‘Gangsta’ Juror Booted Off Brooklyn Murder Case, Causing Mistrial

By JHERELLE BENN

The judge declared a mistrial in Brooklyn Supreme Court Thursday morning after a juror was disqualified for having lied on voir dire about his gang affiliation and criminal record and allegedly giving hand signals to the defendant who was on trial for murder.

The juror now faces criminal charges of perjury and contempt of court.

The District Attorney accessed the juror Carlos Delgado’s public Facebook page to find pictures of him “throwing up gang signs” and Detective Juan Ballejo of the Criminal Enterprise Unit also testified to having seen Delgado touching his face and signaling to the defendant, Akbar Johns.

Johns, also accused of communicating with the juror through hand signals, commented on the photos in a statement saying, “There is no Cs or Bs being throw up,” and “It’s not crip nor blood.”

Justice Alexander Jeong then deemed Delgato “grossly unqualified” and kicked him off the jury.

The defendant was accused in the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old bystander on a so-called “Crips night out” in 2012.

Before the mistrial was declared the prosecutor offered Johns a deal of 25 years for manslaughter, which he declined. He also refued to accept an alternate juror and was returned to lockdown until his next court date in November when a new trial date was expected to be set.

John’s defense attorney who requested to be relieved from his role, was overheard in court telling John’s mother and girlfriend, “That’s the best that I can get him at this point.”

 

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