Judge Allows Weekly Grocery Trips for Murder Defendant
A DC Superior Court judge modified home confinement terms for a 23-year-old charged in a fatal arson, while declining to revoke the order.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Sex Crimes
DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz modified the home confinement order for Dayshawn Nolan, 23, who is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with a fatal arson. The judge declined to revoke the order despite four prior violations since September.
Why it matters
The ruling shows how courts weigh release conditions for defendants facing serious charges against practical needs such as access to food. It also highlights the tension between monitoring compliance and the availability of basic necessities during pretrial detention.
Nolan is charged with second-degree murder while armed and remains under a home confinement order, now modified to permit one weekly grocery trip and approved programming. The case is pending, with the parties set to reconvene on March 5, 2027.
The players
Neal Kravitz
Judge Kravitz is a judge of the DC Superior Court who presides over criminal matters in the District of Columbia.
Pretrial Services Agency
The Pretrial Services Agency supervises defendants released before trial in the District of Columbia and approves their travel and location restrictions.
The details
The defense moved to replace home confinement with a curfew and GPS monitoring, arguing the violations stemmed from a need to get food into the home, and the prosecution opposed the motion citing the violations. Judge Kravitz declined to revoke the order but allowed weekly grocery store trips and attendance at confirmed CSOSA and DDS programming.
Timeline
July 3, 2022: Fatal arson at the 420 block of Condon Terrace, SE
September 2026: Nolan's home confinement violations began
October 30, 2026: Judge Kravitz modified the release conditions
March 5, 2027: Parties slated to reconvene
Legal Context
The ruling applies the pretrial release framework administered by the DC Pretrial Services Agency, which approves travel to locations not listed on a release order. The case illustrates how that framework handles conditions such as home confinement when a defendant's basic needs fall outside the original order.
Residents near Condon Terrace and across Washington may see the ruling as a reminder that pretrial release terms directly shape how defendants are monitored in the community. The modified order now permits one weekly grocery trip, which will govern the defendant's movements until the next hearing.
The takeaway
Release conditions in pending cases often balance monitoring against basic needs, and changes to those terms can shift quickly after a hearing. Readers following the case can track the March 5, 2027 reconvening date for any further modification.
What happens next
The parties are slated to reconvene on March 5, 2027.
Further reading
For related coverage of the court system, see Sex Crimes in Washington.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dcwitness.
