From the Gun-Free Land of D.C. - DC Superior Court judge robbed at gunpoint

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 5:52 PM
Updated: Aug 10, 2012 9:16 PM
By Paul Wagner, @Fox5sPaulWagner

DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

MyFoxDC.com (WASHINGTON) - A D.C. Superior Court judge, who recently presided over a high-profile murder case, was robbed at gunpoint last Friday while walking with two others through an upper Northwest D.C. neighborhood.

Judge Ronna Beck was walking with her law clerk and the clerk's boyfriend when two men with guns approached from behind and announced a robbery.

Judge Beck, who recently presided over the trial of five men convicted in the South Capitol Street drive-by murders, did what the robbers wanted and was not hurt in the holdup.

In fact, all three turned over their valuables, telling police the men jumped into a car and fled east toward 16th Street.

According to a police report, the judge and two companions had just left a tennis match over at 16th Street and Kennedy Streets and were walking near the intersection of 17th and Crittenden Streets when two men with guns came up from behind and said "Turn around, give me all your money, drop it."

The judge turned over her purse, which contained a hundred dollars in cash. She also lost her cars keys and a judge's badge. Her two companions turned over their wallets.

The stickup was just one of nine robberies or attempted robberies in the city that day on August 3, according to what D.C. Police reported on its Twitter account.

In fact, robberies have been a major problem for police in recent years -- most of them involving the theft of electronic devices from people on the street.

According to statistics on the D.C. Police website, robberies involving a gun are up 19 percent when compared with the same time last year, and robberies without a gun are up three percent.

The judge's purse, keys and badge were recovered by police but it is unclear how or where.

Judge Beck is 64 years old and has been on the bench since 1995.

Through a spokesperson, the judge declined to comment citing the ongoing investigation.

No one was hurt. There have been no arrests.