Paul Jefferies | Homicide Watch DC

Paul Jefferies Indicted in the Murder of Awele Olisemeka

Imari Williams — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 13:26:18 -0400

Paul Jefferies pleaded innocent Thursday to second-degree murder while armed in the September 2013 death of Awele Olisemeka, who died after being hit in the head with a brick.

Olisemeka, 24, was fatally beaten after a group of men attacked and attempted to rob his friends on 5th street and Kennedy Street Northwest, charging documents say.

He was found on the 900 block of Madison Northwest beaten and unconscious on Sept. 16, 2013. Olisemeka was transported to a local hospital, where he died two days later.

According to documents, after Olisemeka heard about the robbery, he and his friends went to the Emery Recreation Center to find the assailants. Olisemeka and his friends spotted one of the men who attacked them. The man pulled out a knife, then retreated to the basketball courts nearby and returned with over 50 other people, court documents state.

The large group attacked Olisemeka and his friends, and they retreated. To protect himself, Olisemeka swung an 18-inch souvenir bat he had brought with him, hitting multiple individuals, according to court documents.

Police say witnesses said the brawl moved into the streets near the recreation center, and Jefferies was seen leaving to get a brick from a nearby row house, according to documents.

Documents say one witness, who identified Jefferies, told police that Jefferies ran up from behind and swung a brick at Olisemeka's head, knocking him to the ground.

A copy of the indictment is below:

Judge Finds Probable Cause in Paul Jefferies Murder Case

Ivan Natividad — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 17:05:21 -0500

Judge Lynn Leibovitz found probable cause Monday in the case charging Paul Jefferies with the death of 24-year-old Awele Olisemeka, who died after being hit in the head with a brick.

Police found Olisemeka on September 14, 2013 at approximately 6:09 p.m. on the 900 block of Madison Street Northwest beaten and unconscious. He was transported to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures, and admitted in critical condition. He died two days later.

Jefferies was arrested more than three months after the incident and charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with Olisemeka's death.

At the preliminary hearing Monday, MPD Detective Konstantinos Giannakoulias testified that Olisemeka was being attacked by Jefferies and an unknown man moments before he was struck.

"It was two against one," Giannakoulias said. "Jefferies took the brick to the decedent's head like a bat."

Charging documents state that Olisemeka was fatally beaten with a brick after a group of men assaulted, and attempted to rob his friends on 5th Street and Kennedy Street Northwest, one assailant wielding a knife.

When Olisemeka heard what happened, he went out with his friends to find the alleged assailants, documents state. At the Emery Recreation Center, Olisemeka and his friends spotted one of the men who had attacked them. The man pulled out a knife, then retreated to the basketball courts nearby. He came back to Olisemeka and his friends, bringing more than 50 other people with him, court documents state.

When the large group of men attacked Olisemeka and his friends, they retreated. To defend himself Olisemeka swung an 18-inch souvenir bat he had brought with him, hitting one or more individuals, court documents state.

Witnesses told police that the altercation moved into the streets near the recreation center. Jefferies was seen leaving to retrieve a brick from a row house nearby, charging documents state.

One witness, who identified Jefferies as the man that hit Olisemeka with a brick, told police Jefferies ran up from behind Olisemeka and swung a brick at his head, knocking him to the ground, documents state.

An unknown man then began kicking Olisemeka, while Jefferies ran over to pick up the brick then dropped it, the witness told police according to court documents.

Prosecutors Monday argued that Jefferies has lied to police, first saying he was not at the scene of the crime, and later alleging that he threw the brick at Olisemeka after he was hit with a bat.

But Jefferies' defense attorney, Davies Matthew, said that Jefferies hit Olisemeka with the brick in self defense, claiming that the bat the decedent used was just as deadly as the brick.

Jefferies was visibly upset and weeping in court Monday.

"I'm not a bad person," he told the court.

The case is scheduled for a felony status conference on March 10 with Judge Russell Canan.

Paul Jefferies Held in Fatal Emory Recreation Center Fight

Laura Amico — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 20:47:34 -0500

The beating death of a 24-year-old DC man last fall happened after two groups of young men tussled with each other, one group trying to rob the other one, police say.

The victim, Awele Olisemeka, was found unconscious, holding a broken piece of baseball bat, near the Emory Recreation Center in Northwest DC at 4:40 in the afternoon on Monday, September 16.

According to charging documents in the case, friends of Olisemeka's were walking to meet him in Northwest DC when a group of young men assaulted and tried to rob them. Later, when some of those friends spotted their alleged assailants, a fight broke out and Olisemeka was killed.

Police say 20-year-old Paul Jefferies was in that group and this week charged him with second-degree murder in connection with the case.

In an interview with police Jefferies initially denied being a part of the fight, saying he left the recreation center when the fight broke out. Later, he said he saw Olisemeka and two others approach a single person, who pulled a knife. Olisemeka swung a bat and Jefferies, holding an infant, was struck in the back of the head, Jefferies said. After being struck, he handed the infant to someone else, reached for a brick, and struck Olisemeka, Jefferies said.

Later, Jefferies said that after he picked up the brick, Olisemeka ran towards him and Jefferies threw the brick at him.

Jefferies appeared at DC Superior Court Friday to be presented with the second-degree murder charge. He was ordered held in the case pending a preliminary hearing, which is set for January 6 at 9 a.m.

Charging documents in the case are below.

Paul Jefferies Arrested in Connection with April Beating Death of Awele Olisemeka

Laura Amico — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 14:47:36 -0500

A 20-year-old Northwest DC man has been arrested in connection with the beating death of Awele Olisemeka, who died September 16, two days after being found unconscious.

The suspect, identified by police as Paul Jefferies, is expected to be charged with second-degree murder while armed. Police say he was arrested Thursday.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.

December 26, 2013

Arrest Made in Homicide: 900 Block of Madison Street, NW

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the homicide which occurred in the 900 block of Madison Street, Northwest.

On Saturday, September 14, 2013 at approximately 6:09 pm, police officers from the Fourth District responded to the 900 block of Madison Street, Northwest for the report of an Aggravated Assault. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male in an unconscious state. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition. The victim was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures.

On Monday, September 16, 2013, at approximately 4:40 pm, the victim was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 24 year-old Awele Olisemeka of Northwest, Washington, DC.

On Thursday, December 26, 2013, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 20-year-old Paul Jefferies of Northwest, Washington, DC pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant charging him with Second Degree Murder while Armed in connection to the death of Awele Olisemeka.