The suspect in a New Year’s Eve homicide fired the fatal shots through a hotel room door, according to court documents. That suspect, 18-year-old Jelani Cousin of Northeast D.C., pleaded not guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder while armed in the death of 18-year-old Ashlei Hinds.
Cousin was drunk and arguing at a party at the Embassy Suites Hotel on Military Road NW, displaying a handgun several times, prosecutors allege in court documents. A witness said he repeatedly stated he would “blow this spot up.”
It’s unclear who Cousin was shooting at because he fired two shots through the closed door after leaving the hotel room, court documents say.
Hinds was gathering her things to leave the party when she was struck, witnesses said.
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Hinds, who grew up in Prince George’s County, was a freshman at Louisiana State University and was home for winter break.
"Just loving, caring, a great heart, loves children, loves her family. [She was] just an all-around good girl. Never been in trouble a day in her life," said her mother, Tiffany Falden.
"Ashlei was amazing,” said her grandmother Sandra Thomas. “I mean, there was nothing that she didn't want to try, you know. She was always willing to help everybody. And sometimes she would tell me, 'I'll do that for you, Nana,' or, 'Let me get that,' 'Need me to help?' She was always willing to help."
Cousin turned himself in to detectives Tuesday after a surveillance image of him was released by police, court documents say.
His attorney told the judge police did not recover a gun and no one actually saw him fire a gun.
Cousin is being held without bond.
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