DISTRICT BRIEFING

Saturday, September 29, 2007

THE MALL

Protesters Gather for March

Several thousand antiwar demonstrators are expected to attend a rally and march today in the vicinity of the Capitol Reflecting Pool at the east end of the Mall.

The protesters, part of the Troops Out Now Coalition, are planning to gather at an encampment by the pool in the morning and begin the march about 1 p.m. Organizers said they plan to demonstrate at the headquarters of government agencies near the Capitol and return to the encampment along Third Street NW about 3 p.m.

Police said there could be rolling street closures in the neighborhood throughout the afternoon. The National Book Festival also unfolds on the Mall today.

-- Michael E. Ruane

GEORGETOWN

Student Charged in Assault

A Georgetown University sophomore has been charged with assaulting another student in an incident that was flagged as a potential hate crime by the D.C. police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.

Philip Cooney, 19, a student at Georgetown's business school, was arrested Thursday on an assault charge stemming from the incident early Sept. 9.

According to the arrest warrant, the victim was walking along the 1400 block of 36th Street NW when he was called anti-gay names, tackled and punched repeatedly.

Cooney was identified from pictures he had posted on his profile at Facebook.com, the social networking Web site, the arrest warrant said. He was charged with simple assault, a crime carrying a jail term of up to 180 days. If the incident is treated as a hate crime, the penalty could increase to 270 days.

GU Pride, an organization of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, announced plans for a rally Monday to pressure the university to develop clearer protocols for responding to and preventing hate and bias incidents on campus.

"We're trying to bring together a really diverse assemblage of people to say this sort of violence is not going to be tolerated here," said Scott Chessare, 19, co-president of GU Pride.

-- Joshua Zumbrun

NORTHWEST

Man Convicted of Manslaughter

A Northwest Washington man was convicted Friday of involuntary manslaughter and other charges for chasing a man who was later fatally struck by a car.

Marlon K. Blaize, 29, was accused of chasing Tarran Miller and firing a gun into the air in an argument Aug. 21, 2006. Miller, 25, ran into the street, where he was hit by a vehicle at 14th and Fairmont streets NW, prosecutors said. He died six days later.

Blaize will be sentenced Nov. 28 before D.C. Superior Court Judge Erik Christian.

-- Keith L. Alexander

ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE

Physician Charged With Fraud

The D.C. attorney general's office filed an 18-count criminal complaint yesterday against a city-employed physician, charging him with fraud for working for one government agency while simultaneously and secretly earning income from another.

Charles Hall, 64, is accused of cheating the city of more than $12,000 between 2004 and 2006. While working as a full-time medical officer for the Department of Health's Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration, Hall was secretly earning a paycheck from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, the attorney general's office said.

-- Keith L. Alexander

NORTHEAST

Man Fatally Shot Near Home

A Northeast Washington man was slain late Thursday near his home, D.C. police said. Kevin Coles, 49, was found at 11:15 p.m. in the 200 block of 35th Street NE. Police said Coles, of the 100 block of 36th Street NE, was shot multiple times. Authorities have made no arrests.