A 46-year-old man who escaped a house fire in Southeast DC early Sunday morning has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the blaze.
Police say that the man, Jerome Calvary Lewis, is responsible for the death of the four-year-old child in the fire.
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Wayne Jackson, Harold Proctor, and Christopher Williams were sentenced to prison terms Friday for their involvement in the Dec. 2011 stabbing death of 20-year-old Kevin Blackwell Jr.
Judge Ronna Beck sentenced Jackson to the longest term – 24 years. Williams received a 22-year sentence, and Proctor was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
The three men pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy charges in connection with Blackwell’s death in November; Williams and Proctor also pled guilty to obstruction of justice. Read more
Cydrisse Alvin, 31, was indicted Tuesday on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder while armed in connection with the stabbing death of her 28-year-old neighbor, Amber Lynette Kent.
Alvin, also known as Meeka, was arraigned on the charge Friday and pleaded innocent.
Prosecutors allege that on June 4, 2012, Alvin knocked on her neighbor’s door, and after being let inside, stabbed Kent several times. The motive behind the killing remains unclear. Read more
Herbert Hayes, through his attorney, pleaded innocent Friday after Judge Russell Canan formally presented him with a first-degree murder charge.
A grand jury indicted Hayes, 40, on the charge Wednesday.
Hayes is suspected in the May 18, 2012, stabbing death of John Wesley Griffin at the 1200 block of North Capitol Street N.W. and has been held since his May 21, 2012 arrest.
Prosecutors had earlier charged him with second-degree murder while armed.
Hayes’ trial is scheduled to begin June 10 at 9:30 a.m. in Judge Canan’s courtroom.
Brandon Andrews testified Thursday that when he fatally shot Leonard Bigelow in August 2011 he didn’t know whether Bigelow was wielding a knife or holding a pair of keys.
“I didn’t have to know at the time,” Andrews said. “It was enough for me to fire the gun.”
Andrews is charged with first-degree murder while armed and several threat and firearm charges in connection with Bigelow’s death.
At trial, Andrews testified that on the days leading up to Aug. 26, 2011, he had been angry with Bigelow’s sister because she refused to speak with him after she ended their 10-month long relationship.
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Judge Stuart Nash found probable cause Wednesday that David Jamal Wilson participated in the stabbing death of 68-year-old Howard Venable Jr.
Wilson, 21, was arrested in connection with the case on February 3, one day after Venable’s body was found face down in a pool of blood on the floor of his apartment. Read more
Jurors found Irving Harris Johnson guilty Thursday on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Domonique Barbour and Jimmie Lee Simmons III. The jury also found Johnson guilty of several assault and firearm charges in connection with the case.
The jury deliberated for a day and a half before announcing their verdict in the 2011 homicides shortly before noon Thursday. Read more
Albrecht Muth‘s ongoing hunger strike imperils his ability to act as his own attorney, Judge Russell Canan said Thursday.
A mental health review found Muth competent to stand trial in December in connection with the death of his wife, Viola Drath. His declining health, though, jeopardizes his ability to represent himself, Canan said.
Muth appeared by telephone from United Medical Center, where he is being monitored by doctors.
Muth’s physician, Dr. Russom Ghebrali, testified that Muth has not eaten since December, although he drank ice cream and pudding Wednesday. Read more
The government plans to retry Marlon Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Wheeler said Thursday. Judge Russell Canan scheduled the trial for July 8.
Williams appeared in court briefly Thursday morning, the day after a mistrial was declared in his trial on first-degree murder charges.
Williams faced charges in connection with the 2010 shooting death of Minn Soo Kang. He’s been held without bond at D.C. jail for more than two years.
After two and a half days of deliberations, jurors in the murder trial against Marlon Williams told Judge Lynn Leibovitz that they had reached a deadlock.
Sitting in for Judge Canan, Leibovitz declared a mistrial in the case at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. It is the third D.C. homicide trial to result in a deadlock this year.
Williams is charged with five counts in connection with the shooting death of Min Soo Kang, including felony murder while armed and attempted robbery. Eight jurors voted guilty on the murder charge, the jury said. Six jurors voted to convict on the attempted robbery charge. Read more
