Three defendants accused of taking part in the stabbing of a gay teenager outside the Howard Theatre, near T Street and Florida Avenue NW, in June will likely go to trial in January, following a schedule set for forth at a Sept. 27 status hearing. At that hearing, the prosecution also told Judge Patricia Broderick that the government had offered the three defendants a ''wired'' pre-trial plea deal, meaning it was being offered only if all three accepted its terms.
Lawyers for the three advised Broderick that their clients had rejected the plea deal, prompting Broderick to question the defendants as to their understanding of the deal. All three confirmed that they chose to reject the plea deal.
After being told by the prosecution that an indictment in the case is expected by Oct. 3, Broderick scheduled the three for an Oct. 9 arraignment. She also set a trial date for Jan. 9, 2013.
In the meantime, defendant Alvonica Jackson is on release with an order to stay away from the specific area bounded by 4th, 8th and W Streets and Rhode Island Avenue NW; and must submit to routine drug testing. Her boyfriend, Desmond Campbell, remains in a high-intensity supervision program.
Ali Jackson remains held without bond after Broderick rejected a request from Camilla Hsu, Jackson's lawyer, to release her client so he could complete high school.
But Broderick ruled that there has been no evidence that would indicate Jackson would not pose a threat to the community if released, particularly since he was under a deferred sentencing agreement stemming from a an unrelated simple assault case when he allegedly stabbed the 16-year-old victim.
According to charging documents and police testimony at the preliminary hearing, Ali Jackson had a verbal argument with the victim, whom he had known prior, on the evening of June 26 and threatened to stab him. Jackson allegedly called the victim a ''faggot'' and the victim responded by calling him a ''bitch.'' Jackson later returned to the scene with a knife. According to charging documents, Jackson, accompanied by his sister and Campbell, approached the victim in the 600 block of T Street NW and called him homophobic slurs. Witnesses told police Campbell held the victim in a headlock while Alvonica Jackson attempted to hold his arms and Ali Jackson stabbed the victim in his left bicep, his lower back and left leg. The victim had a can of pepper spray, which he used on his attackers, who fled the scene. Responding officers detained the Jackson siblings and Campbell.
The victim identified the three suspects as his attackers and was transported to Howard University Hospital, where he was treated and released. Police also found evidence of blood on Ali Jackson's and Desmond Campbell's pants, and pepper spray residue on Campbell's shirt.
Police responding to the scene say the three suspects were calling the victim a ''faggy'' while they were being arrested, and Alvonica Jackson and Campbell made similar homophobic comments while they were in police custody.
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