Shonell Christopher Corriea | Homicide Watch DC

First-Degree Murder Charge Against James Speaks Dismissed

Jonah Newman — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:12:17 -0400

The U.S. Attorney's Office has dropped a first-degree murder charge against James Anthony Speaks, who had been indicted in the April 6, 2011 murder of Shonell "Chris" Corriea.

Speaks' attorney said Wednesday that evidence had shown Speaks to be innocent.

Speaks was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder on April 12, 2011, and was detained for nearly seven months before being indicted in the case in November 2011. He was charged with first-degree murder and two weapons offenses.

"Our position is that he was innocent and that he never should have been arrested in the first place," Speaks' defense attorney, Renee Raymond, said Wednesday. "This is one of those rare homicides when there was both evidence of alibi in the form of witnesses and evidence of an alibi with regard to cell phone records, and evidence of extreme motive by someone else."

"From the outset they were wrong," she said of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

At a probable cause hearing two weeks after the murder, Raymond argued that Kevin Washington, who was killed just four days after Corriea, was responsible for killing Corriea, and not her client.

Raymond said then that Washington had a motive to kill Corriea, although she didn't say what that motive was, and that rumors on the street were that Washington's killing was in retaliation for Corriea's.

Detective Sgt. John Johnson testified that there were rumors that Washington's killing was a retaliatory murder, but he discounted Raymond's argument, saying that the description of Corriea's killer didn't match Washington.

Speaks’ case file is dominated by a prolonged back-and-forth between prosecutors and Raymond over Speaks’ detention. After twice denying a motion from Speaks’ attorney to release him, the Court ordered him released into the High Intensity Supervision Program on Feb. 16, 2012.

According to court documents from June, Speaks violated the terms of his release by failing to stay away from the area of the crime. But on June 22, the Court allowed Speaks to remain in the pre-trial release program.

In August, the Pretrial Services Agency informed the Court that Speaks had violated his release terms again by failing to charge his GPS tracker, testing positive for opiates, and failing to report to regular drug testing.

Speaks' release violations were supposed to be discussed at a hearing on Aug. 31. At that hearing Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gorman asked the Court to dismiss the case and release Speaks.

"To the government’s credit, after they came to more exculpatory information in regard to his release, Mr. Gorman really was proactive in asking that Mr. Speaks be released from detention while they were doing further investigation," Raymond said. "I’m really incredibly happy that the government made the correct decision and decided initially to release him from detention and then ultimately to dismiss the case. I just wish they could have gotten there sooner."

William Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said that the investigation into Corriea's death is continuing. He declined to comment further on the case.

Note: Due to staffing, Homicide Watch DC did not publish between mid-August and mid-October. This is among the cases we are going back to cover and we apologize for the delay in publishing.

"Not Guilty" Plea to First Degree Murder Charge in Shooting Death of Shonell Chris Corriea

Laura Amico — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:37:53 -0500

James Speaks pleaded innocent today to a charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Shonell Chris Corriea.

Speaks was arrested April 12 on suspicion of second-degree murder. Prosecutors allege that Corriea was killed in a Petworth alley on April 6 after telling his mother he was going outside to take out the trash. Corriea had been checking caller ID numbers on his phone immediately before going outside, prosecutors said.

Speaks was identified by the single eyewitness to the shooting, but his defense attorney, Renee Raymond, has argued that he didn't kill Corriea.

At a preliminary hearing Raymond relied on rumors reported to come from the street, suggesting that not her client, but a man now dead, Kevin Washington, was responsible for Corriea’s killing.

“There was a very general description given that night that would certainly match Kevin ‘JR’ Washington,” Raymond said, later adding, “We’ve got some pretty good evidence for a motive and a name for someone else to do it.”

The indictment handed up Monday charges Speaks with first-degree murder while armed as well as two weapons charges. He pleaded innocent to each of the charges.

A status hearing has been set for Jan. 6.

James Speaks Held in Death of Shonell Corriea while Defense Points to Kevin Washington

Laura Amico — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:19:44 -0400

At times today in Judge Gerald Fisher's courtroom, it seemed like James Speaks, the man sitting at the defense desk in an orange jumpsuit, was not in fact the man under suspicion.

Speaks was arrested April 12 on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Shonell "Chris" Corriea in a Petworth ally the night of April 6.

Relying on rumors reported to come from the street, defense attorney Renee Raymond suggested to the court that not her client, but a dead man, Kevin Washington, was responsible for Corriea's killing.

"There was a very general description given that night that would certainly match Kevin 'JR' Washington," Raymond said, later adding, "We've got some pretty good evidence for a motive and a name for someone else to do it."

Raymond did not say what Washington's motive to kill Corriea might have been. But she said Speaks didn't have any motive to kill Corriea and that he was a close friend of Corriea's family. So close, in fact, that the night Corriea was killed, his brother stayed the night with Speaks' family.

Detective Sgt. John Johnson testified at Speaks' preliminary hearing Friday, but discounted Raymond's assertions, saying that Washington did not match the description of the shooter in appearance because he wore plaits in his hair.

Johnson based his assessment of Washington's appearance on a photo of Washington in MPD's system. He conceded that apart from hairstyle Washington could have fit the description of the shooter.

That description, built from several 911 calls and an eye-witness to the shooting, was of a black male approximately 5'6 or 5'7.

Johnson testified, "Beat officers said the rumor was Kevin Washington had something to do with Shonell Corriea's homicide and that it (Washington's death) was in retaliation."

Washington, 20, was killed April 10, four days after Corriea was killed and about a quarter mile from Corriea's home.

"Kevin Washington did not have anything to do with Shonell Corriea," Johnson added. "No one has come forward to identify Kevin Washington as the shooter. [Kevin Washington's death] is still under investigation."

Raymond's arguments did not cast enough doubt on Speaks' guilt, though, and Fisher found "substantial probability" that Speaks did in fact fatally shoot Corriea.

Fisher said the testimony that an eye witness to the shooting identified Speaks by name and then picked him out of a photo line-up created "at this point, a fairly strong ID."

"I don't have anything that assails probable cause," the judge said.

Fisher ordered Speaks held until his next court appearance, a status hearing on July 8.

Charging Documents in Shooting Death of Shonell "Chris" Corriea

Laura Amico — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:24:27 -0400

Last Wednesday night, Shonell "Chris" Correia was sitting on the couch in his living room talking with his mother and checking the caller ID numbers on the house phone. Twenty minutes later he was dead.

According to details in the criminal complaint against James Speaks, accused of second-degree murder in Correia's death, after checking the caller ID the night of April 6, Corriea,

walked into the kitchen and told his mother that he was going to take the trash out. [He] left the kitchen door open and went out into the backyard. After a few minutes [his] mother heard two gunshots. [Corriea] was found in the backyard unconscious suffering from gunshot wounds.

Speaks was identified by the sole witness to the homicide as the shooter. The witness told police that Corriea and a man known as "Rico" were having a verbal argument when Speaks pulled out a silver or gray handgun and shot Corriea, the witness said.

Speaks, 22, is employed, makes $600 a month and is the father of two children, according to paperwork determining his eligibility for public defender services.

Charging documents are after the jump.

James Speaks held in death of Shonell "Chris" Corriea

Laura Amico — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:41:20 -0400

James Speaks appeared in court late this afternoon on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Shonell "Chris" Corriea on April 6.

Speaks was presented with the charge and a preliminary hearing was set for Friday April 22.

Shackled and wearing a white jumpsuit, Speaks hung his head through the brief proceedings Wednesday. His court-appointed attorney, Rene Raymond, argued that the case against Speaks, which relies on one witness, was weak and undeveloped.

"Curiously, if what happened is what's represented in the affidavit, it doesn't make sense to be charged as murder two," she said. "It would be charged as murder one."

Judge Karen Howze, however, based on the affidavit and Speak's criminal record (he was found guilty of reckless driving, evading law enforcement and destruction of property in 2007 and possession of cocaine in 2009), found "substantial probability" in the case and set the date for a preliminary hearing.

A copy of the affidavit was not available this afternoon. We'll post it when we get it.

James Speaks Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering Shonell Corriea

Laura Amico — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:31:32 -0400

James Anthony Speaks, a 22-year-old Northwest D.C. man, has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Shonell Correia on Quincy Street NW last week.

MPD's press release follows:

Arrest Made in the Homicide in the 700 Block of Quincy Street, NW

(Washington, DC) —Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest in the homicide of 22-year-old, Shonell Corriea of the 700 block of Quincy Street N.W.

On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at approximately 9:40 pm, members of the Fourth District responded to the report of a shooting in the rear of a residence in the 700 block of Quincy Street N.W. Upon arrival on the scene, they found a male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

On Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at approximately 6:15 pm, 22-year-old James Anthony Speaks of Northwest, Washington, DC, was arrested by members of the Intelligence Unit pursuant to an arrest warrant charging him with Murder Two while Armed.

A Week of Candle Light

Laura Amico — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:02:21 -0400

Friends and families are mourning the violent deaths of six people who lost their lives in four days of violence last week. Vigils and memorials started over the weekend and are likely to continue throughout the week.

The victims are:

Shonell Corriea, aka Chris, a 22-year-old father from Northwest D.C. He was shot and killed in the 700 block of Quincy Street NW where he lived on Wednesday, April 6 at 9:40 p.m. Friends have planned a candlelight vigil for 6 p.m. tonight on Quincy Street NW.
Reginald L. Williams Jr, aka Buster, a 22-year-old man from Northeast D.C. He was shot and killed in a double shooting in the 700 block of Yuma Street SE on Wednesday, April 6 at 11:20 p.m.
Joshua Ruffin, aka Rocket, a 20-year-old Southeast D.C. man. He was shot and killed in a double shooting in the 700 block of Yuma Street SE on Wednesday, April 6 at 11:20 p.m. A candlelight vigil is planned for this evening.
Raheem Jackson, aka Gunna, a 16-year-old Southeast D.C. teen who attended HD Woodson High School and played on the basketball team. Jackson was shot and killed in the 1300 block of Congress Street SE where he lived on Thursday April 7 at 9:25 p.m. A candlelight vigil is planned for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Davis Recreational Center.
William Parker, a 45-year-old man from Capitol Heights Maryland. He was shot and killed in the 2700 block of Elvans Road SE on Friday April 8 at 8:10 p.m.
Kevin Andre Washington, aka Junior, a 20-year-old Northwest D.C. man. He was shot and killed in the 100 block of Irving Street NW on Sunday April 10 at 12:21 a.m.

If you know of other memorials, vigils and services that you would like to add to this list, you can leave them in comments or email them to homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com.

RIP Messages for DC's Homicide Victims

Laura Amico — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:50:20 -0400

In a night marred by shootings and stabbings in three quadrants of D.C., young people across the city got word late Wednesday and early Thursday that friends had been killed.

The first victim, 22-year-old Shonell Corriea, known to friends by his middle name, Chris, was shot to death in the 700 block of Quincy Street NW, where he lived. Corriea would have turned 23 next month.

"Damn another child lost her father tonight smfd #RIPChris," NoDJustMoney posted to Twitter.

Across town, in Washington Highlands, Joshua Ruffin, known to friends as Rocket, and Reginald Williams, known as Buster, were shot less than two hours later. Both died. Ruffin would have turned 21 next month and had one child. Williams was 22.

"R I P rocket & buster smh," @Rasta_Loud posted to Twitter.

Find memories of the three young men after the jump. (Note that some of the posts include profanity.)

Petworth Shooting Victim IDed as Shonell Corriea

Laura Amico — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:35:18 -0400

Shonell Christopher Corriea, aka Chris from Facebook

MPD tonight identified the victim of Petworth's fatal shooting Wednesday night as 22-year-old Shonell Corriea.

MPD's press release is after the jump.

( Washington, DC) —Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 700 block of Quincy Street N.W.

On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at approximately 9:40 pm, members of the Fourth District responded to the report of a shooting in the rear of a residence in the 700 block of Quincy Street N.W. Upon arrival on the scene, they found a male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 22-year-old, Shonell Corriea of the 700 block of Quincy Street N.W.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME (1-888-919-2746).

Man Killed in Petworth Shooting Wednesday Night

Laura Amico — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:45:18 -0400

UPDATE: MPD Commander Kimberly Chisley-Missouri said this afternoon that there is "no information" at this time that a fatal shooting in Petworth last night was gang or crew related.

Read her message after the jump.

There are no further details on the homicide. We have no information to indicate this is gang/crew related. Currently year to date, the Fourth District has had 6 homicides, compared to 2 at this same time period last year. We are working with Homicide Investigators and continue to gather information on this crime. Patrol Officers are aware and are focusing in the Petworth area. I will provide significant updates on this case as it becomes available.

MPD has confirmed that a man shot in Petworth tonight has died of his injuries.

DC Fire and EMS responded to the 700 block of Quincy St. NW at around 9:42 p.m.

An Alert DC message gave a lookout for two black males, slim build one wearing a red cap and the other wearing a pullover jacket. According to the message they were last seen in the alley "towards 7th St NW." The alert warned resident to call 911 if these people were seen.

The shooting was one of three incidents injuring or killing a total of five people within the span of an hour Wednesday night. There are no further details on the status of other victims at this time. We'll update as we learn more.

From the Fourth District Listserve:

Units received a call for a shooting in the 700 blk of Quincy St. NW around 10pm. An unconscious adult male was located suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The male is deceased. Homicide Branch is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-888-919-CRIM(E).