James Cornelius Robinson | Homicide Watch DC

James Robinson Indicted on Premeditated First-Degree Murder for Jason Alexander Shooting

Amelia Rufer — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 15:43:03 -0400

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.

A witness told police that Robinson said that he shot Murphy "at least 17 times" and robbed him. Documents say Murphy was found with a cell phone and $1,000 in cash in his pockets.

According to charging documents, another witness heard 26 gunshots the night Murphy was killed and saw three black men standing around the area where the body was later discovered.

Police found Murphy suffering from gunshot wounds on the 1300 block of Savannah Street Southeast. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

A status hearing is set for Oct. 15 before Judge Jennifer Anderson.

A copy of Robinson's indictment is below.

Probable Cause Found in Case Against James Cornelius Robinson

Megan Arellano — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:17:12 -0500

Judge Jennifer Anderson found probable cause Friday in the case against James Cornelius Robinson, who is accused of fatally shooting 30-year-old Jason Alexander Murphy in August 2013.

Murphy was found shot in the 1300 block of Savannah Street, Southeast early in the morning on August 31.

Charging documents in the case say a witness told police that they had heard about 26 gunshots the night Murphy was killed and saw three black men standing around where Murphy’s body was later found. The witness later identified Robinson's photo as “Jim Bob,” along with Marquette Gaskins's photo and Dalonte Harrison's photo. Court records do not show that Gaskins or Harrison face charges related to Murphy’s death.

A second witness with pending criminal matters in other jurisdictions spoke with DC police and said Robinson told him about shooting Murphy “at least seventeen times,” according to arrest documents.

Metropolitan Police Detective Marvin Washington testified Friday that Murphy was found with a cell phone, $1000 cash in his pants pocket and a gun in his waistband. Washington said that Murphy did not appear to have been robbed before he was killed.

David Maxted, Robinson's defense attorney, said there was no physical evidence to connect Robinson to the murder. He said that the time between the sound of gunshots and the first witnesses' observations gave time for the "actual shooters" to escape.

The case is scheduled for a felony status conference at 9:30 a.m. on March 19.

In Police Interview, James Robinson Denies Involvement in Shooting Death of Jason Murphy

Laura Amico — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 11:49:47 -0500

James Cornelius Robinson, a 19-year-old Suitland, Maryland man who was arrested over the weekend in connection with the August shooting death of Jason Alexander Murphy, told police in October that he didn't shoot Murphy.

But an interview last month with one of his friends who is facing charges of his own prompted police to issue an arrest warrant charging Robinson in the case.

Robinson appeared at DC Superior Court on the second-degree murder charge Saturday. At that appearance he was ordered held pending a preliminary hearing.

According to charging documents in the case, Robinson became a suspect when a witness told police that they had heard about 26 gunshots the night Murphy was killed and had seen three black men standing around where Murphy's body was later found. The witness identified those people as Robinson, known as "Jim Bob," Marquette Gaskins, known as "Fat Cat," and Dalonte Harrison.

Neither Gaskins nor Harrison appears to be in custody in DC or have charges related to Murphy's death.

Police asked Robinson about Murphy's death after Robinson was arrested for unlawful entry. Robinson said he, Gaskins and Harrison were in the alley where Murphy was shot that night, but that there were other people there too and he didn't shoot Murphy or see anyone else shoot Murphy.

Late last month, a person with outstanding criminal matters in other jurisdictions spoke with DC police and told them that Robinson had spoken about killing Murphy, saying that he shot him "at least seventeen times" and robbed him.

Murphy was found with a cell phone next to him and a gun and $1,000 in cash in his pockets.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled in the case for January 7.

Charging documents are below.

james robinson charging docs (PDF)james robinson charging docs (Text)

James Cornelius Robinson Arrested in Aug. Shooting Death of Jason Alexander Murphy

Laura Amico — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 18:56:30 -0500

A 19-year-old Suitland, Maryland man was arrested early Saturday morning in connection with the August shooting death of Jason Alexander Murphy.

The suspect, identified by police as James Cornelius Robinson is suspected of second-degree murder while armed.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.

December 14, 2013

Arrest Made in Homicide: Rear of the 1300 Block of Savannah Street, Southeast

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest has been made in the shooting which occurred in the rear of the 1300 block of Savannah Street, Southeast.

On Saturday, August 31, 2013 at approximately 2:29 am, patrol officers from the Seventh District responded to the rear of the 1300 block of Savannah Street, Southeast for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located an unconscious adult male suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and transported the victim to a local hospital where he was pronounced.

The decedent is identified as 30 year-old Jason Alexander Murphy of New Carrollton, Maryland.

On Saturday, December 14, 2013, at approximately 5:30 am, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the Capitol Are Regional Fugitive Task Force, and members from the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Special Operations Division arrested, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, 19 year-old James Cornelius Robinson of Suitland, Maryland, charging him with Murder II While Armed in connection to the shooting death of Jason Alexander Murphy.

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