Councilmember Jim Graham has generally kept quiet on the taxicab bribery case that has so far snared his right-hand-man Ted Loza. But at a recent Kalorama Citizens Association meeting, Graham apparently couldn't help himself. According to sources in attendance, he blasted federal law enforcement for busting Loza.

Recalls one source who was there: “[Graham] basically said Ted was entrapped by the FBI. The gentleman Kamus…He said he and Ted were very, very good friends. I thought it was a very bizarre thing to say."

Read More "Graham Slams Feds At Community Meeting; Claims His Remarks Were ‘Off The Record’" »

This afternoon, Legal Times' Mike Scarcella notes that an odd dispute between D.C.'s federal and local prosecutors has been settled by the D.C. Court of Appeals.

The District lost.

The implications of the ruling are narrow but sharp: It pretty much puts the kibosh on any attempts, short of congressional action, to expand the Office of the Attorney General's prosecutorial bailiwick beyond the smattering of low-rent misdemeanors it already handles.

Read More "Court Hands D.C. an Obscure Home Rule Defeat" »

The D.C. Police Department has heralded its latest All Hands On Deck weekend with a press release. This AHOD took place between the early morning hours of July 10 to the early morning hours of July 12. The all gambit produced 519 arrests and one closed homicide case.

As all AHOD scholars know the bulk number doesn't quite tell the story of what the officers really achieve during these weekends. More detailed breakdowns show that much of the arrests are ultimately tossed out by the U.S. Attorney's Office. We posted the numbers of previous AHODs here and here and here.

The latest numbers provided by the U.S. Attorneys' Office show a similar stack of flimsy arrests.

Read More "Case Dismissed: The Latest AHOD Stats Are Here!" »

At a little after 9 p.m., Councilmember Marion Barry spokesperson Natalie Williams began another hastily scheduled press conference in front of the Wilson Building by thanking the U.S. Attorney's Office for dropping the stalking charge against the councilmember. Prosecutors had announced three hours earlier that they would not press on with the stalking case. "Our hearts are full tonight with thanks," Williams said. "We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney's Office has seen fit to not charge Mr. Barry."

Barry had been charged with stalking Donna Watts-Brighthaupt over the July 4 weekend. The arrest had since provoked a series of press conferences and embarrassing disclosures concerning Barry's troubled relationship with Watts-Brighthaupt. The disclosures included bizarre hotel fights and audio tapes showing how obsessed Barry had become with his ex-girlfriend. Yet to be clarified is how Barry came to secure lucrative contract work for Watts-Brighthaupt. 

Williams stated that Barry would answer questions about the the payments tomorrow. She also said that they would be able to provide the documents (contracts, e-mails, etc.) proving that the councilmember had acted properly. She insisted that the nothing Barry had done was illegal. 

Read More "Barry Press Conference: ‘Hearts Are Full’ Edition" »

This evening, City Desk reached Donna Watts-Brighthaupt to get her reaction to the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement that it has declined to prosecute the stalking case against Marion Barry. As everyone knows by now, Barry had quite the obsession with her. The obsession culminated in the councilmember getting locked up over the July 4 weekend on stalking charges. Watts-Brighthaupt spent much of this past week getting hammered by the Barry Machine as "unstable."

“I’m relieved it’s over," Watts-Brighthaupt says. "It’s a large price I’ve had to pay. I didn’t ask for this. I’ve learned such a large lesson in dealing with Marion. I’m not invincible. It’s unbelievable the type of person he is. But I wish him well. And I wish him good health. I’d really like him to do the best he can, do what he can for Ward 8 from this day forward.”

Do you think it’s possible he can be an effective councilmember? “No comment.”

Read More "Donna Watts-Brighthaupt Responds To Barry Stalking Charges Being Dropped" »

6:42 p.m. Update: When asked whether the U.S. Attorney's Office is looking into the allegations surrounding Barry's payments to Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, spokesperson Benjamin Friedman issued this statement:

"I cannot confirm or deny the existence of an on-going investigation."

The U.S. Attorney's Office has announced that it will not be pursing the stalking charge against Councilmember Marion Barry. The office just released a statement:

Following a review of the evidence relating to stalking allegations against Marion Barry and a careful analysis of the relevant factors, including the elements of the offense and the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has decided not to pursue stalking charges in this matter.

The U.S. Attorney's Office plans on releasing a statement concerning Marion Barry's pending stalking case. I have been told that the statement will be released "shortly."

Barry is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow morning in D.C. Superior Court.

The third D.C. Police All Hands on Deck effort recently took place at the end of June. The D.C. Police have not released any numbers on overall arrests. But they did put out a handy press release promoting the program which puts all available D.C. cops on patrol. Chief Lanier (pictured) loves AHOD.

The latest AHOD went from June 26 to 6 a.m. on June 28.

The U.S. Attorney's Office provided their own stats for AHOD-related arrests. These do not include the minor stuff handled by the Office of Attorney General. The stats still show a significant number of no-papered cases i.e. cases tossed out by prosecutors due to a lack of evidence.

Read More "All Hands On Deck: D.C. Police Arrest Numbers Are In" »

Marion Barry appeared in front of cameras this morning for the first time since his Saturday-night arrest, but that's about all he did. Longtime lawyer Fred Cooke did virtually all the talking, while Barry stood behind him in a gray suit, fedora, and paisley tie, remaining mute save for an occasional whisper in Cooke's ear.

In contrast to yesterday's presser, where spokesperson Natalie Williams spent most of the time attacking the credibility of the alleged stalkee and glorifying Barry's munificence, Cooke stuck mostly to the confines of the legal case against his client.

Read More "Marion Barry Arrest: Keeping Mum at Press Conference" »

On Nov. 6, 2008, David Kerstetter was shot and killed inside his home by D.C. police officers. Despite the decision of the U.S. attorney's office not to prosecute the officers involved, Kerstetter's family has filed a notice with the District that it plans to sue the city over their son's death. The family's attorney, Douglas Sparks, notified Mayor Adrian Fenty in a letter dated May 1 [PDF].

We have written about the Kerstetter shooting here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here---not to mention the cover story linked above. The Sparks letter is based on the lawyer's interviews with witnesses, the autopsy report, and an exhaustive scene analysis. It provides the first counter-narrative to law enforcement's public account that Kerstetter had lunged at the officers with a knife---that Officer Frederick Friday shot and killed the Logan Circle resident in self defense. The new evidence appears to point to excessive force.

Read More "Breaking: David Kerstetter’s Family To Sue The District" »

The U.S. Attorney's Office has declined to prosecute Officer Frederick Friday for the shooting death of David Kerstetter in early November of last year. Friday had shot and killed Kerstetter in the Logan Circle resident's bathroom entrance. Friday, and his partner Officer Christian Glynn, had responded to the home after a report of an open door. Kerstetter suffered from a mental illness and had pleaded for the police to leave him alone. The police went in anyway to investigate. Officer Friday claimed Kerstetter came at him with a knife before he opened fire. Kerstetter was shot multiple times.

"We’ve closed it out," wrote  Channing Phillips, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office, an e-mail. "After a thorough review of the matter, we declined to bring charges after determining that it was a justifiable shooting.  We have since sent the matter back to MPD for whatever action it deems appropriate."

Phillips went on to state: "There was no evidence that the officer violated the law when he used deadly force in this case.  Beyond that, I can’t comment."

Today, Phillips wrote another e-mail explaining further the office's decision.

Read More "U.S. Attorney’s Office Declines To Prosecute Cop Shooter In Kerstetter Case" »

Earlier this week, I asked the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Office of Attorney General for a breakdown of the types of arrests made from this past weekend's All Hands On Deck initiative. The somewhat controversial program basically has the entire D.C. Police Department hitting city streets and, you know, fighting crime. Last weekend produced 377 arrests.

We heard reports that cyclists were getting ticketed. One colleague told me that his neighbor got stung with a drinking-in-public arrest. The evidence against him: an empty cup that at one point had booze in it. His case was tossed.

So what of 377 arrests were for real stuff? It appears that D.C. Police made a good amount of solid cases. You be the judge!

Read More "A Partial Breakdown Of All Hands On Deck Arrests" »

Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney's Office noted that conclusion of Randolph Scott Harris' case. Harris, also known as Eddie Harris, 46, was sentenced to 242 months for AWIK, ADW, threats and "related firearms charges," according to a press release. Why should we care? Because of the circumstances of his crimes.

Read More "Randolph Scott Harris Sentenced For Assaulting Wife, Pastor" »

According to a release by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Rex Pelote Sr., a leader of a local narcotics ring, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge. Pelote Sr., 44, lived on the 800 block of 21 Street NE, pled guilty to "conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin." His guilty plea was entered in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.

Pelote, according to the release, "led a heroin distribution ring that operated in the Langston Terrace" housing project. Pelote's "lieutenant," Edward T. "Bootsy" Farley, 47, also entered a guilty plea on the conspiracy charge.

Read More "D.C. Drug Leader Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges" »

In July, Washington City Paper reported on the tensions and troubles at Henson Ridge, a new mixed-income housing development. Crime was an issue. The fall-out from the real estate market had also slowed sales of homes. Despite the well-manicured lawns, houses got shot up. Someone had been stabbed. And now, the U.S. Attorney's Office reports a major bust and conviction of a Henson Ridge resident found with more than 50-grams of crack cocaine. It actually was a lot more. He had more than 260 grams hidden in his Henson Ridge basement.

Read More "District Jury Rids Henson Ridge Of One Troublemaker" »