Joseph Chandler | Homicide Watch DC

Joseph Chandler Withdraws Insanity Defense

Imari Williams — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:40:22 -0400

Joseph Chandler will not move forward with an insanity defense, his attorney told a judge in a mental observation hearing Friday.

Chandler is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Shirley Tucker.

On Dec.6, 2012, police found Tucker with five gunshot wounds to her left arm pit, upper right back, left side and left arm. A bullet was also retrieved from Tucker's right chest cavity, according to court documents.

Tucker later died at a local hospital.

Chandler, 73, initially asserted an insanity defense and was held at St. Elizabeths hospital for a mental observation.

Doctors at St. Elizabeths concluded that Chandler was competent to stand trial, according to Judge Jennifer Anderson, and he was released today.

Chandler's trial is scheduled to begin March 16, 2015.

Joseph Chandler Ordered Held for Mental Observation

Kristian Hernandez — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 08:23:20 -0400

During a status hearing Friday, Joseph Chandler was ordered by Judge Jennifer Anderson to report to St. Elizabeths Hospital for a 30 day observation.

Defense attorney Katerina Semyonova was denied a motion to have the observations done at Chandler's home, arguing complications with Chandler's recent knee surgery have made it difficult for him to leave his bed.

Judge Anderson granted Chandler a two week waiting period before having to report to St. Elizabeths for his Criminal Responsibility Exam.

Chandler, 73, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting death of his girlfriend, 63-year-old Shirley Tucker on Dec. 6, 2012.

Court documents say Chandler confessed to police that he shot Tucker and told them he deserved to die.

Chandler has been on release under supervised custody since July of last year.

Joseph Chandler to Pursue Insanity Defense in Death of Shirley Tucker

Kristian Hernandez — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:38:30 -0400

Joseph Chandler will assert an insanity defense in connection to the shooting death of his girlfriend, 63-year-old Shirley Tucker, his defense attorney said Friday.

Chandler, 73 is charged with second-degree murder while armed and has been on release from jail for medical reasons since July of last year. Judge Jennifer Anderson will allow Chandler to participate in next Friday's hearing by telephone.

Court documents say Chandler confessed to police that he shot Tucker and told them that he deserved to die.

After waiving his Fifth Amendment rights, Chandler told detectives that he and Tucker were arguing earlier in the evening when Tucker called Chandler a "bitch." Chandler then opened a bedroom drawer, retrieved a .22-caliber handgun and emptied the clip into Tucker's body, court documents say.

Police found Tucker on Dec. 6, 2012, just after 8 p.m. with five gunshot wounds to her left arm pit, upper right back, left side and left arm. One bullet was also recovered from Tucker’s right chest cavity, according to court documents.

Tucker was transported to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

During a status hearing Friday, defense attorney Katerina Semynova said Chandler will undergo testing next week. Prosecutor Jim Smith said that depending on the test results, the government could have Chandler admitted to St. Elizabeths Psychiatric Hospital for mental health observation.

A status hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. next Friday, April 18.

***Correction: Due to an editing error, this story originally misrepresented Chandler's presence at the hearing. Chandler was at the hearing held Friday, April 11 and he will be allowed participate via telephone in a hearing scheduled for April 18.

Joseph Chandler Released from D.C. Jail Due to Medical Conditions

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 17:25:11 -0400

Joseph Chandler, the man accused of shooting and killing 63-year-old Shirley Tucker, was released from D.C. jail Friday due to medical conditions.

Judge Herbert Dixon Jr. released Chandler into the supervisory custody of a friend of Chandler's who volunteered to let him stay with her. Chandler's daughters also agreed to share the responsibility of seeing that his medical needs are met.

A trial is scheduled for January 2014.

Chandler, 73, was arrested Dec. 6, 2012, a few hours after Tucker, his girlfriend, was found shot five times in an apartment on Maryland Avenue Northeast. He was later held on a charge of second-degree murder.

Court documents say Chandler told detectives that he and Tucker were arguing on the evening of the murder, when Tucker called him a "bitch." Chandler then retrieved a .22 caliber handgun and fired several shots into Tucker’s body.

Days after his arrest, Chandler complained of chest pains and was hospitalized at MedStar Washington Hospital Center; he was later ordered to be held in D.C. jail.

Chandler appeared in court Friday in a wheelchair and often needed the proceedings repeated to him. William Roberts, Chandler's attorney, said that his client's medical condition requires him to take insulin, along with "13 different pills a day." Chandler was released into the friend's custody following the hearing.

The conditions of Chandler's release requires him to make weekly phone calls to pretrial services, and to stay away from alcohol and firearms.

The case is scheduled for a status hearing August 29.

Joseph Chandler Ordered Held in Murder of Shirley Renee Tucker

Sam Pearson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:13:30 -0500

Joseph Chandler, suspected of fatally shooting his girlfriend, Shirley Renee Tucker, appeared in court Thursday and was ordered held without bond.

Chandler had been receiving treatment at MedStar Washington Hospital Center after complaining of chest pains. Chandler's hospitalization prevented him from appearing in court earlier in the week.

He was arrested a few hours after the Dec. 6 shooting. According to charging documents, prosecutors say Chandler confessed to the crime.

He's scheduled for a preliminary hearing Dec. 20 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Thomas Motley.

Joseph Chandler Admitted to Killing Shirley Tucker, Police Allege

Penny Ray — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:23:09 -0500

Charging documents against Joseph Chandler say that Chandler spontaneously admitted to shooting and killing 63-year-old Shirley Tucker last week.

Chandler, 73, is currently hospitalized at MedStar Washington Hospital Center after having complained of chest pains. Chandler was arrested a few hours after the shooting Dec. 6, but he has yet to be presented before the judge.

According to documents, Chandler uttered that he had shot and killed Tucker and that he "deserved to die," after MPD found him inside the Maryland Avenue apartment where Tucker was shot. Chandler was then transported to the Homicide Branch.

Tucker was taken to the hospital where she later died of her injuries.

After waiving his Fifth Amendment rights, Chandler further told detectives that he and Tucker were arguing earlier in the evening when Tucker called Chandler a "bitch." Chandler then opened a bedroom drawer, retrieved a .22 caliber handgun and emptied the clip into Tucker's body, the documents say.

An autopsy later revealed that Tucker suffered five gunshot wounds to the left arm pit, upper right back, left side and left arm. One bullet was also recovered from Tucker's right chest cavity.

After obtaining a search warrant, detectives went back to the apartment where Tucker and Chandler had argued and found the gun. It lay in a dresser drawer with six expended cartridge casings in the cylinder, exactly where Chandler told police he put it.

Chandler faces a second-degree murder charge for Tucker's death.

Chandler's appointed defense attorney, William Roberts, appeared on Chandler's behalf yesterday and told Judge Karen Howze that he's had a hard time reaching Chandler. Howze said the delay did not violate Chandler's right to a hearing within 48 hours because of the hospitalization. She also said that she did not understand why Chandler's case was not called on Friday.

Howze issued an order to allow Roberts to enter the hospital and speak with Chandler.

Sam Pearson contributed to reporting.

Charging documents have been added to this post.

Shooting Victim IDed as Shirley Renee Tucker; Boyfriend Arrested

Chris Amico — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:15:31 -0500

Police have identified the victim in last night's fatal shooting in Northeast as Shirley Renee Tucker, 63. Her boyfriend, Joseph Chandler, is in custody, the Washington Post reports.

Chandler, 73, was arrested inside an apartment in the 1800 block of Maryland Ave Northeast, where the shooting to place, according to the Post.

[Officer Araz Alali, a police spokesman] said officers were called to the apartment about 8:15 p.m. to investigate an altercation. He did not say who called police. When officers arrived, Alali said they found the victim suffering from several gunshot wounds to her body.

Frozen Tropics has more from the scene.

Northeast DC Shooting Kills 63-Year-Old Woman

Penny Ray — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:22:56 -0500

The Washington Post reports that a 63-year-old woman was found shot in an apartment in the 1800 block of 18th Street Northeast street around 8:15 p.m. last night.

The woman was transported to a hospital where she later died from her injuries. Metropolitan police have arrested one suspect in connection with the case.

Officials have not released the name of the victim nor the name of the suspect at this time.

Authorities believe the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute between a husband and a wife, the Post reports.

Correction: The headline of this post has been updated to say that the shooting took place in Northeast, not Southeast.