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Accident – Death – Obituary News :
By
Ayda Atici
– February 22, 2024
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On Feb. 22, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun agreed to vacate and reschedule a homicide trial date set to start in three days.
The Incident Location
The trial involves Juan Peterson, 33, who is facing charges of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with intent to kill while armed. These charges stem from an incident that occurred on May 15, 2021, on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
During the incident, Peterson allegedly shot four individuals, one of whom was later identified as 28-year-old Lester Howard, who tragically succumbed to his injuries.
Court Proceedings
Peterson’s attorney, Gemma Stevens, informed the court of her intention to file a motion to withdraw as counsel due to Peterson raising an issue of effective assistance of counsel.
Following this development, Judge Robert Okun informed Peterson that if the motion is granted, the trial scheduled for Feb. 26 would be postponed for several months.
Despite this, Peterson expressed his desire to proceed without Stevens as counsel, leading Judge Okun to grant the motion and reschedule the trial to Oct. 21.
Additionally, Peterson’s other defense counsel, Daniel Kovler, announced plans to seek new co-counsel to assist with the trial, with parties set to reconvene for a motions hearing on Oct. 4.
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