WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a recent pre-trial hearing concerning a 2021 mass shooting in Northwest Washington, discussions swirled around the admissibility of evidence including the mention of a firearm nicknamed “drake” in Instagram messages. DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz’s courtroom became the venue for arguments that could potentially shape the outcome of the trial involving six co-defendants.
The case centers on a violent episode on September 4, 2021, on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, where 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Braxton, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner were killed. The attack, which also left three individuals wounded, was allegedly carried out by suspects linked to a feud with a local group referred to as the Kennedy Street crew.
Erwin Dubose, 30, Kamar Queen, 27, Damonta Thompson, 28, and William Johnson-Lee, 22, find themselves facing charges including conspiracy and first-degree murder while armed. Accusations against them suggest a targeted assault as a reprisal for a shooting that had occurred just an hour prior to the deadly event.
Two additional defendants, Mussay Rezene, 32, and Toyia Johnson, 52, are implicated as accessories after the fact, accused of aiding the primary suspects in evading arrest and destroying evidence.
A key point of contention in court was a series of Instagram messages sent by Dubose in the months leading up to the shooting. The prosecution pressed to have these messages admitted into evidence, purporting that the term “drake” used by Dubose referred to a Draco firearm, aiming to establish Dubose’s intent and premeditation.
Defense attorneys, including Steven Ogilvie, who represents Dubose, challenged the interpretation of the term “drake,” arguing its ambiguity and general reference to a category of firearms could not conclusively link it to the weapon used in the crime.
Judge Kravitz ruled in favor of admitting the messages, indicating they were relevant in demonstrating Dubose’s efforts to procure a weapon, thus potentially linking him more closely to the actual incident. He also underscored that while the term’s ambiguity might affect the evidence’s impact, it did not detract from its admissibility.
Additionally, the prosecution aimed to tie a nonfatal shooting involving Dubose on August 17, 2021, to the same Draco firearm allegedly used during the mass shooting. They argued that this incident underscored a pattern of hostility towards members of the Kennedy Street crew, framing the later shooting as a continuation of this conflict.
However, the court rejected the inclusion of the August shooting as evidence in the upcoming trial. Judge Kravitz criticized the prosecution’s reasoning as overly speculative and lacking in direct evidence to convincingly identify Dubose as the shooter in the August incident.
With the trial’s preliminary phases continuing to unfold, the legal discourse promises further examination of the intricate relationships and histories that purportedly set the stage for the violence of September 2021.
As this narrative develops, it is important to note that the specifics and allegations discussed are subject to ongoing legal proceedings. This article, automatically generated, may not fully capture the nuances and evolving nature of the case. For corrections or retractions, please contact [email protected].