A judge appointed by President Joe Biden has released two teenagers accused of violently assaulting a federal employee during an attempted carjacking—just days after President Donald Trump touted his administration’s success in restoring law and order to Washington, D.C.
The two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl from Hyattsville, Maryland, were arrested after allegedly attacking Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, a 19-year-old former employee of the Department of Government Engagement (DOGE), during a botched carjacking attempt on August 3. Coristine, left bloodied and fearing a concussion, was beaten while trying to prevent the theft of his vehicle. The brutal assault left him shaken and hospitalized, highlighting the kind of violence that has plagued D.C. in recent years.
Despite the severity of the crime, Judge Kendra Briggs, appointed to the bench by Joe Biden, ordered the pair released from juvenile detention on Thursday. Her decision flies in the face of Trump’s recent crackdown on crime in the capital, where he praised law enforcement efforts and assured Americans that “everybody is safe now.”
Judge Briggs placed the teens under a series of conditions, including curfews, GPS monitoring, and mandatory school attendance. The girl is being sent to a youth shelter with weekly drug testing and a complete ban on electronic devices. She has a history of truancy and has reportedly gone missing for extended periods. Prosecutors objected strongly to her release, citing her as both a danger to the community and a flight risk due to another open case in Maryland.
The male suspect was allowed to return home, with the judge noting that a youth facility would be a hardship due to its distance from his school. He, too, will face drug testing and is banned from entering D.C. unless required by the court.
“The fact that this court is stepping you down from the Youth Services Center is a serious step,” Judge Briggs reportedly told the defendants, according to The Washington Post. She warned them that any violation would trigger an emergency hearing with consequences.
This ruling came on the same day Trump visited the U.S. Park Police headquarters in Anacostia to thank federal and local officers for their success in curbing crime. The timing could not have been more symbolic—or more telling. Trump had recently invoked the D.C. Home Rule Act, placing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal oversight to bolster public safety and support his broader plan to revitalize the capital.
“It’s like a different place. It’s a different city,” Trump declared during the visit. “Everybody’s safe now.”
Trump’s efforts are already showing results. On Thursday, the city recorded an entire week without a single homicide—a milestone not seen in years, especially in a city that has averaged between 0.5 and 1 murder per day over the past five years. The president also vowed to clean up the city’s parks, remove graffiti, and address the growing homelessness crisis.
“It was worse than ever just a short while ago,” Trump said, noting the visible transformation. “Right now, it’s better than it has been in years. And in a couple of weeks, it’s going to be far better than that.”
In a classic Trump moment, he even quipped about improving the capital’s green spaces: “I know more about grass than any human being, I think, anywhere in the world.”
The president’s visit and his statements came just hours before the release of Coristine’s attackers—highlighting the stark contrast between Trump’s law-and-order stance and the softer, lenient approach coming from the Biden-appointed judiciary.
Trump took to Truth Social that evening to celebrate the positive momentum:
“MAKE WASHINGTON, D.C. GREAT AGAIN!” he posted alongside a photo of himself. “You people are winners, and I just think it’s such an honor to be with you. We’re going to Make Washington, D.C. Great Again!”
While Trump is actively working to restore safety and pride in the nation’s capital, decisions like Judge Briggs’ release of these violent teens send a mixed message to criminals and law-abiding citizens alike.
Where’s Judge Pirro?
