Chavez Tyrek Myers | Homicide Watch DC

Six Sentenced in Connection With November 2012 Olijawon Griffin Murder

Clara Pak — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 21:12:11 -0500

Six young men were sentenced Friday to a combined total of more than 100 years in prison; they had all pleaded guilty to killing 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin inside a Northwest DC metro station after robbing him and his friend.

"This is a tragic illustration of what happens when people arm themselves and rob innocent people," Judge Ronna Beck said at sentencing. "Things go wrong and people die. Olijawon Griffin died trying to protect his best friend, Isaac Chase, who was being brutally attacked by these young men."

Griffin was fatally stabbed inside the Woodley Park Metro Station on November 17, 2012.

The sentences were distributed based on the role each man played in Griffin's death.

Chavez Myers was sentenced to 30 years in prison for first-degree felony murder, which was the maximum sentence under the plea agreement.

Immanuel Swann and Gary Maye were each sentenced to 19 years in prison for a voluntary manslaughter while armed charge and two counts of armed robbery.

Muquan Cawthorne, who at 16 at the time of Griffin's death was the youngest of the group, was sentenced to 17 years. Deon Jefferson was sentenced to 16 years and Greg Whittaker to 15. They were charged with voluntary manslaughter while armed.

According to a proffer of evidence in the case, witness testimonies and video footage from the scene, Myers was responsible for plunging the knife into Griffin's chest that killed him. The others repeatedly punched and kicked Griffin and Chase. Cawthorne carried Jefferson's gun for most of the night. Jefferson ended up with Griffin's jacket, but he did not beat Griffin and Chase as much as Maye or Cawthorne. Swann did not brandish a weapon that night, but on the video footage he is heard taunting Griffin after he was stabbed.

At sentencing, Prosecutor Justin Dillon showed footage taken from the scene of Griffin's beating death at Woodley Park metro station, identifying each defendant and his role in the death and robbery of Griffin.

The sentencing was emotional for family and friends of the men, who shared the courtroom benches with Griffin's family and friends. As Beck described how she came to each sentence, family members and friends groaned and wept, some abruptly leaving the courtroom.

Griffin, who was 18 when he was killed, was just weeks away from beginning college and playing Division III football. He worked at the National Institutes of Health as a security guard as well as part-time at Five Guys.

Speaking after the sentencing Friday, Griffin's mother, Lunette Griffin, said she was "very thankful" to see justice served.

"I'm very grateful," she said.

Isaiah Gant, also charged with Griffin's death, is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 20.

Sentencing documents are being added to this post.

Gary Maye Sentencing (PDF)Gary Maye Sentencing (Text)

Cawthorne, Muquan Sentencing Document (PDF)Cawthorne, Muquan Sentencing Document (Text)

Chavez Myers Moves Forward with Guilty Plea in Death of Olijawon Griffin

Clara Pak — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:39:18 -0500

Chavez Myers moved forward to sentencing Friday after affirming his guilty plea to first-degree murder while armed in connection with the November 2012 stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin.

Myers withdrew his motion to withdraw his guilty plea Friday. He pleaded guilty in September, but sought to withdraw the plea earlier this month.

Myers said he had had insufficient time to think about the plea and that his defense attorneys and family had persuaded him to agree to charges he said he did not commit.

On Friday, his new defense attorney said Myers would like to go forward with his original guilty plea and sentencing. The sentencing guidelines that both sides previously agreed remain unchanged. Under the plea agreement, Myers could face up to 30 years in prison for Griffin's death. Prosecutors, in exchange, dropped nine counts of conspiracy, robbery, and related weapons offenses against Myers.

Myers is one of nine suspects charged in connection with Griffin's murder. However, with the sole exception of Myers, all codefendants in the case pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. His codefendants told the government that on Nov. 17, 2012, it was Myers who snuck up on Griffin from behind and stabbed him in the chest with a knife, causing his death.

Myers is expected for sentencing on Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. with Judge Ronna Beck.

Chavez Myers Seeks to Withdraw Guilty Plea in Death of Olijawon Griffin

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:32:42 -0400

Chavez Myers, one of nine suspects charged with the 2012 stabbing death of 17-year-old Olijawon Griffin, is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea saying he wasn't given sufficient time to think about his decision and was persuaded by his defense attorneys to agree to charges he says he didn't commit.

Defense attorneys for Myers filed the motion to withdraw the guilty plea on Tuesday.

Myers, 17, entered the plea in September, days before the case was scheduled to go to trial. Court documents state that the day after he plead, Myers contacted his defense attorney's and told them he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea.

According to court documents, Myers sent a handwritten letter to Judge Ronna Beck on October 18 stating that he was "extremely nervous and scared" when he entered the plea. Myers' letter also states that he felt coerced by his attorneys to take the plea.

"When I asked to have more time to think about it I was told [Judge Beck] wouldn't allow it," the letter states. "This put me in a very uncomfortable position, which I believe caused me to make a enormous mistake."

The defense's motion states that Myers still contends he is innocent to the first-degree murder while armed charge he pleaded guilty to, and that he felt pressured by his attorneys and family members to accept the plea agreement.

Under the plea agreement, Myers would have faced up to 30 years in prison for Griffin's death. In exchange, prosecutors would have dropped nine counts of conspiracy, robbery, and related weapons offenses against Myers in the case.

Prosecutors allege that Myers, Greg Whittaker, Deon Jefferson, Muquan Cawthorne, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann and two unidentified juveniles robbed Griffin on the night of Nov. 16, 2012. When Griffin attempted to retrieve his belongings from the group he was stabbed and killed at the Woodley metro station, documents state.

All codefendants in the case pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, with the exception of Myers. In accepting their plea agreements, codefendants told the government that the day of the murder, Myers snuck up on Griffin from behind and stabbed Griffin in the chest with a knife, causing his death.

Judge Beck appointed Myers with new defense counsel Friday and set a status hearing for November 15.

Chavez Myers Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder In Death of Olijawon Griffin

Megan Arellano — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:41:55 -0400

Chavez Myers pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder while armed in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Emmanuel Griffin. In exchange, prosecutors will drop all remaining charges against Myers. At minimum, Myers will face 30 years in jail for the first-degree murder charge.

On November 17, 2012, police found Griffin inside the Woodley Park Metro Station suffering from a stab wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Nine teens were arrested and held in connection with Griffin’s death. Previously, Greg Whittaker, Deon Jefferson, Muquan Cawthorne, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann and two unidentified juveniles have entered plea agreements.

According to the proffer of facts, Myers and his codefendants planned to rob people of their iPhones and other valuables in the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams Morgan neighborhoods on the night of Nov. 16. Shortly after midnight, Myers and his co-defendants robbed Griffin of his Helly Hansen jacket, shoes, and hat after Griffin approached them to buy marijuana.

Documents state that after the robbery, the co-defendants went to the Woodley Park Metro station to return home. At station, Griffin and his friend, Issac Chase approached the co-defendants, trying to retrieve Griffin’s property.

When Chase approached the group, Swann, Cawthorne, Maye, Smith and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground, beat him, then robbed him of his wallet.

Plea documents state Swann, Jefferson, Maye, Myers, Whittaker and a juvenile then walked up to the mezzanine level, in response to Griffin’s repeated shouts to the co-defendants, telling them to fight him one-on-one. Myers and Whittaker briefly engaged with Mr. Griffin beyond the fare gates, at which point Myers brandished a knife at Griffin before retreating with Swann and the other defendants towards the platform level.

According to the documents, Whittaker, Swann and one of the unidentified juveniles chose to once again approach Mr. Griffin. As Whittaker and Griffin circled each other in an unarmed fist fight, Myers pulled a ski mask over his face and snuck up on Mr. Griffin, carrying a knife. From behind Griffin, Myers then reached out and stabbed Griffin in the chest with the knife.

Myers then ran back down to the platform, documents say. Two days later, Myers was arrested in connection with Griffin's death.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13.

Plea documents have been added to the bottom of this post. A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office is below:

Teenager Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder While Armed
In Slaying at Woodley Park Metro Station
Defendant Is Latest of Those Charged to Plead Guilty;
He Admits Stabbing 18-Year-Old Victim

WASHINGTON – Chavez Myers, 18, pled guilty today to a charge of first-degree murder while armed in the slaying of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin at the Woodley Park Metro station, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police.

Myers, of District Heights, Md., entered the plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a 30-year prison sentence for the crime. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled a hearing for Dec. 13, 2013. If she accepts the plea, she will sentence Myers at that time.

Myers, who was 17 at the time of the murder, is the latest defendant to plead guilty to charges in the murder and related crimes. The others include Muquan Cawthorne, 16, of Mount Ranier, Md.; Deon Jefferson, 18, of Landover, Md.; Gary Maye, 17, of Hyattsville, Md.; Immanuel Swann, 18, of Brentwood, Md., and Gary Whittaker, 20, of Hyattsville, Md. Cawthorne, Jefferson, Maye and Swann, like Myers, were under 18 at the time of the murder; the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained their indictments after deciding to prosecute them as adults.

Cawthorne pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, armed robbery, and a firearms offense. Jefferson pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed and armed robbery. Maye pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, armed robbery, and robbery. Swann pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed and two counts of armed robbery. Whittaker pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy, and a firearms offense. They have been in custody since their arrests last year and are to be sentenced on Dec. 13, 2013.

According to the government’s evidence, Myers and the other defendants were part of a group of nine people who conspired on Nov. 16, 2012 and Nov. 17, 2012 to commit robberies in the District of Columbia. Plans called for robbing people of their iPhones and other items of value. The group took a Metro train on the night of Nov. 16, 2012, from the West Hyattsville, Md. station to the Gallery Place/Chinatown station in Northwest Washington. From there, they took another train to the Woodley Park Metro station to begin their crimes. Within a matter of hours, Mr. Griffin would become a victim of the group twice: once, during a robbery in the Adams Morgan area, and finally, the attack at the Metro Station that ended with his death.

“In an act of pure cowardice, 17-year-old Chavez Myers snuck up behind Olijawon Griffin as he was fighting off three of Myers’s associates and stabbed him in the heart inside the Woodley Park Metro station,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Today Myers pled guilty to first-degree murder for his crime, and five others have also recently accepted responsibility for their roles in this brutal act of violence and the armed robberies that preceded it. We hope this prosecution sends an unambiguous message to young people tempted to join their friends to carry out robberies and other acts of violence in our city: think before you act because you will be prosecuted as an adult and held responsible for the destruction your actions bring to the lives of others.”

“This was a senseless crime, in which a young man lost his life at the hands of a group of thugs who were determined to rob and steal personal items from unsuspecting victims,” said Police Chief Lanier. “The Metropolitan Police Department and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate this in our city, and these criminals will be held accountable for their actions.”

“Thanks to our strong partnership with Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, we were able to ensure that the suspects were apprehended and would face justice,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Pavlik. “In this case, quick response and state-of-the-art digital evidence served the community well.”

According to the government’s evidence, after leaving the Metro station, Myers and the others in the group crossed the Duke Ellington Bridge to the Adams Morgan area to find targets.

The group decided to target Mr. Griffin shortly after midnight, early Nov. 17, 2012, attacking him near a gas station in the 1800 block of Adams Mill Road NW. Mr. Griffin was robbed of his Helly Hansen coat, hat, and iPhone. The nine assailants then walked back toward the Woodley Park Metro station, intending to take a train back to West Hyattsville.

Mr. Griffin and his two companions arrived at the Metro station shortly after the assailants. They approached the assailants in an attempt to get Mr. Griffin’s property back. According to the government’s evidence, the various assailants repeatedly punched, kicked and stomped one of Mr. Griffin’s companions while he was lying prone and defenseless on the floor of the station platform. Once this friend rose to his feet, the group again took him to the ground and repeatedly punched, kicked and stomped him.

Shortly after the attack on the friend ended, Myers went up to the mezzanine level of the station, where the kiosk and fare machines are located. Jefferson, Maye, Whittaker and Swann were among those who also went to the mezzanine level. Mr. Griffin had been attempting to draw the defendants to that level in an effort to get them away from his injured friend. As the confrontation continued, Myers came up from behind Mr. Griffin and stabbed Mr. Griffin, who was unarmed, once in the heart. Mr. Griffin died a short time later.

In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen, Chief Lanier and Chief Pavlik commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, including Deputy Attorney General Andrew Fois; Jennifer White, Chief of the Juvenile Section; Barbara Chesser and Linda Monroe, Assistant Chiefs of the Juvenile Section; Assistant Attorney General Marybeth Manfreda, and former Assistant Attorney General Anthony Crispino. The District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General handled the part of this case that involved charges against some of the juveniles who were apprehended after the attack.

U.S. Attorney Machen, Chief Lanier and Chief Pavlik also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews, Kwasi Fields, and Ethel Noble; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, Will Henderson, and Paul Howell; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and former interns Ryan Lipes, Flynn Burke, and Lauren Sparks.

Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Dillon, Kathleen A. Connolly, and Kevin F. Flynn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Seventh Suspect, Greg Whittaker, Pleads Guilty in Death of Olijawon Griffin at Woodley Park Metro Station

Megan Arellano — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:23:15 -0400

Greg Whittaker pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter while armed, conspiracy to commit robbery and two related weapons charges in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Emmanuel Griffin. In exchange, prosecutors dropped initial charges, including felony murder, assault and armed robbery.

On November 17, 2012, police found Griffin inside the Woodley Park Metro Station suffering from a stab wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Whittaker was one of nine young people arrested and held in connection with Griffin's death. He is the seventh suspect to plead guilty: Previously, Deon Jefferson, Muquan Cawthorne, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann and two unidentified juveniles have entered plea agreements.

According to Whittaker's plea agreement, he and his codefendants planned to rob people of their iPhones and other valuables in the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams Morgan neighborhoods on the night of Nov. 16. Shortly after midnight, Whittaker and his co-defendants robbed Griffin of his Helly Hansen jacket, shoes, and hat after Griffin approached them to buy marijuana.

When Chase approached the group, Swann, Cawthorne, Maye, Smith and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground, beat him, then robbed him of his wallet. Whittaker raised his fists to Griffin, in order to keep Griffin from helping his friend, documents say.

Plea documents state Swann, Jefferson, Maye, Myers, Whittaker and a juvenile then walked up to the mezzanine level where Griffin and Whittaker began to fight. Documents state the men exchanged one punch each before Meyers, who wore a black ski mask, snuck up on Griffin and stabbed him once in the chest.

Then Whittaker saw the knife fall to the ground and heard one of the juvenile co-defendants shout, "Hey, pick that knife up, cuz!" according to the documents. After that, Whittaker took the knife took the knife and hid it on the platform level.

When the police arrived that night, documents say Whittaker gave a fake name and address to avoid arrest. He would not be arrested until March 5, 2013.

A trial is expected to begin Wednesday for the two remaining co-defendants, Isaiah Gant and Chavez Tyrek Myers.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13.

Immanuel Swann Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Mansluaghter for Olijawon Griffin Death

Ivan Natividad — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 13:32:23 -0400

Immanuel Swann pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, and two counts of armed robbery Thursday in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Emmanuel Griffin. Prosecutors dropped initial charges of felony murder, conspiracy and assault.

Swann is the sixth person to plead guilty in this case, and the second this week. A trial is expected to begin Monday for the three remaining co-defendants.

Police found Griffin on November 17, 2012 around 1:20 am inside the Woodley Park Metro Station suffering from a stab wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Prosecutors claim Griffin was the victim of a robbery, and was murdered while attempting to retrieve his belongings from the young men who allegedly robbed him.

Nine suspects were arrested and held in connection with Griffin's death, which included Swann and codefendants Muquan Cawthorne, Deon Jefferson, Isaiah Gant, Gary Maye, Greg Whittaker and Chavez Tyrek Myers.

In March, two unidentified juveniles pleaded guilty in the case, and within the last two months Jefferson, Maye and Cawthorne have pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, armed robbery and related weapons offenses. Swann is the sixth suspect to plead guilty.

According to Swann’s plea agreement, shortly after midnight on the day Griffin was murdered, he, Jefferson, Gant, Maye, Myers, Cawthorne, Whittaker and two juveniles had planned to commit robberies around the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams-Morgan neighborhoods.

Documents state Swann and his group of friends robbed Griffin of his Helly Hansen jacket after Griffin approached them to buy marijuana. After the robbery, the group walked to the Woodley Park Metro station. Griffin and his friend, Issac Chase, followed the group to get his jacket back, documents state.

When Chase approached the group, Swann, Cawthorne, Maye, Smith and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground, beat him, then robbed him of his wallet.

Swann then shouted out “Bitch, we don’t play!… Say word!” which Swann described in court Thursday to be a term he used among his friends to "gloat for what we just did."

Myers, Gant and Whittaker are scheduled to stand trial on September 23. Swann is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13.

Plea documents have been added to this post.

Swann, Immanuel Plea Documents Sept 2013 (PDF)Swann, Immanuel Plea Documents Sept 2013 (Text)

Gary Maye Pleads Guilty in Connection with Olijawon Griffin Murder

Clara Pak — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 09:38:15 -0400

Gary Maye pleaded guilty Tuesday in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin at the Woodley Park Metro Station in Nov. 2012.

Indicted on felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy, and other charges, Maye reached a plea deal with the government on charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and armed robbery.

Maye was one of nine young people suspected in the attack on Griffin. Five of them have now pleaded guilty, including two unidentified juveniles, and Deon Jefferson and Muquan Cawthorne.

Isaiah Gant, Immanuel Swann, Greg Whittaker and Chavez Tyrek Myers are awaiting trial, expected to begin Monday.

According to Maye’s plea agreement, he and his codefendants planned to rob people of their iPhones and other personal items in the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams Morgan neighborhoods on the night of Nov. 16. They settled on Griffin as a target because they wanted his Helly Hansen jacket, court documents state.

Maye pointed the gun at Griffin while Jefferson took his jacket and others took additional belongings, according to the government's proffer of facts.

Later, at the Woodley Park Metro station, Griffin and a friend tried to recover Griffin’s belongings. Griffin was killed in that encounter, the proffer states.

Maye identifies the person seen on video footage of the encounter who snuck up behind Griffin and stabbed him once in the chest as Myers.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13.

Muquan Cawthorne Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter for Olijawon Griffin Death

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 14:07:48 -0400

Muquan Cawthorne pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, armed robbery and a related weapons offense Friday in connection with the stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Emmanuel Griffin. Prosecutors dropped initial charges of felony murder, conspiracy and assault.

Police found Griffin on November 17, 2012 around 1:20 am inside the Woodley Park Metro Station suffering from an apparent stab wound; a second male victim was also found beaten at the crime scene. Griffin was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Initial investigations revealed that Griffin was the victim of a robbery on the 1800 block of Columbia Road Northwest. The day of the murder police detained nine young men suspected to be involved in the robbery and Griffin's death. A grand jury indicted seven teens in the case: Cawthorne, Deon Jefferson, Isaiah Gant, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann, Greg Whittaker and Chavez Tyrek Myers.

In March, two unidentified juveniles pled guilty in connection with the case, and last month Jefferson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and armed robbery. Cawthorne is the fourth suspect in the case to plead guilty.

According to Cawthorne's plea agreement, shortly after midnight on the day Griffin was murdered, he, Jefferson, Gant, Maye, Myers, Swann, Whittaker and two juveniles had planned to commit robberies around the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams-Morgan neighborhoods.

Documents state Griffin approached Cawthorne and his friends at a McDonald’s on 18th Street Northwest and asked if they had marijuana to sell. One in the group said “yes,” and Griffin briefly stepped into the restaurant. While Griffin was inside, Cawthorne and the group discussed robbing him of his Helly Hansen jacket.

When Griffin came back outside, he walked with Cawthorne, Jefferson and Maye to Lanier Place Northwest. Cawthorne, who had been carrying a loaded semiautomatic pistol most of the night, handed the weapon to Maye and the group robbed Griffin at gun point.

Cawthorne and his friends then walked to the Woodley Park Metro station; Griffin and his friend Issac Chase arrived shortly after, to confront the group about the robbery.

Documents state that when Chase approached the group, Cawthorne asked Jefferson if he should shoot him. Jefferson said “no,” and then Cawthorne, Maye, Smith, Swann and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground and began punching, kicking and stomping him. Meanwhile, Gant, Jefferson, Myers and Whittaker moved toward Griffin to keep him from helping Chase.

After Chase managed to get up, he stumbled toward the Metro escalators. As the group jumped him again, Cawthorne stole money from his wallet, documents state.

Plea documents state Cawthorne then remained on the platform level of the station, while several of his codefendants went upstairs one level to the mezzanine. Although Cawthorne did not see what happened next, he later watched Metro security footage of the events.

When viewing the footage, Cawthorne said he saw Griffin and Whittaker square off in fighting positions. In the footage Cawthorne said he saw the two men exchange one punch each before Meyers, who wore a black ski mask, snuck up on Griffin, stabbing him once in the chest, plea documents state.

Cawthorne then heard Swann shout out “Bitch, we don’t play!... Say a word!” which Cawthorne understood to be slang for “Don’t tell anyone what just happened.”

Gant, Maye, Myers, Swann and Whittaker are scheduled to stand trial on September 23.

Cawthorne could be sentenced to as many as 65 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 13.

Plea documents have been added to this post

Cawthorne Plea Offer (PDF)Cawthorne Plea Offer (Text)

Proffer of Facts.

Cawthorne Factual Proffer (PDF)Cawthorne Factual Proffer (Text)

Deon Jefferson Pleads Guilty in Connection with Olijawon Griffin Murder

Penny Ray — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:43:56 -0400

Deon Jefferson pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter and armed robbery in connection with the 2012 stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin. Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced December 13.

Griffin was stabbed and killed in the Woodley Park Metro station Nov. 17, 2012. A grand jury has indicted seven teens in the case: Jefferson, Muquan Cawthorne, Isaiah Gant, Gary Maye, Immanuel Swann, Greg Whittaker and Chavez Tyrek Myers. Two unidentified juveniles pled guilty in connection with the case in March.

According to Jefferson's plea agreement, shortly after midnight on Nov. 17, he, Cawthorne, Gant, Maye, Myers, Swann, Whittaker and two juveniles had planned to commit robberies around the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Adams-Morgan neighborhoods.

Documents say Griffin approached Jefferson and his friends at a McDonald's on 18th Street Northwest and asked if they had marijuana to sell. One in the group said “yes,” and Griffin briefly stepped into the restaurant. While Griffin was inside, Jefferson and the group discussed robbing him of his Helly Hansen jacket.

When Griffin came back outside, he, Maye, Jefferson and Cawthorne walked to Lanier Place Northwest. There the group robbed him at gun point.

Jefferson and friends then walked to the Woodley Park Metro station; Griffin and his friend Issac Chase arrived shortly after.

Documents say that as Chase approached the group, Cawthorne asked Jefferson if he should shoot him. Jefferson said “no,” and then Cawthorne, Maye, Smith, Swann and the two juveniles threw Chase to the ground and began punching, kicking and stomping him. Meanwhile, Gant, Jefferson, Myers and Whittaker moved toward Griffin to keep him from helping Chase.

Chase managed to get up and stumble toward the escalators, documents say, but the group jumped him again.

Plea documents say Jefferson, Maye, Myers, Swann, Whittaker and a juvenile then walked up to the mezzanine level where Griffin and Whittaker squared up in fighting positions. Documents say the men exchanged one punch each before a man in a black ski mask snuck up on Griffin and stabbed him once in the chest.

Court documents say Jefferson identified the masked man to police as Myers.

Cawthorne, Gant, Maye, Myers, Swann and Whittaker are due in court next week for a trial readiness hearing. They are scheduled to stand trial in September.

Jefferson's plea agreement is below.

Substantial Probability Found in Case Against Chavez Myers

Jonah Newman — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:11:34 -0500

Judge Ronna Beck found substantial probability Tuesday in the case against Chavez Myers, the 17-year-old who is suspected of stabbing and killing Olijawon Griffin inside the Woodley Park metro station Nov. 17.

The judge also found probable cause in the cases against three other teens who have been charged for their alleged role in the armed robbery and fight that preceded the fatal stabbing. Four other teens have been charged as juveniles in the robbery and assault.

At the hearing, prosecutors indicated that other homicide charges might be forthcoming, perhaps against some of the four men who are currently charged only in the armed robbery.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Flynn used the word “premeditated” to describe Chavez’ actions at least three times, and he suggested that he would ask a grand jury to indict Chavez on first-degree murder charges. Currently, Chavez is charged with second-degree murder.

According to charging documents, Myers was with a group of about a dozen black males at the McDonald’s in the 2400 block of 18th Street Northwest, when they came across Griffin, who was there with two others, shortly after midnight Saturday. Prosecutors say Chavez and others robbed Griffin of a jacket and a phone. Later that night, the two groups encountered one another inside the Metro. Griffin and his two friends then walked toward the Metro station, where they came across the same teenagers who had robbed him. They descended to the train platform and Griffin demanded his jacket back, at which point a fight broke out.

“Mr. Myers’ only intention was to take a fair fight and turn it into an grievous, tragic, fatally unfair fight,” Flynn said.

In an interview with detectives, Myers said he stabbed Griffin in self-defense.

During the preliminary hearing for Myers and three of the other teenagers, which lasted more than 12 hours and stretched over three days, prosecutors showed two video clips from surveillance cameras inside the Metro station on the morning that Griffin was killed.

The first clip showed Griffin and the two friends he was with descending the escalator to the station platform and approaching a group of the young men who had robbed him about 20 minutes earlier near an Exxon gas station in Adams Morgan. The video was shown only to the defendants, the lawyers and the judge to protect the identities of the juveniles who were involved.

According to detectives, the video then shows the men kicking, punching and stomping on Griffin’s friend, Isaac Chase.

MPD Detective Robert Arrington Jr. testified that he doesn’t believe that Griffin sought out the men who robbed him, but that Griffin, Griffin's cousin and Chase happened upon them coincidentally in the Metro station and then Griffin approached the men to retrieve the items that had been taken from him.

The second video clip, only 15-seconds long, shows Griffin, now on the station’s mezzanine level, imploring several young men to fight him one-on-one.

“Come see me on the one,” Griffin can be heard saying.

According to prosecutors, Griffin began to square off against a man in a white T-shirt, who has still not been identified. Myers then approached Griffin from behind and, as Griffin turned towards him at the last second, he stabbed him once. The knife entered three inches above Griffin’s left nipple and punctured his heart.

“This decedent died a hero,” Flynn said of Griffin. “He was attempting to draw the people away who were assaulting his friend.”

Myers’ attorney, Janet Mitchell, argued that Myers, who admitted to having stabbed Griffin during an interview with police after his arrest, was acting in self-defense. According to one of the witnesses, Griffin was seen with a knife at the sight of the armed robbery.

Detective Arrington however testified that there was "no credible evidence" that Griffin was armed.

Beck ordered Myers held pending a grand jury investigation, saying that there were no conditions she could place on his release that would ensure the safety of the community.

Myers and the other defendants will appear again in court on Jan. 2 at 9:30 a.m. for a felony status hearing before Judge Beck.

Penny Ray contributed reporting.

Comment of the Day: "They should charge all of these guys as Adults"

Jonah Newman — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:47:39 -0500

This Comment of the Day comes from a reader, who weighs in on the decision to charge 17-year-old Chavez Tyrek Myers as an adult in the stabbing death of Olijawon Griffin:

They should charge all of these guys as Adults.They aren't kids,they knew what they were doing.I believe a eye for eye,tooth for a tooth.Olijawon didn't get ask if he wanted to be stab and be killed.SO these boys shouldn't have a say so ab out anything.Trial them as Adults and put them jail and throw away the key.R.I.P. Olijawon

The Washington Post reported yesterday that four other teens who were initially charged as juveniles will now be charged as adults with armed robbery in the incident that apparently led to Griffin's death.

WUSA also has a story, which names the four teens, who are all 17 years old.

Four additional teenagers, two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-olds, are being charged as juveniles in the robbery and the subsequent fight in the Woodley Park Metro station during which Griffin was stabbed, the Post reports.

Chavez Myers Charged with Murder in Fatal Stabbing of Olijawon Griffin

Jonah Newman — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 21:03:49 -0500

Chavez Tyrek Myers, 17, was charged with second-degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in the early Saturday morning brawl in the Woodley Park Metro station that left Olijawon Griffin dead and another teenager with a broken nose.

Myers will be prosecuted as an adult. Eight other teens were charged as juveniles Monday for their alleged roles in the armed robbery and melee.

Judge Diana Harris Epps ordered Myers held in D.C. jail, despite his attorney's claim that he is a college-bound student with decent grades who lives with his parents in District Heights, Md., and has never before been in trouble with the law.

"His college applications are half-filled out on his dining room table," the attorney, Janet Mitchell, said in court.

Myers, a slim black teenager with a short afro, appeared wearing a royal blue polo shirt and khaki pants. He is a student at Cruz Vocational School, Mitchell said.

"If we're hanging our hat on the fact that someone has said he's a student, that's not a very strong thing to hang one's hat on," Harris-Epps said. "He could be registered and never go, for all we know."

According to charging documents, Myers was with a group of about a dozen black males at the McDonald's in the 2400 block of 18th Street Northwest, when they came across Griffin, who was there with two others, shortly after midnight Saturday.

A witness told police that Griffin left with the young men to see if he could buy some marijuana from them. When they walked into a nearby alley, the men apparently robbed him at gunpoint, taking his black Helly Hansen jacket and iPhone.

Griffin and his two friends then walked toward the Metro station, where they came across the same teenagers who had robbed him. They descended to the train platform and Griffin demanded his jacket back, at which point a fight broke out.

According to the charging documents, security camera footage shows Myers run up to Griffin, who was engaged in a fist fight with another person, and stab him once in the chest, before running away.

Myers told detectives during an interview after the incident that he stabbed Griffin, but claimed it was in self-defense. He also admitted to kicking and punching Isaac Chase, one of the young men who was with Griffin, during the fight. Chase was taken to a local hospital after the incident with a broken nose.

Myers is scheduled to appear again in court on Nov. 30 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Ronna Beck.

A candlelight vigil was planned for 7:30 p.m. Monday near Griffin’s home in Olney, Md.

Charging documents are posted below: