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On Tuesday, jury selection began in the nation’s first Antifa trial post-President Trump’s domestic terrorist designation. However, a U.S. district judge was quick to declare a mistrial, citing the behavior of one of the defense attorneys.
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From Fox News:
A federal judge on Tuesday declared a mistrial in the case of nine alleged Antifia members charged in connection with the ambush shooting of a police officer at a Texas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center over a T-shirt worn by one of the defense attorneys.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman cited the shirt worn by attorney MarQuetta Clayton under a blazer, which depicted civil rights icons. Clayton, who is defending Maricela Rueda, apparently wore the shirt during jury selection.
“I don’t know why in the world you would think that’s appropriate,” Pittman told Clayton, the Texas Standard reported.
Pittman apparently learned of Clayton’s shirt, which featured images of figures like Martin Luther King Jr., after the attorney had already questioned potential jurors. Though the other defense attorneys opposed the mistrial, the Judge said he would schedule a hearing in which Clayton will have to explain why she shouldn’t be sanctioned.
The Judge claimed that Clayton’s shirt sent a political message equating the Antifa defendants with famous civil rights icons, potentially biasing jurors. Pittman even argued that the attire choice may have been intentional, arguing that the defense lawyers would be outraged if prosecuting attorneys were to have donned pro-Trump and pro-law enforcement apparel in front of the jury.
As IFA covered over the weekend, Antifa militants attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas last July, injuring a police officer. Nine defendants are currently facing charges in relation to the incident. Additionally, this is the first time Antifa has been dragged into court since President Trump labeled the group a domestic terror organization. The results of this trial, whether good or bad, will set a legal precedent that may influence the future of left-wing terror in our nation.
Let’s pray for a fair, unbiased jury, as well as for a just ruling in this case!
How are you praying about this trial? Share your prayers and scriptures below.
(Excerpt from Fox News. Photo Credit: Dreamstime)
