convince Motley that even 13 years was a significant enough period of time to compensate for fatally shooting Gregory Joyner.

"I couldn't agree with the court more, this is an unusual case," said Gee. "The defendants effectively gunned the decedent down over an argument."

According to sentencing documents in the case, Purvis and Foreman have agreed with the government that:

A few days prior to November 15. 2011, Gregory Joyner... robbed Darryl Purvis, the brother of Carl Purvis, and took several items. As a result, on Novemher 15, at approximately 9:15 Carl Purvis and Timothy Foreman, who are long-time friends, were walking in the rear of 243 Street SW in Washington, D.C., where they encountered [Gregory Joyner]. After an exchange of words, Carl Purvis and Timothy Foreman each used semi-automatic firearms to shoot [Joyner] multiple times. [Joyner] was armed with a handgun at the time of his death, although he did not pull it out or otherwise threaten the defendants with it... [Joyner] died on November 15, 2010 as a result of gunshot wounds.

Both Purvis, 46, and Foreman, 36, are handicapped; Purvis uses a wheelchair and Foreman walks with the aid of a cane.

Joyner was 28-years-old when he was killed and is survived by a 14-year-old child.

Joyner's family was at D.C. Superior Court Friday for the sentencing, but declined to speak before the court. As Gee described Joyner's killing, one woman ran sobbing from the courtroom, only to return a few moments later to witness the end of the hearing.

"There's no number [of years of incarceration] that's ever going to bring him back," Gee told Motley of Joyner.

But, he said of the manslaughter plea and alluding to Joyner's criminal history and carrying of a weapon, "the case certainly had issues."

With noticeable hesitation, Motley accepted the sentencing guidelines in the plea agreement. To the full but silent courtroom he asked:

"The punishment for taking a human life. What should that be?"

Foreman, a few moments later, quietly answered:

"I really don't know, Your Honor."

Motley imposed on each man a sentence of 13 years.

Guilty Pleas in Murder of Gregory Joyner

Laura Amico — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:00:45 -0400

Two men, one wheelchair bound, one who walks with the aid of a cane, pleaded guilty this morning to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the death of 28-year-old Gregory Joyner in Southwest DC last November.

The defendants, Carl Purvis and Timothy Foreman, both told Judge Thomas Motley that they each were armed the night of Nov. 15 and that they each shot Joyner possibly more than once.

Prosecutors had sought a first degree murder against both men, alleging in charging documents that Purvis and Foreman were upset that Joyner had robbed Purvis' brother. When Joyner approached the men seeking to purchase marijuana, they shot at him and continued to shoot at him after he fell to the ground.

In court Friday, prosecutors said Purvis and Foreman are longtime friends who, when they encountered Joyner that night, shot him after an "exchange of words."

"It was a heated discussion and it just really got out of hand," Foreman explained to the court. "I remember pulling out the gun and shooting him. It's possible I shot him more than once."

Purvis, who was armed with a semi-automatic .45 pistol on the night Joyner was killed, said simply, "I shot the decedent."

When Motley asked him why, Purvis responded, "on account of problems."

Prosecutors agreed to seek a penalty of nine to thirteen years of incarceration for the voluntary manslaughter while armed guilty pleas in the cases. Motley, however, could still choose to sentence the men to the maximum penalty for the charges: 35 years incarceration and five years probation.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 26 at 10:30 a.m.

Probable Cause Found in Cases Against Carl Purvis and Timothy Foreman

Laura Amico — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:21:48 -0500

A D.C. Superior Court Judge ruled Monday that there is probable cause to believe that two physically disabled men shot and killed Gregory Joyner in Southwest D.C. Nov. 15.

Defendants Carl Purvis and Timothy Foreman appeared before Judge Ann Keary today for a preliminary hearing that lasted for more than four hours and brought into question the reliability of all of the four witnesses' accounts used in the government's affidavits in support of arrest warrants for the men.

One witness, defense attorneys for Purvis and Foreman each argued, was not an eye-witness to the shooting itself. Another left out key details of its involvement in the events when interviewed by police. A third recanted its identification of one of the suspects and a fourth did not identify the suspects at all.

One of the witnesses described Foreman "running" from the scene; Foreman has a bone condition, walks with a cane, and was scheduled for surgery at the time of the shooting, his attorney said.

A government prosecutor argued that key parts of each of the witnesses' testimony corroborated the testimony of others. In her ruling, Keary agreed saying that probable cause exists and declining the defense attorneys efforts to release the men on medical grounds. Both men are struggling with pain management and care while in custody: Foreman because of the bone condition and Purvis is wheelchair bound because of an injury suffered in a shooting.

Keary asked the men's attorneys to work with jail staff to facilitate their treatment while in custody.

A felony status conference was set for Jan. 21, 2011.

Read the charging documents against Carl Purvis here and Timothy Foreman here.

Charging documents in death of Gregory Joyner

Laura Amico — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:51:57 -0500

Charging documents against Timothy Howard Foreman, the second suspect charged in the death of Gregory Joyner, were available today at D.C. Superior Court.

Foreman, a 35-year-old D.C. man, was arrested Dec. 2. Joyner was shot to death in the 200 block of K Street SW on Nov. 15.

The complaint against Foreman is the same as the complaint against co-defendant Carl Purvis. It alleges that both men fired guns at Joyner, then continued to shoot at him after he fell to the ground injured.

According to court documents, Foreman is single, unemployed and has no assets. He is being represented in the case by attorney Steven Polin. Foreman is next due in court Monday, Dec. 13 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.

Timothy Foreman Charged in Gregory Joyner's Death

Laura Amico — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:20:13 -0500

Timothy Howard Foreman was charged today with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Gregory Joyner. Foreman was arrested Thursday afternoon in the 100 block of Irving Street NW.

From Metro PD's arrest logs:

ARREST# : 091000587
DT-TM: 02-DEC-10 - 1405
LOCATION: 100 BLK OF IRVING ST NW - PSA: 501
OFFENDER: FOREMAN, T
SEX: M
OFFENSE: MURDER - FIRST DEGREE
TYPE: FELONY
OFFICER: A DUNCAN

Foreman is next due in court Monday, Dec. 13 at nine a.m. for a preliminary hearing in courtroom 215. He is represented by attorney Steven Polin. Carl Purvis is also charged in the case.

Two Men are Suspects in Shooting Death of Gregory Joyner

Laura Amico — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:51:22 -0500

Murder defendant Carl Purvis in a Facebook photo added Nov. 14

A wheelchair-bound Capitol Heights man is facing first degree murder charges in the shooting death of a D.C. resident who allegedly approached him seeking to purchase marijuana.

Carl Edward Purvis, 46, was charged Nov. 23 with the deadly Nov. 15 shooting. A second man named in the complaint and for whom Metro Police detectives sought an arrest warrant, has not been charged and is not currently in custody, according to D.C. Superior Court and VINElink detention records. A Metro Police Spokeswoman has not returned a request for comment on that man's status.

The complaint against Purvis relies on the accounts of four witnesses, three of whom described Purvis and another man in a walkway near 243 K Street SW. One witness told police both men shot Gregory Joyner, then continued to fire at him after he fell to the ground. In the complaint, the witness said it

observed [Purvis] partially rise from his wheel chair and fire several shots into [Joyner] as he lay on the ground. [Witness 2] also saw [the second suspect] fire at [Joyner] while [Joyner] was still standing and also saw [him] fire at [Joyner] after [Joyner] had fallen.

Gregory Joyner was found by Metro Police responding to the 200 block of K Street SW for a report of gunshots. He had been shot multiple times with wounds to his head and body, according to the complaint. He was transported to a local hospital and declared dead.

According to the same witness, in a conversation the day before the shooting Joyner said he had robbed Purvis' brother the evening of Nov. 13. Another witness said Joyner asked the men if they had any weed. When Purvis answered "yeah," Joyner walked towards them. According to the complaint:

As [Joyner] got within close proximity of the two subjects, the subject in the wheelchair leaned over as if he was retrieving something. The subject in the wheelchair then produced a handgun and shot [Joyner]."

Purvis is expected in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 13 at 9:30 a.m. According to records, the second suspect has not been charged.

According to the complaint, at least one witness identified Purvis and the second suspect using photos from their Facebook profiles.

Gregory Joyner

Laura Amico — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:47:02 -0500

Metro Police found Gregory Joyner in the 200 block of K Street, SW with a gunshot wound on Monday, Nov. 15. The 28-year-old man was taken to a local hospital and died that night, Metro Police reported. Carl Purvis, a 45-year-old resident of Capitol Heights, Md. has been charged with murder for Joyner's death. He was arrested Nov. 22.

In an undated online profile, Joyner said he was a D.C. resident at that time incarcerated in Bennettsville, S.C. for robbery.

I'm young, ambitious, spontaneous and intelligent with a slim muscled defined body in great shape. I have a good outgoing personality. I am passionate about almost everything I do.

I like to travel, workout, listen to music, visit amusements parks and read books. I love eating out and a woman that loves to smile. Due to a cruel twist of fate, I am currently incarcerated and lonely. I have learned from my mistakes and have done what it takes to change my life and prepare for a better future. I'm interested in finding the right someone who I can enjoy a good conversation with and get some mental stimulation from. I'm looking for a friendship with the option to go further if the opportunity so presents itself.

Joyner also had a MySpace account.

A Facebook memorial posting says a funeral may be held Nov. 30.

Read Washington Post coverage here and TBD coverage here.

Arrest made in K Street Killing

Laura Amico — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:24:08 -0500

This just in from Metro PD:

Contact: Officer Tisha Gant (202) 727-4383

November 22, 2010
ARREST MADE IN THE HOMICIDE OF GREGORY JOYNER

( Washington , DC ) Detectives assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced today that an arrest has been made in the homicide of 28 year-old Gregory Joyner.

On Monday, November 15, 2010, at approximately 9:15 pm, units from the First District responded to the 200 block of K Street, SW , to investigate the report of sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival they located a victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and transported the victim to a local area hospital where the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

On Monday, November 22, 2010, members of the Central Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 45 year old Carl Purvis of Capitol Heights , MD , and charged him with Murder One while Armed in the shooting death of Gregory Joyner.