In Brief:
One Brother Killed, Another Arrested in Adams Morgan Stabbing
A fight between brothers on Friday night left one man dead in Adams Morgan and another behind bars at D.C. Jail.
Metro Police said Saturday morning that 22-year-old Derrick Phillip Thornton, Jr. died Friday night at a local hospital after being stabbed in the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW, where he lived.
Deon Eugene Thornton, 21, of Northwest, DC, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Derrick Thornton Jr.’s death.
A message from Councilman Jim Grahamon the Adams Morgan Listserve Saturday morning indicated that the men were brothers and Metro Police stated that the stabbing was “domestic in nature.”
Metro PD’s press release follows after the jump.
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Week Ahead
Following are scheduled court appearances for murder cases. This information is current as of Saturday, Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m. and will be re-verified throughout the week. Please remember that court dates can change, even at the last minute. To view the docket of a case please go to the D.C. Courts website and search by the defendant’s name. To add an item to the calendar, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com.
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D.C. Man Arrested in Nov. 2009 Killing of Kyree Seabrook
Kyree Seabrook, killed Nov. 19, 2009
Metro Police have arrested Terrell Kelly, 26, of Southeast, D.C, and charged him with the killing of Kyree Seabrook in November 2009.
Metro PD’s press release follows after the jump.
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New Murder Charge in Latisha Frazier Case
Brian Gaither, who was arrested last month on suspicion of killing missing 18-year-old Latisha Frazier, will now answer to the charge of first-degree murder.
Gaither was presented with a second-degree murder charge in the case on Jan. 24. Friday, at what was to be a preliminary hearing, the government withdrew that charge then presented him with the first-degree charge.
He is one of five defendants in the case, all of whom are now charged with first-degree murder.
Suspects in brutal murder of Latisha Frazier waive right to preliminary hearing
Family and friends of Latisha Frazier filled a D.C. court room on Feb. 11, many wearing T-shirts with photos of the victim and her daughter. Although they were prepared for an emotional preliminary hearing for the five people charged with Frazier’s slaying, they were spared another long day in court and a rehashing of the gory details of Frazier’s final hours.
Three of the five defendants waived their rights to a preliminary hearing and are expected in court again on March 4 for a status hearing. Defendants Brian Gaither, 23; Johnnie Sweets, 17; and Anneka Nelson, 16, have chosen to skip the preliminary hearing, a legal maneuver that indicates there is enough evidence against them to proceed to trial.
Cinthya Proctor, 18, and Laurence Hassan, 23, also charged with Frazier’s murder, did not request waivers and their preliminary hearings will be continued. Proctor was unable to appear in court because of health problems, and officials need more time to investigate Hassan’s role in the crime, according to defense lawyers.
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Plea Deal in the Works for Marvin Palencia
Marvin Palencia‘s attorney is currently engaged in plea discussions with prosecutors in a case that alleges he killed a former co-worker over an affair the man was having with Palencia’s wife.
In interviews with police Palencia has admitted to shooting 36-year-old Jacobo Vazquez, wrapping his body in plastic wrap and duct tape, placing it in a box, and dumping that box along the roadway.
The case against Palencia has not been indicted by a grand jury. Attorneys in the case, in court Friday for a felony status hearing, told Judge Jackson that they are discussing a plea agreement and may be able to bring one to the court before April 8, the next court date set in the case.
How Homicides are Counted
Latisha Frazier most likely died on Aug. 2 of last year, according to court documents. On Jan. 23, her case changed from that of a missing person to a suspected homicide, and 23-year-old Brian Gaither became the first of five suspects arrested in connection with her death.
When this year’s murders are tallied, Frazier will be counted as a 2011 homicide. Last year’s number, 131, won’t change.
This might seem counterintuitive. A case becomes a homicide, and is counted as such in a host of official statistics, when the District’s medical examiner rules it a homicide. In our records at Homicide Watch, we track the date of each incident, date of death and the the date a case is ruled a homicide. These are usually the same day, but not always.
Consider the case of Demetrius Ormon Dempsey:
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Preliminary Hearing in Killing of 20-Month-Old Postponed Until March
A preliminary hearing on evidence charging Steven Cephas with the death of 20-month-old Dominic Kingsbury Jr. has been postponed to next month. Cephas, arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, was due to appear for the hearing Friday morning.
The postponement is the second for the case. The hearing has been rescheduled for March 3.
Preliminary Hearing Postponed for Vernon McRae, Held in October Homicide
Vernon McRae was due in court today for a preliminary hearing, but the date was rescheduled to Feb. 16. This is the fifth time a preliminary hearing in McRae’s case has been delayed.
The 22-year-old man is charged with second-degree murder in a D.C. homicide and remains jailed at least until next week’s court date.
Preliminary hearings are used to determine whether there is enough evidence to indict a defendant on murder charges.
McRae is being held on suspicion of killing 63-year-old Michael Washington on Oct. 26, 2010. According to charging documents in the case, authorities believe McRae struck Washington, who then fell to the floor, hitting his head. Washington was knocked unconscious in the incident and was unconscious for a half hour before emergency responders were called to aid him.
McRae was presented with the second-degree murder charge on Nov. 5, 2010. Preliminary hearings have been scheduled in his case for Nov. 15, Nov. 30, Jan. 21, Feb. 10, and now Feb. 16.
