Johnnie Sweet turned down a government plea offer he found less than favorable because he said he didn’t play the lead role in Latisha Frazier‘s brutal 2010 death.
A jury, however, disagreed.
After deliberating for about five hours, the jury found Sweet guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with physical evidence after about five hours of deliberation. Both of the murder charges carry enhancements for “especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel” homicides.
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By the prosecutor’s estimation, the death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier is not a “who done it.”
“By the defendant’s own words, he is guilty, guilty, guilty,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Williams said in closing arguments Monday.
That defendant, Johnnie Sweet, is accused of taking part in a brutal “peer pressure” fueled beating. A beating in which Frazier was hit, stomped, kicked, choked, gagged, tied up, and left for dead. Days later, Frazier’s body was taken to a dumpster. She was never found.
In closing arguments, James Rudasill Jr., Sweet’s defense attorney, argued that although the beating took place in Sweet’s home, Sweet was not the ring leader of the group that conducted the beating.
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A jury found Eugene Antoine Kelly guilty Monday of first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill and related weapons offenses in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 15-year-old Isaiah Daniel Harris.
Judge Herbert Dixon is scheduled to sentence Kelly Aug. 6.
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Deangelo Williams, accused of killing Cardozo High School senior Lucki Pannell, was implicated in the shooting by four witnesses, at least two of whom witnessed the shooting, and others who gained knowledge of the events afterwards.
Williams, 21, appeared in court Saturday and was ordered held for a preliminary hearing. He was arrested Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder. Police say Williams shot and killed 18-year-old Pannell in February 2011.
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Dietrich Baker pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder while armed in connection with the 2012 death of James Ray Sherrod.
Baker, 23, had been in custody since April 30, 2012 – two days after Sherrod’s death. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing last year.
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In brief:
Police identified a 32-year-old man who was killed Tuesday night in a fatal shooting, as Rahmaan Jamal Ward, of Southeast D.C.
Deangelo Williams, a 21-year-old Northwest DC man, was arrested Friday evening in connection with the February 2011 shooting death of Columbia Heights teen Lucki Pannell. He is suspected of first-degree murder while armed.
Terry Jimenez pleaded guilty Friday a week before his trial was set to begin. Jimenez was one of three men accused of killing a bystander in a shootout at the 2011 Caribbean Festival.
Darryl Matthews was ordered held at a halfway house on suspicion of killing 60-year-old Hayes Osei Dennis outside the Gold Star Garage on Q Street Southwest last year.
Judge Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Irving Harris Johnson Thursday to 82 years in prison in connection with the shooting deaths of Domonique Barbour and Jimmie Lee Simmons III.
A jury began deliberating Thursday in the first-degree murder case against Eugene Kelly.
Johnnie Sweet rejected a plea offer from prosecutors in the midst of his trial on first-degree murder charges.
Judge William Jackson sentenced Tarkeyshia Brown to 19 years in prison Wednesday after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the October 2011 stabbing death of Jawan Parker.
Eric Jerome Payne pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter for his role in the the June 2011 stabbing death of Charles Hicks.
A 21-year-old Northwest DC man was arrested Friday evening in connection with the February 2011 shooting death of Columbia Heights teen Lucki Pannell.
MPD identified the suspect Saturday afternoon as Deangelo Williams and said that he was suspected of first-degree murder while armed.
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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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Terry Jimenez, one of three men accused of killing a bystander in a shootout at the 2011 Caribbean Festival, pleaded guilty Friday, a week before his trial was scheduled to begin.
Prosecutors say Jimenez traded gunfire with rival gang members Deonte J. Bryant and Terrance Bush during the event. Jimenez and two others were wounded in the exchange.
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Judge Russell Canan found probable cause Friday that Darryl Matthews stabbed and killed 60-year-old Hayes Osei Dennis outside the Gold Star Garage on Q Street Southwest last year. Matthews is being held at a halfway house and will be required to wear GPS monitoring.
Canan ruled that placement in a halfway house is “more appropriate” at this time because there are “a lot of question marks” in the case, but Matthews’ detention status could change at a future date, Canan said.
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