Look Out Below: When Michele Bachmann (a House member from Minnesota, currently pretending that she's got some chance of being elected president of the entire United States) said the recent earthquake and hurricane in D.C. were an indication God wanted Congress to cut spending, it was easy to laugh. Today's accident at the Washington National Cathedral, though, might mean Bachmann was onto something. A crane toppled during heavy rains; the crane, of course, was there repairing earthquake and hurricane damage. No one was seriously injured, but theologists and meteorologists alike warned of a chance of further smiting around Woodley Park tonight. -2

Giant Going, Going, Gone: When the Giant Food in Shaw opened in 1979, it was apparently the first new grocery store to open in the District in a decade. Times have changed (in some neighborhoods, at least, if not all of them). Now the O Street Giant looks woefully outdated compared to its newer competitors, and it's shutting down until a new development on its current site is built, including a new store. The store will shuttle shoppers to the Giant on Park Road in the interim, but it won't exactly be convenient if you live nearby. -2

Not That Kind Of Historic House: The house where Robert Wone was murdered five years ago might seem like the kind of place to avoid if you believe in ghosts. Apparently, Forest W. Kettler doesn't spook easily, though. The son of area real estate tycoon Bob Kettler, who works at the family's McLean-based firm, bought the Swann Street NW house for a bit less than $1.5 million. The home sold in 2008 for $1.42 million; it came on the market this time at $1.6 million. Just shows location beats everything else in the property game. +1

Strasburg!: A year and three days ago, the hope of the Washington Nationals had surgery on his elbow. Last night, Stephen Strasburg returned to the major leagues right where he left off before getting hurt. He threw 56 pitches through five innings, striking out four Los Angeles Dodgers, and left the game with the Nats ahead. Of course, the team went on to lose 7-3; that's why Strasburg represents the future, not the present. +1

Yesterday's Needle rating: 56 Today's score: -2 Today's Needle rating: 54

In June, when a D.C. judge begrudgingly acquitted the three Dupont Circle men Katherine Wone believes responsible for the bloody slaying of her husband, Robert Wone, the widow bolted from her seat to leave the courtroom.

As she bulldozed her way through a throng of reporters and disappeared without making a statement or answering any questions, it was nevertheless understood that she'd be back. The small and determined woman had already filed a $20 million wrongful death suit against the now-former murder conspiracy suspects, Joseph Price, Dylan Ward, and Victor Zaborsky. Robert Wone, a D.C. attorney, was spending the night at the townhouse of the gay threesome in August 2006 when someone plunged a sharp kitchen knife into his torso three times for unknown reasons.

The housemates (all upper-class success stories) claim not to know anything. Their visitor came over to crash after a late night at work and was dead sometime later. It must have been an intruder, they told police.

Preparing for the the civil trial, Wone's lawyers apparently hope 800 e-mails will help prove that story false. They've submitted a motion to compel the release of e-mails sent or received by Price, who criminal prosecutors portrayed as being at the center of a creepy family unit willing to do anything to protect itself. Including cover-up a stabbing.

Price, once a lawyer at top law firm Arent Fox, used his work e-mail to communicate with Zabrosky and Ward around the time of the murder and after. For instance, according to recent filings, Price and Zaborsky shared 11 e-mails the month Wone ended up dead on a pull-out couch in their guest room.

Price's lawyers have claimed the correspondence is privileged. But Wone's attorney's are arguing, among other things, that "Arent Fox's usage policy warns data exchanged over the firms network belongs to the firm and is 'subject to subpoena and disclosure in a legal proceeding.'"

Doug Johnson, of the website WhoMurderedRobertWone.com, is predicting that even if the e-mails are turned over, there won't be a smoking gun in Price's communications. But, he says, the emails may point to "Who knew what or who suspected what."

The trial is scheduled to begin in October.

*Photo by Darrow Montgomery

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—"No Last Call For SoberRide, After All," "Not Guilty! Judge Exonerates Defendants In Robert Wone Case," "Watch Fenty Dance To Go-Go," "World Cup Roundup," "Community Service Soon Over For Arenas"

Good Morning. Another summer, another round of problems with Mayor Adrian Fenty's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). This time, the Examiner's Alan Suderman reports it may become a campaign issue: "The Summer Youth Employment Program got off to a rocky start this week when up to 800 kids found out on the opening day of the program that the city hadn't lined them up jobs, some adult supervisors hadn't passed a mandatory background check, and there was an investigation started into whether some program participants stole a cell phone from their new place of work. This comes on the heels of two bad years for the program, and Fenty's main rival in the upcoming mayoral contest, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray, said the problems go to the 'heart' of what's wrong with the mayor's leadership style. 'We know that there's been chronic problems associated with it, so there's every reason to think that people will be interested in the issue and there will be questions raised about it,' Gray told The Washington Examiner on Tuesday. Fenty has made expanding the summer jobs program one his goals. The program has grown from 8,000 participants to 22,000 under his administration, and he boasted to WPGC that the District has the biggest summer program in the country and 'maybe in the entire world.' 'Have we eliminated all the kinks? No, but ... you're not going to get to a perfect system by just leaving it in the position we found it,' Fenty said. 'We're ramping up, we're working hard.'"

NC8 interviews kids about the state of the SYEP. Fenty should be glad they can't vote in the primary: "Youth are asking the D.C. Summer Employment Program where to go, where they will be reassigned and what's going on. Those questions are heard almost every year. 'It's my third year doing it and every year it's getting worse and worse,' said Dhemeer Gore. For the second time Tuesday Dhemeer Gore was at Gallaudet trying to resolve exactly where to go for his summer job. Like every other participant in the program he will get paid $8.25 an hour. Gore shared, 'First, they told me to go here, then there, then somewhere else, then to come here today.' He claims he got the wrong work address, which is something the staff corrected Tuesday. He says getting a simple location shouldn't have been so complicated. It was at the hospital. 'Yes, the hospital. Exactly,' said Gore. Another teen didn't get the wrong address, but was told his job wasn't part of the program. So he went to another location and had the same results. Even Tuesday, it's back to square one." More coverage via DCist.

At a recent hearing on SYEP issues, Councilmember Marion Barry, the Dean of Summer Jobs, admitted that it took his administration four to five years to get the program perfected. But Barry added: "Then two years ago, our program was the best in the nation became the worst in the nation." Barry has his reasons to hate on the program; Fenty pulled a number on him in 2008 after Barry started complaining about problems within the SYEP. Last May, Barry vowed to hold weekly hearings on the summer jobs program. Unfortunately, Barry was consumed with a little problem of his own making. Councilmember Michael Brown, who took over from Barry oversight over summer jobs, has vowed to hold regular hearings on SYEP.

AFTER THE JUMP—Fenty responds to domestic-violence rumors, Jonetta Rose Barras pens nominee for laziest column of the year, D.C. Council approves starting nonprofit to take over United Medical Center, and much, much more!

UNITED MEDICAL CENTER: The D.C. Council approved the creation of a nonprofit to take over the Southeast hospital. WaPo's Tim Craig reports: "After months of wrangling between the city and Specialty Hospitals of America, the hospital's owner, Attorney General Peter Nickles plans to auction the Southeast Washington hospital on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building on July 9. Nickles has accused Specialty, a for-profit company that took over the hospital then known as Greater Southeast in 2007, of defaulting on its loan agreements with the city. Officials do not expect any bidders, and Nickles and council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) have drawn up plans to convert the long-troubled hospital into a quasi-city-managed facility until a new owner is found. 'The District believes it's in its best interest to foreclose to protect the District's substantial investment,' Catania said, noting that the city has spent more than $70 million on the facility over the past three years. 'I believe, and this council believes, we have a special obligation to continue the operation of a de facto safety-net hospital in the District.' Attorneys for Specialty will be in court July 6 to try to block the foreclosure. Company Chairman Jim Rappaport predicted that city officials would fail in the hospital business if they wrestle control. Rappaport noted that the city-run D.C. General Hospital closed in 2001 after myriad problems. 'The District of Columbia did such a great job with D.C. General, I am surprised at the process they are undertaking,' Rappaport said. 'They can't run it well because they haven't run it well. . . . It's a very complicated process to run and manage a hospital.' Under the emergency legislation moved by Catania on Tuesday and approved by a vote of 12 to 1, the city wants to create a 14-member board to oversee the Not-for-Profit Hospital Corp. The corporation 'would receive the land, improvements on the land, equipment, and other assets of United Medical Center' and 'operate and take all actions to ensure the continued operation of the hospital.'" More coverage via WBJ.

STREETCARS: The D.C. Council paved the way for overhead wires along the H Street Corridor/Benning Road. WBJ's Michael Neibauer reports: "The legislation repeals a pair of 120-year-old federal laws barring overhead lines in historic Washington, generally bounded by Georgetown to the west, Florida Avenue to the north and the Anacostia River. They are poorly written, 'ancient statutes' that no longer apply, [Councilmember Jim] Graham says. The Home Rule Act, adopted by Congress in 1973, bars the council from enacting any law or repealing an act of Congress that concerns federal property, changes the organization or jurisdiction of the D.C. courts, imposes a tax on a non-resident, or permits a building taller than existing-height restrictions. It makes no mention of overhead wires, so some D.C. lawyers conclude that those statutes can be repealed by the local government. The emergency bill needs to be implemented immediately, council members say, to ease any skittishness on the part of the Federal Transit Administration on the overhead wire issue. The FTA is deciding now whether to provide $25 million for the H Street streetcar line. The District is dueling with the National Capital Planning Commission on aerial wires. NCPC Chairman L. Preston Bryant of Virginia last week asked the Federal Transit Administration to withhold the $25 million grant until the overhead wire issue is resolved." More coverage via the Examiner.

THE REASON JONETTA ROSE BARRAS NEEDS AN EDITOR: The Examiner columnist decides to do NO REPORTING in her attempt to takedown At-Large Councilmember Phil Mendelson. She writes: "What is Mendelson's strange magnetism? Most people, who follow local politics and council antics, often talk about Mendelson's indisputable affection for minutiae and nitpicking. A political ad in the 2006 campaign turned that negative into a positive, asserting his attention to detail makes him a conscientious and thorough legislator. It's true, Mendelson is dedicated to the fine print — even when none exists. But his weakness isn't that fixation. It's the fact that his political and public policy arcs are late 20th Century. Often he's an obstacle to change." Barras goes on to site his opposition to the mayor's silly anti-gang legislation [which wanted to bring gangs in to civil court], and his investigation into that donated fire truck. Oh yeah, he's also a big friend of unions. I guess the unions really loved his grilling of the Fire Chief about overtime abuses. And  shouldn't Mendo question AG Peter Nickles re: that fishy fire truck deal? And didn't Mendo help lead the D.C. Council's passage of a same-sex marriage bill? Then again, this is a columnist who isn't afraid to be homophobic. If Barras had actually gone out and watched Mendelson campaign, she'd realize why he keeps on winning. Sure, he's a total wonk. But he's also a truly gifted campaigner who actually doesn't sound like he's full of empty rhetoric when he's out greeting citizens. He actually remembers their names, and can talk eloquently about their concerns. And guess what? Residents respond to that.

HILL EAST: The District is set to take over the Hill East property. WBJ's Michael Neibauer reports: "The District now has the $5.8 million it needs to close the books on a 12-acre land buy that will finally allow the federal government to transfer its Hill East property to D.C.’s control. The congressionally-approved transfer of the 67-acre Reservation 13, also known as Hill East, could not go forward until the District provided 12 acres to the Architect of the Capitol for use as a mail-sorting facility. That condition has hung up the deal, and the much-hyped Hill East redevelopment, for four years. The property is roughly the size of Howard University’s campus. After years of fruitless searches for a location in D.C., the architect and the District recently settled on a site adjacent to the Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility at Suitland Parkway and Interstate 495. The District agreed to buy the plot from Jackson Shaw/Andrews LP and immediately turn it over to the federal government. Closing is scheduled for Wednesday. The money only came available Tuesday, after some last-minute wrangling that nearly scuttled the deal."

TEACHERS CONTRACT: D.C. Council signs off on deal that was years in the making.

FENTY RESPONDS TO THOSE RUMORS: Amazing. A reporter brings up those rumors concerning marital strife—including domestic violence. WaPo's Nikita Stewart reports Fenty telling WPGC: "It borders on libel and slander, to be perfectly honest with you. Every time something is raised, I send it right to my attorney because none of it is true."

D.C.'s CHILDREN: are still overweight.

FENTY VS. GRAY: The two main candidates for mayor receive endorsements from Big Business.

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS: Is there a more messed-up street than 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights? It's a total disaster zone, and traffic nightmare. NC8 reports that residents are fed up with it.

MANUTE BOL: Eulogized at Washington National Cathedral.

BP SPILL: Maryland prepares for slight chance the Gulf oil spill will reach its shores.

NE DOUBLE HOMICIDE: The Metropolitan Police Department have charged a suspect in the murders.

ABDUCTED GIRL: Is found in New York.

VINYL DIPLOMACY: Russian Prez sends two envoys to Som Records for a little vinyl shopping.

WATCH: Peter Rosenstein's interview on NC8's NewsTalk.

ROBERT WONE: Conspiracy trial ends in not-guilty verdicts for all three defendants. But you already knew that.

FIREWORKS: WTOP offers a list of places to see 'em. NBC4's Tom Sherwood has "your fireworks game plan."

CLARIFICATION: Yesterday, LL credited Councilmember Phil Mendelson with proposing legislation aimed at fixing DYRS  by making certain juvenile cases open to the public. Councilmember Tommy Wells actually introduced the legislation aimed at reforming juvenile confidentiality rules last year. A hearing was held in November but the law remained stuck in Mendelson's Judiciary Committee. Mendelson pushed forward an amended version of Wells' bill.

MAYOR'S SCHEDULE: No public events.

D.C. COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE: A Committee on Human Services roundtable, Parks and Rec business, Judiciary committee addresses ambulance chasers, and more.

Judge Lynn Leibovitz on Tuesday exonerated defendants Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward in the sensational trial which captivated Washington for weeks. The three housemates were charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Price was also on trial for evidence tampering.

"It is very likely that Mr. Price pulled the murder weapon from Mr. Wone's chest," Leibovitz said. But, the judge added, she couldn't say beyond a reasonable doubt whether he did so with the intent to obstruct justice. Leibovitz further concluded that Price "very likely tampered with and altered the murder weapon," though she couldn't establish beyond a reasonable doubt what his motivations were. In short, the government simply failed to prove its case.

"We all understand and accept the judge's verdict," prosecuting U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner told reporters following the announcement. Kirschner said the investigation of Wone's murder "will remain open."

The victim's widow, Kathy Wone, bolted the courtroom immediately following the verdict. She plans on pursuing a $20 million wrongful death civil suit against the men.

Robert Wone was found stabbed to death in the home of the exonerated defendants at 1509 Swann Street NW on the night of Aug. 2, 2006. Authorities believed the three men who lived in the house were in some way connected to the slaying. The trio, all gay men involved in a "polyamorous" domestic relationship, had claimed they weren't culpable in the murder of their visitor or any subsequent cover-up. They said they were all sleeping when Wone, who was staying the night as a guest in their million-dollar townhouse following a late night at work, was murdered by some unseen intruder wielding one of their kitchen knives. The defendants theorized the intruder entered through an unlocked back door.

But there was circumstantial evidence that suggested otherwise. There were no signs that anything in the house had been disturbed, or rifled through, for instance. Authorities believe that, if there had truly been an intruder that night, he or she would have likely been a burglar–yet no items of value, including Wone's wallet and BlackBerry, went missing the night of his slaughter. Also, some of Wone's blood was unaccounted for: while there were two blood spots on a pull-out couch he was found atop, and a little blood on a towel Price claimed to have used to apply pressure to the victim's wounds, Wone likely bled a lot more as he was stabbed three times: twice in the chest and once in the abdomen. That implies the housemates cleaned up some of his blood. Another thing that casts suspicion on the trio was Wone's perfect wounds. They showed no sign that he had moved as a kitchen knife plunged into him over and over.

Throughout the case, the prosecution has come up with various scenarios regarding what happened to Wone the night he died, everything from the defendants sexually assaulting Wone to the defendants paralyzing Wone with a toxin to Price's sometimes drug-addled brother allegedly killing Wone. But the proesecution wasn't able to back up the narratives with enough evidence to convict. Though the prosecution aptly conveyed that something mysterious happened to Wone on a muggy August evening in Dupont Circle, Leibovitz was only interested in what could be proved.

"A trier of fact must be convinced," the judge said.

UPDATE, 1:30 p.m.: An excerpt from the judge's final order explains exactly why she didn't find the defendants guilty of a cover up:

"Despite the many suspicious and even damning circumstances, despite the implausibility of the intruder story, and despite the discordant and inappropriate demeanor and conduct of the defendants, I am constrained to conclude that the government has not eliminated, beyond a reasonable doubt, the real possibility created by what I have termed the “math problem” in this case. It is very probable that the government’s theory is correct, that even if the defendants did not participate in the murder some or all of them knew enough about the circumstances of it to provide helpful information to law enforcement and have chosen to withhold that information for reasons of their own. Nevertheless, after lengthy analysis of the evidence I conclude that the government has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the essential elements of obstruction of justice as to Mr. Price, Mr. Zaborsky or Mr. Ward. I further find that, for the same reasons,that the government has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt as to each defendant that he joined a conspiracy to obstruct justice. I find also, for all of the reasons I have stated, that the government has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Price committed the offense of tampering with evidence.

My verdicts represent my effort to fairly and impartially follow the rule of law. My focus on the difference between “moral certainty” and “evidentiary certainty” in this case is probably cold comfort to those who loved Robert Wone and wish for some measure of peace or justice, and I am extremely sorry for this. I believe, however, that the reasonable doubt standard is essential to maintaining our criminal justice system as the fair and just system we wish it to be."

UPDATE, 4:05 p.m: The defense team for Ward–David Schertler, Robert Spagnoletti and Veronica Jennigns–have issued the following statement regarding the verdict.

 

"On behalf of Dylan Ward we are extremely gratified by judge Leibovitz's verdicts of not guilty on all counts as to all three defendants. As we have said since the murder of Mr. Wone, Mr. Ward is completely innocent of any wrongdoing in this matter. Mr. Ward also continues to express his deepest sympathies to the family of Robert Wone for their tragic loss and hopes that the person who committed this crime will some day be brought to justice."

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—"Linda Greene Resigns From Orange Campaign," "Summer Jobs Program Begins With Knives, Thefts"

Good Morning. Finally, someone has stepped up on one of the city's biggest issues. Councilmember Phil Mendelson has taken a big step in attempting to reform the troubled DYRS. He at least has proposed making some juvenile cases a lot more transparent. WaPo's Henri Cauvin reports: "Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), chairman of the public safety committee, is set to propose legislation this week that would make public the identity of any juvenile offender after a second serious crime. It would be a radical shift for a juvenile justice system grounded in rehabilitation, and it comes as Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), Mendelson and others city leaders face election-year criticism over their handling of juvenile crime. Under Mendelson's proposal, after a juvenile is found involved in a second serious offense, the case — and all of the juvenile's previous arrests in the District — would become public. The list of qualifying 'serious' or 'dangerous' offenses is long, including assault, arson, robbery, sexual abuse and murder. The public record would include the charges filed by police and by prosecutors, and the disposition, including whether the juvenile was placed on probation with D.C. Superior Court Social Services or committed to the custody of the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. 'It's about the community being able to get some information and the responsible government agencies having to answer for their actions,' Mendelson said." LL hopes that Mendo will add a clause which mandates throwing a little sunshine on the agency's own dealings. The public also has a right to know just how DYRS lets kids slip through the cracks. But LL is reserving judgment until he reads Colby King's take on the councilmember's proposal.

NICKLES VS. GRAY: The talk of among the local political nerds yesterday centered on AG Peter Nickles, aka Adrian Fenty's Troll Doll, declaring war on mayoral hopeful Vincent Gray during an interview with NewsTalk's Bruce DePuyt. He not only slammed Gray's tenure as head of DHS, but used the man's theme song to taunt him: "And so, this is a very important election. And I say, 'Let's get it on.' I say, 'Let's look at the record that the Fenty administration has had in the last three years, in these agencies, and what happened in 1991-1995. And keep in mind, as a result of those years, all of these agencies — CFSA, dealing with abused and neglected kids; Department of Mental Health, dealing with St. Elizabeth's and mentally-ill folks; DDS, mentally-retarded individuals, disabled individuals; DYRS, criminal justice — in all of those agencies, as a result of what the court was seeing in that administration, all the personnel, all the procurement powers of DHS were taken away from DHS, and each of those agencies was made a cabinet-level department with independent powers." Not that Nickles has had such a great track record managing the CFSA case, among others [see this must read on Nickles' federal court track record]. But anyway, can Gray please make Nickles a campaign issue?

WaPo's Mike DeBonis has the Gray campaign's response to Nickles turn as Fenty campaign flack: "Gray campaign spokeswoman Traci Hughes raised questions about whether it was appropriate for Nickles to address such a politically fraught issue. 'The last time I checked it was the attorney general's role to serve District residents and not to carry out Mayor Fenty's political attacks,' Hughes said Monday afternoon. She accused Nickles of 'campaigning effectively while he's on the clock' — a potential violation of legal restrictions on the political activities of government employees. Nickles defended his comments in part by saying he was "speaking out as a citizen" who had been involved in DHS cases.

AFTER THE JUMP—Judge to announce verdict in Wone case today, Fenty skips education debate, Fenty's inner circle questions whether the mayor even wants to win, a death on the Red Line, and more.

FENTY SKIPS OUT ON DEBATE: Mayor Fenty skipped out on yesterday's debate on education issues w/ Vincent Gray, what organizers had been calling the "Great Education Forum." WaPo's Nikita Stewart and Bill Turque report: "When Fenty failed to appear, organizers went to a town hall-style format that allowed Gray to engage the 100 or so audience members, who appeared to be mostly educators in their 20s and 30s. 'I'm delighted to be here, not necessarily delighted to be here by myself,' Gray said at the Naval Heritage Center in an apparent reference to Fenty. At the outset, Gray took a dig or two at Fenty, saying that the mayor might be in the lobby so 'he can pick up a few pointers.' Word from the Fenty campaign Monday was that the mayor had never "confirmed" that he would participate but that schedulers were prepping him while trying to come up with an alternative date. Campaign sources said that Fenty was obligated to attend other 'private campaign functions.' The group that organized the debate, the D.C. chapter of Young Education Professionals, told a different story about the event, which was announced June 8. The Fenty campaign did not contact the group to pull out until Sunday evening, said Kate Blosveren, the group's president. Gray was left with the floor to himself. As expected, he faulted Fenty and Rhee for a lack of transparency in their dealings with parents and other community stakeholders. 'I'd use the word opaque to describe how some of the decisions were made,' he said. 'The word 'public' in public education needs to be taken seriously.'" More coverage via DCist.

The Examiner's Bill Myers has people within the Fenty camp wondering if the mayor even wants to win reelection: "Mayor Adrian Fenty begged off a key education reform debate on Monday and some in his inner circle are privately wondering if he's as committed to retaining his office as he was to winning it....Longtime aides to Fenty say privately that the mounting criticism and stress of the campaign have made the mayor even more resistant to advice than usual. He has had to dip into his multimillion-dollar campaign funds to pay street workers, instead of mustering an army of volunteers to help him canvass, like in' 06."

SUMMER JOBS: WUSA's Bruce Johnson chronicles the chaos that was the first day of the mayor's summer jobs program–800 kids had to be turned away from a job site, three other kids are in deep trouble over knives and stolen goods at another site. More coverage via Fox5.

WONE VERDICT TODAY: After four years, one of the most closely covered murder mysteries in recent District history may finally come to some resolution. The Examiner reports: "Tuesday, one piece of the puzzle will get an answer: Did Joseph Price, Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborsky conspire to cover up the slaying? D.C. Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz is set to rule Tuesday in the trial of the three men, accused of cleaning up the crime scene and misdirecting police after Wone's Aug. 2, 2006, death in their Dupont Circle town house. Wone was spending the night in their home at 1509 Swann St. NW when he was stabbed three times in the chest. The defendants maintain that an intruder killed Wone. Leibovitz has heard five weeks of testimony from dozens of witnesses. The defendants waived their right to a jury trial, making Leibovitz the sole arbitrator. All three men face charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Ward, 40, and Zaborsky, 44, were acquitted of tampering with evidence, but that charge still stands against Price, 39. All three could face more than 30 years in prison if convicted." More coverage via Whomurderedrobertwone.com.

DISTRICT REVENUES: The city's CFO reports some not totally bad news on the revenue front, reports WBJ's Michael Neibauer: "The parade of bleak revenue estimates from D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi may have come to an end. The latest, released today, suggests no change from his February projection. This is good news. Not 'windfall' good, but good nevertheless. 'There are signs that both the U.S. and District economies are in recovery, but every indication is that the recovery is likely to be long and slow,' Gandhi wrote in a letter to Mayor Adrian Fenty and D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray. The estimate is a mixed bag of economic news. Individual income and sales taxes came in lower than expected, Gandhi said, but real property tax collections were better than anticipated and withholding collections have picked up. In the quarter ending in March, occupied office space rose 0.8 percent from the prior quarter and 1.8 percent from the prior year."

SUPREME COURT GUN CASE: You wanna know the impact of Heller v. D.C.? WaPo's Mike DeBonis says yesterday's Supreme Court decision is only the beginning: "The Supreme Court ruling Monday in McDonald v. City of Chicago places the District of Columbia at the vanguard of answering a new and crucial question: Just what kinds of gun regulations are constitutional in the United States? The McDonald decision has its roots, of course, in Heller v. District of Columbia, decided two years ago by the same 5-4 margin. That ruling struck down the city's blanket handgun ban after finding a constitutional 'right of law-abiding, responsible citizens to use arms in defense of hearth and home.' The court Monday, in holding that the Heller standard applies to state and local law, did not significantly modify it."

PARKING METERS: NC8 reports District residents are unsatisfied with meter replacements.

DEATH AT RED LINE STOP: A man was found dead on the tracks yesterday evening at the Grosvenor-Strathmore station, WTOP reports. More coverage via NBC4 . The Examiner's Kytja Weir reports: "A man was killed Monday evening when he jumped from a Metro station mezzanine onto the rail tracks, causing major delays on the Red Line during the peak of the evening commute and trapping riders on a train in 90-plus degree heat without air conditioning. The death occurred about 6:10 p.m. at the Grosvenor station, Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. Preliminary reports indicate the man jumped from the upper platform onto the tracks, she said. The unidentified man was not hit by a train, she said, but died at the scene. The transit agency then needed to shut down power to that section of tracks for safety, she said, which in turn eliminated electricity to a train coming through the station. That shut off the air conditioning inside the train, angering the riders on the loaded train, who threatened to self-evacuate, she said. They were eventually taken into a rescue train. Metro had to close the station and turn back other trains, later reopening to allow trains to share a single track. The agency offered free shuttle buses to riders, but commuters faced significant delays because buses hold far fewer riders than trains."

MORE EVIDENCE THAT FENTY LOVES GO-GO: WaPo's Nikita Stewart captures Fenty celebrating his love of our homegrown sound.

MAYOR'S SCHEDULE: No public events.

D.C. COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE: Lots of Wilson Building activities including hearings on public safety and parks and rec.

In case you missed it: Potomac Gardens is the new Langston Terrace, Chucky's hanging around the District, the summer jobs program kicks off with knives and thefts and romantic woes are serious.

The weather may be the only good news for the day. Near Falls Church, Va., the body of 19-year-old Vanessa Pham, a resident, was found Sunday at 3:30 p.m., in her car, on a side road off Route 50 and Gallows Road. Fairfax County police say Pham was stabbed multiple times before her car—which was going the wrong way—hopped a curve and ended in a ditch. She'd left her home in Falls Church at 2:30 p.m. to visit friends—the rest is unclear, reports WaPo. Two missing Fairfax teens, Tiffany Ghani and Tram Hoang, last seen Friday, June 18 before sneaking out of Ghani's father's house, are still missing. Which is either a really eerie coincidence, or a sign of something worse.

A verdict is expected to be reached today in the Robert Wone conspiracy trial. The 2006 Dupont Circle murder of Wone has enthralled the District. Joseph R. Price, Victor J. Zaborsky, and Dylan M. Ward, all housemates at the time, are each charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. Judge Lynn Leibovitz acquitted Zaborsky and Ward of tampering with evidence, four and a half weeks into the trial.

The man who jumped from a Metro station mezzanine onto the tracks late yesterday evening at the Red Line's Grosvenor station died—the jump was apparently a suicide.

In other news: After 3 months of wrangling, the nurses at Washington Hospital Center voted overwhelmingly to reject the new contract offered. They're currently working without a contract. If hospital management is unwilling to work out a deal, the nurses are prepared to vote on a strike. Over at WaPo, our former colleague DeBonis reports D.C. gun suits could bring along an 'avalanche' of litigation.

"The Supreme Court ruling Monday in McDonald v. City of Chicago places the District of Columbia at the vanguard of answering a new and crucial question: Just what kinds of gun regulations are constitutional in the United States?"

Across the river, Virginia Attorney Ken Cuccinelli, says Supreme Court ruling will guide review of Virginia gun laws.

All right, everyone. That's all for this morning, I have to run to the gym—and then, in light of all the crime news above, purchase some Mace. Stay safe.

Just six weeks before the grisly murder of D.C. lawyer Robert Wone in their guest room, the housemates at 1509 Swann Street NW may have been struggling to keep their romantic threesome intact.

Documents recently filed by prosecutors suggest that defendant Dylan Ward may have been losing interest in lover Joseph Price. Both Ward and co-defendant Victor Zaborsky were domestic partners with Price. All three lived together in the house on Swann Street. Now, all three face more than 30 years in prison if convicted of conspiring to cover up Wone's murder. Judge Lynn Leibovitz is expected to announce verdicts Tuesday.

The dynamics of the Swann Street trio's three-way relationship has played a pivotal role in the prosecution's case. (WhoMurderedRobertWone.com offers a thoughtful breakdown here.)

The prosecution offers that in an email, dated June 20, 2006, "Price expressed to Ward that he was 'scared and upset' by Ward's apparent disinterest in him, noting that 'it is nevertheless nerve racking and [he had] spent the past couple of days obsessing about why this happened and how, hunting for some clue or understanding but finding none...Guess we wait and see what happens and hope for the best.'"

But Price soon scrapped the wait-and-see approach for the up-the-ante method, according to court papers:

"Seemingly in an effort to draw Ward back into the relationship, a few weeks later Price suggested that he and Ward invite a third — not Zaborsky — for a sexual encounter: 'Hey love-of-my-life, I’m happy to give a third a try but only if you would like to try it.' Ward replied: 'yes, intimidating, but we can try, can't know what it's like without trying.'"

Zaborsky wasn't to participate in the adventure. "If  'scary’ means you are interested but that it is a little intimidating (I think it is),"  Price allegedly emails, "then we can give it a try, and I would think that while Vic is gone, maybe next Thursday evening?"

Adding another layer to the proposed tryst, an Alt.com profile, which prosecutors earlier claimed was connected to Price, suggests the men weren't hoping for any old third, but one who might be open to sadomasochistic sex play.

The prosecution, which presented its closing arguments Thursday, says the proposed second threesome is evidence that Price was the "fulcrum of the family" and that all three men were willing to make sacrifices (Zaborsky by being tolerant of the new activities) to keep that family together. Prosecutors say this illustrates the defendants' motive to facilitate a murder cover-up when someone within (or close to) that family brutally knifed Wone.

On August 2, 2006, Wone was stabbed to death while spending the night at the million-dollar Dupont Circle home of the defendants. The defendants say they had nothing to do with it, that an unidentified intruder entered the house and slaughtered their visitor. Prosecutors believe the three men know who killed Wone and are covering up to protect him.

William Thomas

Thomas seems a linchpin to the prosecution's case, as defendants Joseph Price, Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborsky didn't place a 911 call about the overnight guest who'd been stabbed at their house at 1509 Swann Street NW until about 11:49 p.m., leaving plenty of time between the scream to the 911 call to concoct the alleged coverup plot they're accused of.

Entering an episode of the ABC program Nightline as evidence this week, Thomas Connolly, a lawyer for the defense, claims "dear old Mr. Thomas" is mistaken. He didn't hear Bunyan that night, Connolly said, he heard Nightline presenter Vicki Mabrey, who was on the same channel a bit later.

Starting at 11:45 p.m., on August 2, 2006, the night of Wone's slaying, the female journalist was broadcasting a segment about record summer temperatures.  Thomas' wife admits she left the TV on past 11:30 p.m.

Connolly wanted to play segments of Bunyan's voice and Mabrey's voice in court to see if Thomas could tell the difference. But Judge Lynn Leibovitz called the proposal a "stunt" and didn't permit it.

Herewith, video of both Mabrey and Bunyan. Close your eyes and see if you can tell the difference:

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

The gay threesome maintain that an unknown intruder broke into their home at 1509 Swann Street NW and killed Wone. Prosecutors believe the men know the killer and are covering up to protect him.

Grimm, whose client is Price, protested that the prosecution had "not one single piece of evidence" pointing to the guilt of his client. Grimm then attempted to dismantle the government's case piece by piece. For instance, Grimm pointed out that although prosecutors are suspicious of the two small spots of blood left on the bed where Wone was knifed, those blood spots weren't smeared, as they undoubtedly would have been if the defendants had moved the body to the bed from somewhere else.

Grimm also reiterated an assertion the defense had previously made through expert testimony. "He would have been unconscious almost immediately," Grimm said of a stabbed Wone. The defense believes instant unconsciousness kept Wone from moving during the killing. Prosecutors have said that, according to the evidence, Wone didn't move when he was gored with a kitchen knife three times–and that that's evidence he was drugged, likely by the defendants or someone close to them.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Grimm played parts of Price's police interrogation video in hopes of showcasing his client's honesty.

Connolly, who's representing Zaborsky, was up next. Speaking in theatrical tones that sometimes softened to near-whispers, Connolly addressed the judge: "There is no direct evidence, circumstantial evidence, or any other kind of evidence that Mr. Zaborsky knows what happened to Mr. Wone."  Connolly pointed out that his client, who says he was up in his bedroom watching Project Runway when Wone arrived at the house that night, didn't even cross paths with Wone until after the stabbing. Connolly contended that nothing about the way Zaborsky behaved the night of the murder was suspicious. He brought up the recording of the 911 call that Zaborsky made to report Wone's murder as " chilling evidence" indicating Zaborsky's innocence. "It's the chilling call of a man who's frightened and confused,"Connolly said. Connolly added that when emergency workers arrived, Zaborsky had a human reaction: "He implores, he begs the EMTs to help," Connolly said, adding, "It's what I would do."

After about an hour of oration, Connolly decided to characterize his client: "The truth is, he is a kind and gentle soul. The truth is, he wouldn't cover up any murder, no matter who caused it."

Next up was Schertler for Ward. Schertler called the prosecution's case "assumptions, speculation, and innuendo." He went on, "We don't know who did what in that house in respect to the murder of Robert Wone. If you can't prove the true circumstances of the murder of Robert Wone, then you can't prove these three men lied to the police."

The government had simply "cobbled together a patchwork of suspicious circumstances," he said. "It borders on the Kafka-esque. It's nothing but the government's imagination run wild." Shertler brought up the defendants' police interviews. "These are not tough guys going down to the station," Schertler said, explaining that the three defendants were interviewed for hours. "They would not, could not stand up under police interrogation unless they were telling the truth."

Rachel Lieber rebutted for the prosecution. "Kathy Wone doesn't know what happened to her husband," Lieber said, "They did," she said, referring to the defendants. "They lied." Lieber said the defendants could have invoked the Fifth Amendment when police asked what happened to Wone, but chose to deceive cops instead. "You can't do that," she said. "That 's obstruction of justice." Then, riffing off Schertlers' contention that the prosecution was speculating: "Let's talk about speculation, some opportunistic ninja assassin intruder ran into the house and stabbed Mr. Wone?"

Judge Leibovitz plans to deliver her decision Tuesday at 11 a.m.

"They lied to the police, they orchestrated, they tampered," Kirschner said of Price and fellow defendants Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborsky. The trio stands accused of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection to the 2006 death of D.C. attorney Robert Wone, who was fatally stabbed while staying the night in their guest room. The gay threesome maintain that an unknown intruder broke into their home at 1509 Swann Street NW and killed their friend Wone. Prosecutors believe the men know the killer and are covering up to protect him.

Kirschner said Thursday that investigators may never learn the true identity of Wone's murderer, "or who came along for the conspiracy ride." But he said the evidence presented in the case proves that the trio had engaged in a coverup.

"A stabbing homicide is a noisy, messy thing," Kirschner said. Yet, according to the defendants' story, they didn't hear much that night, and investigators didn't find a lot of blood at the scene, he said.

Kirschner also pointed to an apparent discrepancy in the defendants' story–which City Desk had earlier noted: After finding Wone's body, neither Price or Zaborsky apparently bothered to check on their fellow housemate Ward, who was supposedly sleeping just down the hall, despite the fact that the killer would have needed to pass Ward's room twice in order to commit the crime and flee the scene.

"What is the first thing you do?" Kirschner posited. "You make a beeline for your loved one's room."

Prosecutors have portrayed Price, who faces additional charges of tampering with evidence, as the leader of the alleged conspiracy effort. On Thursday, Kirschner played a segment of police interrogation video to bolster that claim. "You can't help but notice that Mr. Price couldn't be more dismissive, couldn't be more detached. He's plainly in control. He's in control of this interview."

Kirschner also pointed to the testimony of the defendants' neighbor, William Thomas, who claimed to hear a scream sometime during the local eleven o'clock newscast that night–a claim that conflicts time-wise with the defendants' own version of events. "Mr. Thomas, he has no dog in this fight," Kirschner said, "came in here and said, 'I heard a single scream of desperation.' That's a time stamp. No two ways about it."

Summing up, Kirschner paid the defendants a backhanded compliment. "This has been a very, very successful conspiracy and coverup," he said–albeit one that would end in conviction, he added.

"I hate to sound like a b-movie," Kirschner said, "but three people are there, there's no forced entry, who did it?"

Judge Lynn Leibovitz asked Kirschner several of questions pertaining to whether the defendants' actions described during witness testimony technically fits the legal definition of obstruction of justice.

Kirschner simply stated that the three men clearly knew that they were deceiving police. "It might not be the most egregious obstruction in the world," he said, "but that's obstruction."

The defense says that's bullshit, and suggests that when Third District and homicide cops showed up at 1509 Swann Street NW sometime around 12 a.m that night, they began jumping to conclusions, perhaps as a result of prejudice. Defense lawyers say that cops had accused the trio of trying "to gay Wone up." In an interrogation room video, Detective David Wagner can be heard laying out what he thinks inevitably happens when gay men and hetero men spend time together: “I’ve got three homosexuals in a house. And I’ve got one straight guy. What’s he doing over there? I think we were all drinking wine. You know what’s going to happen tonight, you’re coming to Jesus tonight. That’s what’s going on.” Defense attorneys say Wagner and other cops pursued their innocent clients as murder suspects instead of finding the real killer.

Today, after some five weeks of testimony from family members, cops, and experts, attorneys on both sides will present their closing arguments. The orations, which have been limited to about an hour for each party, will likely talk about bloody knives, missing blood, needle marks, pork loin, cardiac tamponade, oddly uniform stab wounds, a sandbox, a wayward brother prone to crack binges, the alleged shifty behavior of Price,  the alleged neatness of the murder victim, TV newscater Maureen Bunyan, TV shows Nightline and Project Runway,  and a lot more.

Check back with City Desk later today for full coverage of today's closing arguments.

The judge also apprised the defendants that the right to testify "is you right to give up." Questioned by the judge, the defendants confirmed over and over that they wanted to give up their right to testify. Price, Zaborsky, and Ward, could barely be heard as they let loose answers "Yes, your honor" and "That's correct your honor."

The striking moment brings us ever closer to the final day of the hugely hyped trial. The defense will rest soon, and though the prosecution has a short rebuttal case to get through today, closing arguments should start tomorrow morning. That means the defendants, accused of covering up the murder of Wone–who was stabbed to death in their guest room–are edging ever closer to the moment when they will either head off to prison or be exonerated.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—"Would-Be Burglars Ruin Vincent Gray's Ice Cream Interview," "Council Showdown This Afternoon On Overhead Wires," "Is Metro Safer? Reporters disagree."

Morning All. Your fence jokes are welcome in the comments: Vincent Gray was the victim of an attempted burglary of his Hillcrest home yesterday, telling City Desk's Michael Grass that the would-be perps did not reach any valuables (like keepsakes from his time in Sharon Pratt's administration or first-edition tomes on government process): "They probably heard the alarm and I guess they took off. ... They never got in. I don't know who did this this, but I don't put aside any possibility to tell you the truth." First, thieves rob bikes from Mayor Fenty's home and now this. Leo Alexander should think about upgrading his home security system.

INSURANCE FUND PROBE: The Examiner's Bill Myers files another important story in the growing insurance-fund issue which is now being investigated by the F.B.I. and other lawmen. Myers reports that Fenty and Co. knew about the problems with the fund three years ago: "The Fenty administration was warned three years ago that there were problems in a city workers' compensation fund that is now the center of at least four investigations, The Washington Examiner has learned. Last week, Fenty and his attorney general, Peter Nickles, conceded that workers had been paying for insurance but the city's Office of Risk Management wasn't forwarding the money on to insurance companies. The pair asked Inspector General Charles Willoughby to investigate. Nickles and Fenty claimed at the news conference that they discovered the problem last month. 'So we started, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, since that point in late May to look into this matter,' Nickles said."

Nickles is either wrong or confused or lying. Myers reports: "In April 2007, Willoughby sent a report to Fenty and city leaders. He warned Fenty that Risk Management and its insurance contractor 'lacked procedures to account for claimant's health and/or life insurance benefits.' 'As a result,' Willoughby's report states, 'claimants had no assurance that their health and/or life insurance benefits were properly accounted for or whether their health and/or life insurance coverage was active or lapsed.' The findings were part of a larger probe that found Risk Management was 'at risk for significant fraud, waste and abuse.' Willoughby attributed the insurance problems 'to a lack of policies and effective procedures,' but his audit foreshadowed problems that are now the focus of investigations by the FBI, the D.C. auditor, the finance office's integrity unit and, once again, Willoughby's agency."

AFTER THE JUMP—MARC HELL, Fenty is tardy to Metro memorial ceremony, Health agency misconduct alleged, interesting stats on city employers, homeless now join a waiting list to get into family shelter, and much, much more!

MARC TRAIN HELL: Every Transpo agency wants in on investigating what the hell happened on Monday's MARC train that left 900 passengers hot, bothered, and stranded. WaPo's Katherine Shaver reports: "Ralign Wells, head of the Maryland Transit Administration, said the investigation will seek to determine why the electric locomotive broke down and why its brakes jammed, making it impossible for another locomotive to pull the train back to Union Station relatively quickly. Passengers, including some who reported trouble breathing, used emergency handles to remove the train's windows as outside temperatures hovered at 90 degrees and the train's air conditioning shut down. The Federal Railroad Administration will determine whether the train's crew properly carried out emergency preparedness plans required for passenger trains, spokesman Warren Flatau said. One of the agency's safety specialists happened to be commuting home on the stranded train, 'so we have some firsthand knowledge,' Flatau said. The Prince George's County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department began getting 911 calls from stranded passengers at 7:50 p.m., after train 538 on the Penn Line had come to a stop near New Carrollton at 6:23 p.m., officials said. About 10 people were treated at the scene for heat-related problems, including profuse sweating, nausea and dizziness, said fire department spokesman Mark Brady. Three of those passengers, including one having an asthma attack, were taken to a hospital, Brady said. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) called the incident on the state's commuter rail line 'utterly unacceptable.' MARC needs a better system for getting passengers off broken trains more quickly, O'Malley told reporters after an unrelated event in Baltimore." More coverage via NBC4, WTOP.

Meanwhile, the Examiner's Kytja Weir reports that MARC is trying to reach out to those 900 passengers who had the commute from hell: "Maryland Transit Administrator Ralign T. Wells said he planned to ride the 538 train to talk to its regular riders about what went wrong Monday evening. 'This circumstance was unacceptable, and on behalf of all MTA employees, I apologize for the inconvenience and discomfort you experienced,' Wells wrote in a message to riders."

MORE MARC TROUBLES: NC8 reports MARC suffered another breakdown yesterday due to the heat: "MARC 428 on the Penn Line was departing from Union Station around 4:15 p.m. when there was a problem with the locomotive. About a half an hour later, MARC sent out word that there was a power outage in Washington. The scorching heat has taken its toll on MARC trains and their riders this week. Passenger James Sims told us, 'Right now I'm not sure what the temperature is in here...well above a hundred.' For a second straight day, the transit system literally shutdown under the intense high temperatures. Hundreds of people were once again stranded and confused in the midst of the sweltering heat. 'It's probably 103 in here... I want to get home to my boys,' stated Elizabeth Garvey, a passenger. It's not confirmed, but Amtrak officials tell us it appears the unforgiving heat wave has overwhelmed the electrical traction system this week which supplies power to most Marc Trains."

METRO STILL HAS WORK TO DO: The families of the Metro crash victims marked the one-year anniversary of the tragedy yesterday. WaPo's Ann Scott Tyson reports from the scene that many of the families are disappointed in Metro's response in the crash's aftermath: "Metro 'has never acknowledged: 'We've made a mistake. We're sorry,' ' said Kenneth Hawkins, whose brother, Dennis Hawkins, was killed in the crash. Tawanda Brown, mother of LaVonda "Nikki" King, 23, who died in the crash, accused Metro of shirking its responsibility and failing to resolve the underlying technical issues that contributed to the accident. 'They are responsible for our loved one's death,' Brown said. 'But they aren't even answering the 100 problems identified by the NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board], and we're still getting on the trains.'...Last month, Metro filed a petition in U.S. District Court to dismiss a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit filed by most of the families against the transit agency. On Tuesday, attorneys for the families were in court filing opposition to the petition, Kenneth Hawkins said. Metro's legal stance 'makes this day of remembrance disingenuous to say the least,' Hawkins said. The petition 'demonstrates the cynicism and blatant contempt [Metro] has toward the victims, families, and justice.' The motion to dismiss was 'partial' and 'a routine step in such a lawsuit,' Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein wrote in an e-mail." More coverage via WUSA9, WTOP, NC8. Safety still remains a top concern among Metro riders, NC8 reports in a subsequent piece.

FENTY LATE TO METRO MEMORIAL: Doesn't this guy listen at all to his critics? WaPo's Mike DeBonis reports that the mayor was 45 minutes late to the memorial service, and quickly left after a plaque was unveiled honoring the crash victims: "The ceremony started at 10 a.m. According to Post reporters on the scene, a phalanx of elected officials — including Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) — were seated well before the start. Fenty arrived after 10:45, after almost all of the family members had already spoken. He delivered short remarks, sat down with the rest of the officials on the dais, then left after a memorial plaque was unveiled. He did not stay for the retiring of the colors by a Metro police honor guard." LL advises that you should read DeBonis' full post on this episode.

HOMELESS FAMILIES: There now appears to be a waiting list to get into D.C. General's emergency shelter.

HIRING MISCONDUCT IN D.C. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE FINANCE ALLEGED: WaPo's Tim Craig reports: "Candice Young, who worked as a human resources adviser for the agency from June 2008 until January, said she was forced to alter dozens of documents so that Director Julie Hudman could legally place friends and allies in top-level jobs within the agency. 'I had to lie,' said Young, who resigned in January. 'They said, 'I want this person,' and I would have to go change things, but eventually I said, 'I am not going to do this anymore.' Hudman, who took over the agency in October 2008 after working as an adviser to then-City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, countered in an e-mailed statement that Young's 'allegations are untrue and without merit.' 'Miss Young's claims were investigated by the District's Department of Human Resources Compliance and Investigations Unit and they did not substantiate any of these claims,' Hudman said in the e-mail. 'Although we cannot comment further on personnel matters, we will continue to comply with any additional investigations.' The allegations emerged as part of D.C. Council member Marion Barry's investigation into hiring practices at the agency, which was created in 2008 to oversee Medicaid and other government-sponsored health insurance programs. Barry (D-Ward 8), who sits on the Health Committee, is upset that, according to records obtained by him, only four of the top 20 jobs in the newly created agency are held by African Americans."

OPEN-SOURCE VOTING: BOEE will debut open-source, Internet voting for oversees residents.

FUN STATS: WBJ's Michael Neibauer digs into some awesome stats found in the District's 180-page Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: "All but three of the city's top 14 principal employers in 2008 were education- or health-related. Number one was Howard University, up from number four in 2000. The three non-health or education employers were Fannie Mae (standing firm at number six), The Washington Post Co. (dropping from 8th to 14th) and Admiral Security Services (up from 64th to 15th). The top 14 employed 7.4 percent of all D.C. workers. The number of volumes owned by the D.C. Public Library in 2009, 2.52 million, was its fewest since 2005 and second fewest in a decade. In 2007, the library held 3.03 million volumes — the only time it topped the 3 million mark."

VOUCHERS: WaPo editorial board continues its crusade in support of school voucher program.

NICKLES VS. NICKLES: The Examiner's Bill Myers points out a little irony regarding New Beginnings juvenile facility.

NO MORE SUGAR MILK: WaPo's Mike DeBonis amplifies an earlier story in which the District finally will halt serving students flavored-milk and sugary cereals. LL didn't even known there was a flavored milk option: "And this fall, further changes may be in order. DCPS spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway says the system's 'goal for this upcoming school year is to serve cereals with six grams of sugar or less. We will be taste testing low-sugar cereals, as well as other nutritious breakfast and lunch items, this summer to determine which breakfast options are both healthy and appetizing to serve to our students,' she writes in an e-mail. The changes are part of a first wave of reforms heralding a new awareness of the poor quality of school lunches here. Ed [Bruske], for one, has done yeoman's work via his 'Tales From a D.C. School Kitchen' series at The Slow Cook in showing just how lousy the food we give kids is. DCPS took a big step toward healthier lunches by hiring Jeff Mills, a ex-restaurant chef ex-restaurateur who has pledged to increase the quality of school meals. The heavy lifting is yet to come: It's one thing to take away patently unhealthy choices from schoolkids."

VA VS. WMATA: McDonnell stands by pledge to withhold funds if he doesn't get his way.

STREETCARS: NC8 covers the council debate on overhead wires.

NEW BEGINNINGS: Officials say the incident at the juvenile facility last weekend was not a riot.

JULY 4: Concert lineup includes Gladys Knight and some "American Idol" runner-up.

ROBERT WONE: An account of Day 20 in the conspiracy trial.

MAYOR'S SCHEDULE: No public events are planned.

D.C. COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE:

10 a.m. Committee of the Whole (Hearing)
Bill 18-612; Bill 18-700; Bill 18-719; Bill 18-805; Bill 18-808; Bill 18-811
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Room 500

1 p.m.
Committee on Housing and Workforce Development (Round Table)
The Workforce Investment Council and the District's One Stops
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Room 412

Glenda King

Just next door, of course, police were investigating a murder from the night before. Alarmed, King alerted the cops and investigators photographed the sandbox.

Defense attorneys had called the former housekeeper to the stand in order to help support the defense's theory that someone besides the housemates next-door at 1509 Swann Street NW may have been around during the death of D.C. attorney Robert Wone.

Defendants Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward maintain that an unknown intruder broke into their home and stabbed their friend Wone, who was sleeping in their guest room.

In order to do so, the mysterious perpetrator may have needed to scale a tall fence behind the house-a scenario the cops dismissed as unlikely.

Police photos displayed  in the courtroom showed the crushed sandbox located not far from that same fence.

Authorities nonetheless arrested the housemates. Defendants Price, Ward, and Zaborsky are charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection to the Wone's death. Price also faces charges of evidence tampering.

To hear prosecutors tell it, Wone suffered from weirdly uniform wounds that lack tell-tale tears that would indicate he moved at all as the murder weapon left gashes in his torso. For the lawyers attempting to convict Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward for conspiring to cover-up Wone's murder, the lack of any evidence that Wone tried to defend himself, or that he even reflexively reacted to the pain of being knifed, is proof that the defendants are hiding something about the August 2, 2006, slaying that happened at their Dupont Circle home.

Early in the trial, D.C. Deputy Medical Examiner Lois Goslinoski, who performed Wone's autopsy, told the court that "Wone should have responded to the wounds." Goslinoski (whose findings were later backed up by forsenic pathologist Dr. David Richard Fowler) said that the only way a person wouldn't have reacted is if he had some kind of neurological problem. Or, she said, "They could be under the influence of some substance that would not allow them to respond." The prosecution believes needle marks found on the body prove it was the latter. They believe the defendants, or someone close to the them, drugged Wone prior to the stabbing.

Attorneys for the accused have come up with what seems like an unusual counter-narrative to the drugged-and-stabbed story: Wone didn't move because he slept through his murder. An intruder, who hopped a tall backyard fence and found the backdoor open, crept up the stairs, stabbed Wone in his sleep, and then fled without taking anything or even being seen. Though various aspects of the story might seem implausible, on Monday, an expert for the defense seemed to lend credibility to one of them.

Testifying for the defense, forensic pathologist Dr. Vincent Di Maio told the court of stabbing victims, "Some people move and some people don't."

"Some people get a small wound and faint, other people keep plugging away," Di Maio added. The forensic expert asserted that it was possible that Wone went instantly unconcious after being stabbed in his sleep three times in rapid succession. As for why he didn't react reflexively to the pain: "Once it [the knife] goes through it's actually not painful," said Di Maio. He pointed out that in combat, soldiers are often shot without realizing it. Di Maio also said that as far as defensive wounds go, it's been documented that some 60 percent of stabbing victims don't acquire them.

One thing bothersome about Di Maio's theory that Wone slept through his slaughter, however, is that during a police interrogation Price told cops that he and Zaborsky rushed to Wone's room when they heard him make several noises. "It was like yelling but it wasn't like...it was grunts or something," Price told police. So Wone was awake enough to grunt, but not enough to move?

Defendants Price, Ward, and Zaborsky are charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection to the death of their friend Wone, who was staying the night in their guest room when he was killed. Price also faces charges of evidence tampering.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery