Ellsworth Colbert, a volunteer on Kevin Chavous’ Ward 7 D.C. Council campaign, has pleaded not guilty of second-degree murder charges on Monday, a day after police reported he stabbed his neighbor to death, reportedly over dog droppings. Robert Wright, 37, was fatally stabbed after he and Colbert got into a confrontation because Colbert thought Wright’s dog defecated on his property.
Authorities responded to a home in the 3600 block of Highwood Drive Southeast around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. Witnesses reported to officers that the two men got into a verbal argument, during which Colbert had an open-blade knife in his hand, swung the knife at Wright, tackled him to the ground, and got up and walked away after Wright had been stabbed. This is not Colbert’s first unruly activity. A few weeks ago, Colbert reportedly became unruly and disruptive with a former D.C. Council staffer and was escorted off the premises. In 1997, he was fired from a position in the D.C. Department of Public Works after getting into a physical fight with his supervisor. Colbert has also been charged with assault at least five times. Colbert remains held without bond until a hearing on March 15. Colbert’s lawyer argues that his client had no intention of killing his neighbor.
