WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Thursday that police in the nation's capital illegally seized a gun from a man they stopped outside a laundromat, blasting the officers' account as unreliable and sharply criticizing Justice Department prosecutors for relying on testimony from a discredited officer.
The ruling comes at a moment when policing in Washington, D.C., is under an extraordinary spotlight, with the city grappling with rising public scrutiny of officer misconduct and the Trump administration directing a surge of federal law enforcement resources into the district.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’ decision goes beyond the particulars of the May arrest. She chided prosecutors for putting on the stand an officer whose credibility has been questioned by at least two other judges. The case raises fresh questions about how federal authorities vet the officers they rely on — especially as Washington has become a test case for national debates over crime, enforcement and public trust.
Reyes said she is extremely disappointed that prosecutors from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office decided to elicit testimony from Metropolitan Police Department Investigator Harvy Hinostroza during a pretrial hearing for its case against Deandre Davis. She emphasized that the courts can't tolerate police officers falsely testifying under oath.
“It also undermines the public’s confidence in our system of justice,” Reyes said.
Reyes barred prosecutors from using the seized gun as evidence against Davis, who was arrested on firearms charges after officers approached him outside a laundromat in Washington, D.C., on May 19. The judge said she would entertain a defense motion to dismiss the charges against Davis if Pirro’s office doesn’t drop the case in the next 30 days.
Reyes expressed disbelief in key portions of Investigator Hinostroza's testimony during the pretrial hearing, labeling him as dishonest about major issues in the past.
Pirro responded, finding it offensive that a judge questions an officer's credibility when the alleged crime was reportedly captured on video. A police department spokesperson declined to comment, and a response from the union representing MPD officers is pending.
Judge Reyes's ruling is significant in light of Hinostroza’s past discreditations in similar cases. Reyes's remarks bring attention to the standards of evidence and credibility in law enforcement, raising concerns about the broader implications on community trust and judicial integrity in Washington D.C.
The judge warned Davis at the close of the hearing not to take his second chance for granted, signaling the seriousness of the legal issues at hand.
