Terrence Robinson | Homicide Watch DC

Remaining Murder Charge Dropped in Case Against Daquan Tinker

Imari Williams — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 16:25:18 -0500

Prosecutors dropped a charge of second-degree murder and other related charges Friday in the case against Daquan Tinker for the shooting death of Terrence Robinson, 48, on Aug. 12, 2012.

Judge Robert E. Morin declared a mistrial in the case against Tinker, 18, in October, after a jury cleared him of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, but convicted him of robbery while armed. Jurors were not able to reach a consensus on remaining charges, including attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

Jurors believed Tinker was involved in a robbery just before Robinson's death. The victim of that robbery testified that Tinker and a group of his friends robbed him moments before the shooting.

Judge Morin set sentencing for Jan. 19, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in courtroom 215.

Mistrial Declared in Terrence Robinson Murder Case

Imari Williams — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 21:48:01 -0400

Judge Robert E. Morin declared a mistrial in the case against Daquan Tinker Thursday, after a jury cleared him of two charges and convicted him of one, but deadlocked on remaining charges, including second-degree murder for the shooting death of Terrence Robinson.

Earlier Thursday, jurors acquitted Tinker of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, but he was convicted of robbery while armed. Jurors believed Tinker was involved in the robbery of Antoine Boddie, before Robinson's death.

Boddie told jurors that Tinker and his friends robbed him just before Robinson's murder.

Judge Morin set a status hearing for November 7 at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 215.

Partial Verdict Clears Daquan Tinker of Top Murder Charges

Imari Williams — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:58:35 -0400

In a partial verdict delivered Thursday, jurors cleared Daquan Tinker of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, but found him guilty of robbery while armed.

The jury could still convict Tinker of second-degree murder.

Jurors believed Tinker to be an "aider and abettor" for the robbery of Antoine Boddie, moments before Terrence Robinson's death.

During trial, Boddie testified that he was robbed by Tinker and a group of his friends early that morning while taking out the trash.

The jury has not reached a consensus for Tinker's remaining charges, including attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

Jurors will continue deliberations on those charges. They have been considering the evidence since October 20.

Jury Begins Deliberations in Terrence Robinson's Murder

Imari Williams — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 19:45:29 -0400

During a robbery on Aug. 4, 2012, Daquan Tinker didn't get Terrence Robinson's belongings, prosecutors say, "he took his life."

But Tinker's defense attorneys argue that this is a case of mistaken identity, that there are inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony, and that police involved in the case "failed to follow leads" that would exclude Tinker.

After a three-week trial, jurors must decide whether Tinker deliberately shot and killed Robinson while attempting to rob him.

Robinson, 48, was found dead on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his body in the 2600 block of Douglas Road in Southeast when police responded to a report of a shooting, according to court documents. Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Sunil Kumar testified that Robinson was shot in the head, twice in the back, and in his left hip. Bullets pierced his heart, left lung and gall bladder.

Tinker, 18, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, armed robbery and six related charges in connection with Robinson's death.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou argued that on the day of Robinson's death, Antoine Boddie was a victim of a robbery and a witness to a homicide.

Neither Robinson nor Boddie knew Tinker and his friends were lurking in the neighborhood, she said. "They were unsuspecting victims."

On the stand, Boddie testified that early that morning he walked to the dumpster and spotted a group of five young African-American men walking towards him. He described the group's leader as a light-skinned black man wearing a mask and the other four as dark-skinned African-Americans.

While holding a gun, Tinker told Boddie, "Get down or I'll blow your f--ing brains out, and then he went across the street and killed Robinson," Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich DiZinno told jurors.

Boddie said he could partially see the light skinned man. He heard a man say that he was headed to the subway station. Within five seconds of this, Boddie heard three or four gunshots.

Defense Attorney Madalyn Harvey argued that the description Boddie gave police "did not add up," and that there were two light-skinned men present that night of the murder. Harvey added that in a reliable array of photos given by police, Boddie identified someone other than Tinker.

In court Thursday, Harvey read grand jury testimony from Anthony Smallwood. Smallwood initially said that another man -- nicknamed "Woody" -- admitted to shooting Robinson. But Smallwood later said Woody shot Robinson first and then another individual fired after, based on what another man called "Fats" told him.

Harvey argued that police conducted a "poor investigation" and the government "ignored the fact that Tinker and Woody are both light-skinned."

Dedjinou argued that that there were "tweets of admission" by Tinker: On a cousin's phone, "which Tinker had access to, Tinker tweeted 'Homicide' from his account nine minutes after searching homicidewatch.org," Dedjinou said.

Jurors are scheduled to resume deliberations at 9:30 a.m. on Monday.

Additional reporting by Amelia Rufer and Megan Arellano

Eyewitness in Murder Trial: "I was just hoping I wasn't next."

Amelia Rufer — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 14:46:41 -0400

Antoine Boddie started his day by taking out the trash and ended his day as a witness to murder, prosecutors say.

On Tuesday, Boddie, 55, testified in the murder trial of 18-year-old DaQuan Tinker, who is charged with premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, and four other charges in connection with the shooting death of Terrence Robinson.

As Boddie walked to the dumpster around 5:15 a.m., he said in court, he saw a group of five young African-American men walking down Douglas Road. He described four of the men as dark-skinned African Americans and one as a light-skinned black man who was leading the group wore a ski mask.

Despite having a cellphone attached to his belt, Boddie didn't call for help because he didn't want the men to notice that he had a phone.

"I felt that it was pretty odd that time of morning," Boddie said, "I turned my head away, and by the time I dumped the bag in the dumpster and [tried to turn] around, I had a gun upside my head."

Boddie testified that one man held a gun against his head and told him, "Get down on the ground or I'll blow your f**ing brains out."

The men took his backpack, prosecutors say, which contained his wallet with identification, a credit card and a debit card, as well as the "three dollars and some cents" he had in his pocket.

Though the men told Boddie to keep his head down, he said he "took a chance to look around," and saw that the light-skinned man "had branched off and went across the street."

Boddie told jurors he could see the light-skinned man, but that a row of bushes obstructed his view. According to Bodie, he heard a man say, "I'm going to the subway station."

About five seconds after hearing the word "subway," Boddie heard gunshots, three or four of them.

"I was just hoping I wasn't next," Boddie told the court.

He made it home. When he returned to his residence, Boddie called 911 and told police that he was robbed. In court Tuesday, Boddie said recognized a .38 revolver used in the robbery because of the width of the barrel.

Defense attorneys questioned whether Boddie could accurately tell what type of gun was used, given that Boddie admitted he couldn't see the gun in the dark.

Later that morning, near Anacostia Metro station, Boddie said he passed three young black men "within one arm's length" on the crosswalk. Boddie thought he recognized the light-skinned individual as the same man who held a gun to his head and allegedly shot Robinson.

Boddie said told police, who then retrieved video from a nearby security camera to verify the claim.

That video shows three men walking toward the Anacostia metro. In the background, a police car pulls up to the metro and a passenger gets out. One minute later, according to the recording's time stamp, Boddie is seen walking past the same camera heading away from the metro.

Officer Charles Williams testified that he dropped Boddie off that day. Williams told jurors that he has a "recollection...aside from the video," that the video is consistent with the "time, place and day" of Boddie's ride.

In the video taken from the elementary school, Boddie is seen pumping his fist in the air as he walks by. Boddie testified that the arm motion was because he knew he had seen the young men who robbed him earlier that morning. "It felt good," Boddie told the court Tuesday.

The trial will resume on October 6 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Robert Morin.

Opening Arguments Heard in Trial of Daquan Tinker

Megan Arellano — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 21:00:46 -0400

Prosecutors say that Antwoine Boddie watched as Daquan Tinker ran across the 2600 block of Douglass Road Southeast and shot Terrence Robinson four times in a robbery attempt.

At the time, Boddie was being robbed by Tinker and four others, according to prosecutors, and he remembered the tall light-skinned man who put on a mask and held a gun to his head.

But Tinker’s defense attorney Andrew Crespo argued that after police learned Tinker was a light-skinned man from the area, they "stopped trying to solve the case," and "starting trying to build a case" against Tinker. Crespo also told jurors that the case against Tinker lacks even a bullet fragment to tie him to Robinson's murder.

Police found 48-year-old Robinson on August 4, 2012, in the 2600 block of Douglass Road Southeast suffering from four gunshot wounds. Tinker, now 18, is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and six related charges in connection with Robinson's death.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich DiZinno told jurors in opening statements Monday that both Boddie and Robinson were just trying to get to the Anacostia metro station that morning when Tinker targeted them for a robbery.

DiZinno said that at about 5:15 a.m., Boddie was walking to the metro station when he saw five individuals coming up Douglass Road towards him, including the tall light-skinned man who put on a mask. That man put a gun to Boddie's head and told him to get on the ground.

From the ground, Boddie watched Tinker ran across the street to target Robinson, DiZinno said.

Crespo argued that Boddie "clearly described someone else as the true culprit" because Boddie's description to police didn't match Tinker's height, age, eye color, hair color, or clothing. Furthermore, Crespo told jurors that Boddie did not pick out Tinker's picture from a police set of nine photos less than three weeks after the incident.

In his opening arguments, DiZinno noted that within three hours of the incident, after speaking with police, Boddie saw Tinker and two others near the Anacostia metro in a "full 3-D view." Boddie "locked eyes with Daquan Tinker," the defense attorney said.

Additionally, Dizinno told jurors that Tinker's cousin Kevon Green later told police that Tinker mentioned seeing Boddie outside the metro station and worried that Boddie would recognize him.

But Crespo said that Green was led out of his brother's house in handcuffs after police executed a search warrant at the address. Then, in a "locked eight-by-eight interrogation room," Greene was threatened with murder charges and questioned for over seven hours, Crespo told jurors.

Green wasn't giving the answers that detectives wanted to hear, so finally Green lied, according to Crespo, and told detectives about the time "he heard Daquan Tinker confess."

The trial is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

New Indictment Adds Charges for Daquan Tinker in Terrence Robinson Murder

Dana Jennings — Tue, 13 May 2014 16:40:02 -0400

Daquan Tinker, 18, pleaded innocent Tuesday to first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and six related charges in connection with the 2012 shooting death of Terrence Robinson.

This indictment is the second delivered by a grand jury in the case. Tinker was initially indicted last May on one charge of first-degree murder and a related weapons violation.

In March, Tinker declined a government plea offer to accept guilt for a second-degree murder charge.

On August 4, 2012, Robinson was found dead on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his body in the 2600 block of Douglas Road in Southeast when police responded to a report of a shooting, according to court documents.

A witness who was robbed before the shooting told police that five people approached with two guns and took money and any valuables the witness had, including a Metro Smartrip card, according to court documents.

The witness told police that a light-skinned black male put a ski mask on and pointed a revolver at the witness' head and forced the witness to the ground to be robbed, according to court documents.

Court documents say the Metro Smartrip card was later found near where Tinker was sleeping during a police search, and the witness later identified a photograph of Tinker as the light-skinned robber.

The witness, while still being robbed by the other four, saw the man with the ski mask approach Robinson with a gun and said that Robinson tried to run away before the witness heard three to four gunshots, according to court documents.

Judge Robert Morin set a status hearing for June 27.

DaQuan Tinker Arraigned on First-Degree Murder Charge

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:56:58 -0400

DaQuan Tinker pleaded innocent Friday to a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the August 2012 shooting death of Terence Robinson.

A grand jury indicted Tinker last week.

In that indictment, Tinker, 16, was charged with one weapons violation, in addition to the murder charge.

According to charging documents, a robbery victim identified as "Witness 1," told police that on the morning of August 4, 2012, 5 subjects, including a light-skinned black male with a mask over his head, who police say was Tinker, robbed the witness on the 2600 block of Douglas Road Southeast.

Tinker threatened Witness 1 and demanded money saying, "Do you want your brains? Where's the money?" After robbing Witness 1, the masked man walked toward Robinson. When Robinson began to run away, Witness 1 heard three or four gunshots. All five subjects ran.

Charging documents say Robinson died of multiple gunshots in the body and head. Tinker has not been charged with robbery.

A status hearing in the case is scheduled for July 12.

DaQuan Tinker Indictment (PDF)DaQuan Tinker Indictment (Text)

Daquan Tinker Awaits Grand Jury Indictment for Murder of Terrence Robinson

Jonah Newman — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:47:04 -0500

Daquan Tinker, 16, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the August shooting death of Terrence Robinson, which appears to have been connected to an armed robbery.

According to charging documents, Tinker and four others robbed a person at gunpoint in the 2600 block of Douglass Road Southeast early in the morning of Aug. 4.

The robbery victim, who has been identified only as Witness 1, told police that a light-skinned black male with a mask over his face pointed a gun at the witness' head and forced the witness to get on the ground.

After taking the witness' backpack, keys, debit card and wallet, the light-skinned man, who police say was Tinker, walked over to Robinson, who was walking down the street, and apparently threatened him. Robinson started to run away, and the witness then heard three or four gunshots. According to the medical examiner, Robinson sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body and one to his head.

Another witness who knew Tinker told police that Tinker and three other men had committed numerous robberies in the area of Southeast D.C. near the Barry Farm public housing projects. The witness overheard Tinker say that he was involved in a robbery where they "laid" the victim down, according to police.

Tinker was arrested but never charged for the robbery, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Tinker has been ordered held without bond. On Sept. 20, Judge Robert Morin found probable cause and sent the case to the grand jury. A felony status conference is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 9:30 a.m.

Charging documents are below:

This story is part of a series of updates to Homicide Watch DC and fills in reporting from when the site was down in August and September of this year.

Two Killed Saturday in Separate Shootings

Stephanie Czekalinski — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:14:02 -0400

Terrence Robinson, 48, was shot to death on Saturday in the 2600 block of Douglas Road, S.E., according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Police were called to the block about 5:19 a.m. on a report of the shooting, according to an MPD news release. When they arrived they found Robinson, of Southeast Washington D.C., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.

Robinson was the second man to die Saturday. Twenty-four-year-old Antwan Boseman, of Southeast Washington D.C., was shot to death early Saturday on the 800 block of Barnaby Street SE about three hours earlier, according to police.

Police asked anyone with information to call police at (202) 727-9099.