Overview
- Laurence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, were arrested last week and charged in D.C. Superior Court with attempted unarmed carjacking, two counts of robbery, and two counts of assault with intent to commit robbery.
- Authorities say the pair participated in a 2:53 a.m. assault and robbery of Ethan Levine outside a Sunoco on U Street minutes before the Swann Street attack on Edward Coristine.
- According to court documents and a Justice Department release, both defendants admitted roles in the gas-station assault and the later beating of Coristine during interviews with investigators.
- Two 15-year-olds previously pleaded guilty in the case and received probation, a decision criticized by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and President Donald Trump.
- Pirro emphasized Cotton-Powell’s prior attempted-robbery conviction and probationary releases in criticizing local court supervision, and she said additional arrests are expected.