On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, DCWitness reported that a D.C. Superior Court judge ruled that defense attorney Paige White must withdraw from the murder trial of Aaron Murchison due to a conflict of interest. This decision was made during a preliminary ruling on January 6, after the prosecution revealed that White had previously represented a potential witness in the ongoing case.
Aaron Murchison, 28, faces serious charges including second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict. These charges stem from a fatal shooting incident that occurred on October 16, 2022, resulting in the death of 32-year-old Jamontate Brown on Pomeroy Road in Southeast Washington, D.C.
Judge Danya Dayson stated that the presence of a conflict of interest could not be resolved simply by a waiver from the involved parties. The prosecution indicated that they might call the witness, who previously had a relationship with White, to provide rebuttal testimony. This situation could place White in a difficult position, as she might have to represent clients with conflicting interests.
Judge Dayson acknowledged that there was no indication that White had acted with any malicious intent. Despite this, she emphasized the importance of maintaining ethical boundaries in legal representation. In a response to the prosecution’s claims, Murchison’s lead counsel, Kevann Gardner, filed an emergency motion arguing that the government had not adequately explained the basis for the alleged conflict. Gardner suggested that the prosecution was using the issue as a tactic to delay the trial, which has been ongoing for some time.
Judge Dayson expressed doubts about the notion that the government was trying to create a conflict of interest to obstruct a qualified defense attorney from representing Murchison. The prosecutor, who characterized the continued discussions on the matter as a waste of time, reiterated the importance of the conflict issue.
In her defense, White proposed the idea of establishing a “firewall” between herself and Gardner to mitigate the conflict, but Judge Dayson deemed this impractical given the limited size of the defense team. While the judge indicated a willingness to reconsider her ruling, she cautioned not to expect a change.
Gardner expressed frustration over the situation, likening it to the challenges of bringing on a new co-counsel at the last minute. The prosecution suggested that an attorney from a designated pool of lawyers for indigent defendants could be appointed, but White noted that those attorneys were already overwhelmed with cases.
Source: DCWitness
