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Expanding the rights of sexual assault survivors once again lies in the hands of D.C. Council. A new bill, crafted with the support of the D.C. Forensic Nurse Examiners and introduced by Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen on June 26, aims to seal a gap in survivor care by requiring the District to indefinitely preserve evidence collected after a rape and most sexual assaults, regardless of whether the survivor decides to report the crime to police.
Survivors of sexual assault have the right to seek out medical care, including evidence collection—frequently referred to as rape kits—without reporting their assault to local law enforcement. In 2019, D.C.’s Sexual Assault Victims’ Rights Amendment Act also made it possible for those survivors who don’t want police involvement to receive support from a trained sexual assault advocate. But there is currently no law in place that protects and preserves these kits after evidence is collected from survivors who don’t talk to police.
“All of our protections and rights around SAVRAA for victims and survivors kick in when that report to MPD takes place,” says Allen, who introduced the 2019 law and its 2014 predecessor. “We don’t make a judgment about why that’s not happening, we just know there’s a myriad of reasons [survivors don’t want to involve police]. And what happens is, that rape kit—the chain of custody, the preservation, the DNA that could get uploaded into the national database, the ability to prosecute—is really compromised.”
To get a better understanding of the current gaps in survivors rights and exactly what the Ensuring Safe Forensic Evidence Handling for Sexual Assault Survivors Amendment Act of 2023 would change, read our full story online.
—Sarah Marloff (tips? smarloff@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- The D.C. Housing Authority board appointed Nan McKay consultant Dorian Jenkins as interim director. He will take over for Brenda Donald, who is leaving two months before her contract was set to expire. The board is currently searching for a permanent director. [DCist]
- Paleontologists found more than 100 dinosaur fossils estimated to be 115 million years old. The find includes a 3-foot shin bone, in, of all places, Dinosaur Park in Laurel. They believe the shin bone belonged to Acrocanthosaurus, a carnivore from the Early Cretaceous period. It’s the first dinosaur bone discovery in Maryland since 1887. [Post]
- The family of Lazarus Wilson, who was shot and killed by MPD Commander Jason Bagshaw about a year ago at the Wharf, has filed a lawsuit against Bagshaw and the department. The suit says Wilson was being robbed when he pulled a gun in self defense. Then Bagshaw, who was off duty and dining at a nearby restaurant, shot and killed him. [Twitter]
By City Paper staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- How does the crime legislation the Council just passed (authored by Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto) differ from the original proposal from Mayor Muriel Bowser? And what will it do? [Post]
- At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds was against starting an independent investigation of ex-Bowser adviser John Falcicchio before she was for it. [Informer]
- D.C.’s Office of Migrant Services, set up to manage the influx of people bused to the city from Texas and Arizona, still only has one full-time employee despite promises to pivot away from a reliance on contractors. [NBC Washington]
By Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Bastille Day is tomorrow. Celebrate the storming of a French prison by attending a party—such as Central’s Emily in Paris-themed gathering—at one of D.C.’s many great French restaurants. [Axios]
- For those seeking something a little less highbrow, celebrate National French Fry Day today. [NBC Washington]
- The third outpost of seafood restaurant the Salt Line is now open in Bethesda serving seafood towers, lobster rolls, and clams. [Eater]
By City Paper staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Yesterday, Keivonn Montreal Woodard, the 10-year-old Prince George’s County native and star of The Last of Us, received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Woodard is now the youngest-ever nominee in this category and the second-youngest Emmy nominee of all time. [Hollywood Reporter]
- Rarely do I pitch a drive to Tysons, but this year’s Logan Festival of Solo Performance is worth it to see award-winning works from J. Elijah Cho and César Cadabes. [Metro Weekly]
- Technically, Brit rockers the Struts were the first band to play on the Anthem’s stage when they opened the show for local legends the Foo Fighters in 2017. On July 23, they’re coming back for more with two sold out shows at 9:30 Club and the Atlantis. [WTOP]
By Sarah Marloff (tips? smarloff@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Negotiations in an unrelated legal case could throw a wrench in the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders. Owner Dan Snyder and the NFL are in talks about legal liability in a lawsuit filed by former coach and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, who resigned in 2021 after emails where he used racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language were made public. Snyder and the Commanders are among the suspected leakers, though he has denied involvement. [Post, ESPN]
- The Wizards lost their most recent summer league game but new draft pick Bilal Coulibaly showed some skill as a ball handler. [NBC Sports Washington, Bullets Forever]
- Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz still struggles to throw out runners and has seen his stats drop off in his second season. Coaches remain optimistic that he’ll improve in the second half of this season. [Post]
By City Paper staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)
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