Opinion ID: 4568309
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Islam’s testimony

Text: The Commonwealth built its case on Islam’s testimony. On May 1, 2012, Islam flew from Northern California to Virginia to “have sex for money.” J.A. 19, 32. After landing at Dulles Airport, Islam took a shuttle to an extended-stay hotel in Alexandria where she planned to entertain clients. Her room included a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom with a doorless coat closet. Although Islam attested to occupying her room alone, she kept a pair of toothbrushes and two deodorant sticks in the bathroom. One toothbrush, she explained, was for her teeth, and the second was used to apply hair product. Islam 3 further claimed that she layered on two brands of women’s deodorant since she “sweat[s] a lot.” J.A. 117. After perusing Islam’s online profile on “backpage.com,” Valentino arranged for an encounter. He drove to Islam’s hotel, parked in the lot, and met Islam at the agreed time. Islam let Valentino into the hotel and escorted him to her third-floor room. Seeing that Islam was alone, Valentino claimed to have forgotten his wallet. So he went back to his car, leaving his cell phone in Islam’s room. In reality, the prosecution argued, Valentino went to retrieve his gun after confirming Islam lacked security. Islam again let Valentino into the hotel, they returned to the room, and Valentino retrieved $140 in cash from his pocket. (Islam never saw a wallet.) Valentino then undressed, carefully placed his clothes on the floor, and tried to have sex with Islam. 1 When Valentino was unable to maintain an erection, the encounter quickly devolved into a violent robbery. Islam looked down at her cell phone to text her boyfriend in California as Valentino retrieved his clothes. 2 When Islam looked up, Valentino had “a gun in [her] face.” J.A. 57. Valentino commanded, “Give me everything. Everything you got give it to me. Where’s all the money at?” J.A. 58. He then swiped Islam’s cell phone from her hand, took back the $140, and stole another of Islam’s phones from the dresser 1 Islam testified that this action was odd to her as “usually people place [their clothes] on the table or on the chair . . . but [do] not lay their clothes on the floor.” J.A. 54. The prosecution argued that Valentino did so to conceal his gun. J.A. 471. 2 The defense would insinuate that Islam’s boyfriend was the assailant. But cellsite location data offered by the prosecution showed that the recipient of Islam’s texts remained in Northern California during the encounter. See J.A. 424−25. 4 drawer. Valentino again pointed the gun in Islam’s face, threatening that, if Islam said “anything smart[,] . . . he was going to shoot [her] in the foot.” J.A. 59. After quickly searching the room and Islam’s belongings, Valentino discovered a laptop hidden under the bed. Valentino then “cocked the gun back,” saying, “I’m going to give you ten seconds to give me everything you got . . . . [I]f you don’t give me everything you got and I find it, I’m going to shoot you.” J.A. 63. But Islam had just arrived in Virginia and explained that she had nothing else to give. Valentino continued to threaten Islam, and eventually, Islam “jumped up and pushed the gun out of [her] face.” J.A. 64. But Islam—at 5’3” and 110 pounds—was little match for Valentino—armed, half-a-foot taller, and more than fifty pounds heavier. Grabbing Islam by the hair, Valentino slung her to the floor, ripping the hair extensions from her head and punching her in the face. At one point, Valentino dropped the gun. Islam reached for it, but Valentino got there first. He shot her in the leg. After shooting Islam, Valentino “hesitated to leave,” debating whether to take her laptop. J.A. 71. He left it and fled the hotel through a side door. Islam testified that, as he left, Valentino was walking normally, and he did not “wince or cry in pain.” J.A. 118. Islam got up and went to the hallway window, leaving bloody footprints in her wake. She watched Valentino enter a black SUV. Islam then called 911 from her hotel-room phone. Responding to a report of gunshots and a woman screaming, law enforcement was already headed to the hotel. When they arrived, they observed the bloody footprints leading from a hotel room to a window in the hallway and back to the room. They knocked on the door, and Islam let them in. Her left leg was wrapped in a towel, “soaked with 5 blood.” J.A. 122. Officers helped Islam from the doorway and sat her down in the hall. Inside, blood plastered the bedroom and the bathroom. Clothes were also strewn around the bedroom, and Islam’s torn hair extensions were scattered on the floor. Police searched Islam’s room and found a single bullet casing in the bedroom. 3 Islam was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries. At trial, she authenticated photos that showed where the bullet entered and exited her leg. Islam also identified x-rays showing where the bullet “crossed either the fibula or the tibia and the smaller bone” and fragmented inside her leg. J.A. 81, 83–84. 4 According to Islam, Valentino shot her; no one else was involved in the altercation. 5 Islam testified that Valentino was not shot during the fight. And, she continued, when Valentino left the hotel room, he was not limping and never indicated that he was in pain. 6 3 A casing is the part of a bullet cartridge ejected from a semi-automatic handgun (like Valentino’s) after a bullet is fired. It is not the bullet (the projectile) itself. Law enforcement did not find a bullet in Islam’s hotel room. As one crime scene investigator testified, bullets are not always found. And here, law enforcement declined to rip up the carpet, remove the A.C. unit, or take other measures to find a bullet or its fragments. 4 Islam proceeded to explain how “the x-ray . . . didn’t show that [her bones] [were] going to shorten” as a result of the gunshot and so she didn’t need surgery. J.A. 81. The prosecution relied on Islam’s testimony about her injuries and exhibits from the hospital, never calling a medical expert. Valentino’s counsel did not object. 5 The prosecution called Islam’s previous client that night to confirm that she was alone. According to that client, no one was in Islam’s room, no one waited outside the room, and no one approached him. 6 Yet another of Islam’s clients from that night testified that, before the police arrived, he heard a gunshot and then saw a man “c[o]me out [of the side entrance of the hotel] running to his car. When he was next to his car for a second he saw me and then he got into his car and left.” J.A. 341, 345. Although the client thought the man was (Continued) 6