Judge Robert Morin ruled Tuesday that after nearly a year of mental health treatment Michael Davis is competent to stand trial for a series of hammer attacks that took place over three days last year, one of which resulted in the death of 66-year-old Gary Dederichs.
Dederichs was found by police in the 800 block of Emerson Street, Northwest on April 24, 2012. He had suffered a blunt force head trauma and died on the scene.
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In brief:
Shootings in DC last weekend left two men dead: 21-year-old Alvin Allen Jr. was killed in the 3400 block of Stanton Road at about 2:50 a.m. Sunday and Frederick Booker was killed in the 4100 block of 20th Street Northeast at about 6:41 p.m.
Jurors found Karl Pugh innocent of murder Friday after two days of deliberations, freeing him of all charges in connection with the shooting death of 27-year-old Quentin Joavor Ragland. It was Pugh’s second trial; the first resulted in a hung jury.
Terry Johnson was sentenced Wednesday to 23 and a half years in prison in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Andre Jamal Wiggins. A jury convicted Johnson of second-degree murder and related weapons offenses in connection with the case in March.
Dianna Lalchan, suspected of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the shooting death of her husband, Christopher Lalchan, recieved approval from Judge Ronna Beck to be released from a halfway house while awaiting a grand jury investigation of her case.
Donte Graves rejected an informal plea offer from prosecutors Friday; he is suspected in the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyrone Joyner.
Judge Russell Canan ruled Friday that Herbert Hayes is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of 41-year-old John Wesley Griffin. The trial is scheduled to begin June 24.
Albrecht Muth has returned to DC jail after doctors noted that his health had improved. Muth had been fasting for a period of time; Judge Russell Canan was concerned that the effects of the fasting made Muth’s health a danger to bring him to court to stand trial for the death of his wife, Viola Drath.
The Washington Post reports this weekend on Frederick Booker‘s death, and his family’s previous experience with homicide— his brother was killed in DC in 2002.
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Each week, Homicide Watch brings you a list of upcoming hearings in the cases we follow. All hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. To add an item to the listing, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
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Jurors found Karl Pugh innocent of murder Friday after two days of deliberations, freeing him of all charges in connection with the shooting death of 27-year-old Quentin Joavor Ragland.
Police found Ragland lying in the hallway outside his apartment suffering from a single gunshot wound to his eye on Sept. 20, 2011.
Ragland’s mother, Judy Ragland, wept outside the courtroom following the verdict.
“I know there’s a God, but I get no justice,” Judy Ragland said. “This man is free to walk when he know he killed my son.” Read more
Albrecht Muth‘s health has grown strong enough that he was released from United Medical Center and returned to the D.C. Jail, according to an email from a hospital official.
The email, which was forwarded to prosectors, defense attorneys and Judge Russell Canan, said Muth was discharged from the hospital May 1.
Muth, however, stated he would begin fasting again that day. Read more
Based on a mental health evaluation, Judge Russell Canan ruled Friday that Herbert Hayes is competent to stand trial for the murder of 41-year-old John Wesley Griffin. Canan rescheduled the trial to begin June 24.
Judge Canan ordered the evaluation last week after Hayes’ previous attorney, Betty Ballester, disclosed that Hayes had threatened her. At that time, Canan said that he suspected that Hayes had threatened two other attorneys as well. Based on Ballester’s statement, Canan appointed a new attorney, Russell Hairston, to the case. Read more
Donte Graves rejected an informal plea offer from prosecutors Friday which would have guaranteed a sentence of less than 24 years in prison.
Graves would have had to plead guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyrone Joyner. In return, prosecutors wouldn’t indict Graves on two separate robbery charges, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Leibman said.
Graves, 19, is suspected of shooting Joyner near Nationals Park on February 24. Metropolitan Police Detective Michael Fulton testified at a prior preliminary hearing that a witness reported that Graves shot Joyner while attempting to rob him of his coat.
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Dianna Lalchan, who originally faced first-degree murder charges that were reduced to voluntary manslaughter while armed, will leave a halfway house Monday.
Lalchan appeared before Judge Ronna Beck Friday, who allowed her to enter the high intensity supervision program – which will allow her to stay with her family while she awaits a trial.
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Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Terry Johnson Wednesday to 23 and a half years in prison in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Andre Jamal Wiggins.
A jury convicted Johnson of second-degree murder and related weapons offenses in connection with the case in March.
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