Julius Hammond-Desir Ordered Held Without Bail In South Shore Plaza Murder
BRAINTREE (CBS) – Julius Hammond-Desir, the 19-year-old wanted for the murder of a young man at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree last month, was arrested Wednesday. He was arraigned later in the day and ordered held without bail.
Hammond-Desir was captured in Dorchester by Braintree and Boston Police along with Massachusetts State Troopers. He was arraigned in Quincy District Court.
Investigators say Hammond-Desir shot 26-year-old Dijoun Beasley of Dorchester while Beasley was shopping on the main floor of the mall on January 22. He died the next day.
Prosecutors said Beasley was inside Forever 21 with his girlfriend, who was pushing a 3-year-old in a stroller.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Hammond-Desir get off of an elevator, walk to the store and exchange words with Beasley. Hammond-Desir allegedly lifted up his shirt to show he had a gun. As Beasley walked to the store exit, Hammond-Desir allegedly followed him and shot him in the head before running off.
During Hammond-Desir's arraignment, prosecutors said the entire sequence from when the suspect got off the elevator to the time he ran off after the shooting lasted about 1 minute and 10 seconds.
Hammond-Desir was brought to the Braintree Police Department Wednesday morning.
An arrest warrant had been issued for Hammond-Desir on January 28. A second person, Samantha Schwartz, has been charged with helping Hammond-Desir hide from police. She pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $20,000 bail last month.
Hammond-Desir's attorney agreed that his client be held without bail. The defense attorney asked for the judge to hold Hammond-Desir "without prejudice" because he had not yet had a chance to review the facts of the case after meeting him only about an hour earlier.
The 19-year-old's attorney said Hammond-Desir has no criminal record that he is aware of.
Prosecutors said that when Hammond-Desir was arrested, he wanted to know who had turned him in. He allegedly told police that he had been waiting until he had enough money for an attorney and had been working at Dunkin'.
Prosecutors also noted that Hammond-Desir had shaved his head and slightly changed his appearance since the shooting.
Hammond-Desir is next scheduled to appear in court on March 15.
