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It’s been nine months since 43-year-old Julian Bailey was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals.
Despite FOIA requests, news coverage, and the support of local activist groups, Bailey’s family still doesn’t understand what led to his death or why he was shot nine times. According to the autopsy, at least six bullets entered his body from behind, writes City Paper contributor Candace Y.A. Montague, who’s spent more than six months investigating the death of the local husband and father of five.
Around 2:20 p.m. on Feb. 11, Bailey, who was on his way to pick up his family from work and school, entered a Circle 7 convenience store in Northeast and got into a verbal altercation with a woman identified as Dianca Bishop, who called 911, according to the Metropolitan Police Department’s report. The report says Bailey followed Bishop to her vehicle and told her, “I’m never bullshitting” before brandishing a gun. The report says both Bishop and Bailey drove away before either MPD officers or the U.S. Marshals arrived. Shortly after, Marshals located Bailey in his car a few blocks away where he was shot nine times by a deputy U.S. Marshal.
The MPD police report lists items recovered from the scene, including a wallet, a phone, sunglasses, and keys. There is no mention of a gun.
Bailey’s widow, Trenise Wells–Bailey, tells Montague that Marshals rammed into the back of Bailey’s car before he was shot and that an unknown woman was with him at the time of his murder—none of which is mentioned in MPD’s report. When asked to confirm Trenise’s claims, Brady McCarron, deputy chief of the Marshals’ Office of Public Affairs, declined to comment because the “matter is still under investigation.”
No MPD officers were present during the shooting and it remains unclear why U.S. Marshals, who are part of convicted felon and President Donald Trump’s “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” were there. “The Marshals do not normally respond to 911 calls,” MPD’s Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said at February’s D.C. Council Performance Oversight Hearing.
In March, Trenise’s lawyer submitted a FOIA request to MPD asking to obtain a copy of Feb. 11’s surveillance camera footage from the block where Bailey was shot. That request, as well as the appeal to the Mayor, was denied.
Two weeks after Bailey’s death, Trenise asked at the oversight hearing: “Why were the U.S. Marshals involved? Why doesn’t our government want to release more details? What are they hiding? I want answers.”
Our regular column from staff photographer Darrow Montgomery.
Old dodger: Artist collective the Secret Handshake has installed its latest work on the National Mall: “The Foot Soldier” depicts a tired-looking Trump in a seated position massaging his alleged bone spurs, along with text that commemorates his draft dodging—just in time for Veterans Day. Naturally coated in gold, the statue reads: “We honor the service and sacrifice of our Commander in Chief, Donald J. Trump. He’s a soldier in spirit, who marched to the front lines of dodging the draft, armed with a perfect diagnosis of bone spurs.” At the end it quotes Trump: “I can be very military.” Plus four points for art and humor. +4 [Post, City Cast DC]
Presence not required: MPD’s Interim Chief Carroll says he was unaware of the Trump administration’s plans to boost its military presence in D.C., and that he learned about it from a news alert on his phone. In addition to the thousands of National Guard troops deployed in the city, the Pentagon plans to add boats, 60 marked police cars, and military vehicles, which silence buyer and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says will focus on gang and drug enforcement. The D.C. Council wants Democrats in Congress to conduct more oversight of the federal police presence in January. The timing is concerning: “There shouldn’t be war equipment on the streets of the District or any place in the United States of America,” says University of D.C. professor Emily Cassometus. Minus one point for keeping MPD in the dark and another for the increased presence. -2 [NBC4]
Our ballot, our choice: House Speaker (but not for much longer) Mike Johnson has blasted voters for making the “wrong choice” in the midterm elections. Democrats only needed to flip three seats to take the House, and they snagged 44; in the Senate Dems won key races in reliably Republican states. Minus one point for failing to listen to the people. -1 [Independent]
Shake it up: As White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was replaced with evil elf Stephen Miller on Friday, the shakeup inside the Trump administration continues. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly on “resignation watch.” Richard Walters, one of Wiles’ “closest political lieutenants,” announced he was leaving. Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the DOJ’s civil rights division, has resigned, along with Brett Shumate, head of the department’s civil division, John Eisenberg, head of the national security division, and Jason Reding Quiñones, the top prosecutor in South Florida. And of course Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie is introducing impeachment articles on Hegseth. Plus one point because they’re dropping like flies. +1 [Independent, Post, Guardian, Independent]
Market crash: The same time Trump lost bigly in the midterms a week ago, his crypto business bottomed out. For two years, his family has been turning crypto into billions of dollars in new wealth. But as the election results started coming in, his fortune changed and the markets started turning against some of the Trumps’ most valuable ventures. The $TRUMP meme coin slipped to around $1.23 on Wednesday after hitting a high of $74. The World Liberty Financial token saw a similar fate, falling to 4.6 cents. Shares in Trump Media & Technology Group also plunged, falling to an all-time low. Plus one point for plummeting values. +1 [Mother Jones]
Andy’s Pizza and Eeebee’s are collaborating on a limited-edition crab and artichoke dip pizza slice. Respective owners Andy and Emily Brown (cousins!) say the slice is an homage to their family trips spent crabbing in Edgewater, Maryland. [Washingtonian]
An animal rights group sent Mallard a cease and desist letter over misleading language in its advertising for a $125 foie gras tasting menu. The Logan Circle restaurant originally claimed the ducks were “humanely raised,” language it’s since removed from the advertising. Animal Outlook also demanded Mallard cancel the dinner, which is scheduled for Nov. 12. [City Cast DC]
After New Year’s Eve, Floriana will close its doors after nearly five decades in Dupont Circle. Owner James Branda tells WTOP he plans to reopen in Old Town Alexandria by mid-January. [WTOP]
Local veteran actor Jane Beard is coming out of retirement to star in Round House Theatre’s upcoming production of Cult of Love. Written by Leslye Headland, the play will make its regional premiere as part of the theater’s ongoing 50th anniversary season and open later this month. [DC Theater Arts]
After defeating the Portland Thorns 4-1 in Sunday’s quarterfinals, the Washington Spirit are headed for the NWSL’s semifinal match against the Utah Royals. The game takes place this Saturday at Audi Field despite a lot of scheduling snafus that originally had the stadium booked for a Division III men’s American football game. [Washingtonian, Washington Sun]
