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Murder trial to continue despite public defender’s attempt to have case dismissed

A Prince William County Circuit Court Judge denied a plea from a public defender to toss out a murder case.

Circuit Court Judge Tracy C. Hudson decided after three hours of testimony during an emergency hearing Tuesday, saying he failed to see any ongoing prejudice against Daquil Raheem Smith of Philadelphia, charged in the December 22, 2020 shooting death of Matthew Costanzo, who was 22 years old.

Attorney Shalen Ben-Avraham, with the Prince William County Public Defender's Office, argued the court showed slighted his client after the Commonwealth's Attorney's office neglected to notify this office police conducted a second search for the murder weapon.

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