(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Nine federal defendants accused in the July 4 ambush of a North Texas ICE detention facility secured a trial delay after a federal judge declared a mistrial stemming from a defense attorney’s courtroom actions.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman abruptly stopped the trial on Wednesday after defense attorney MarQuetta Clayton wore a shirt displaying images of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Shirley Chisholm while interviewing potential jurors, according to KHOU 11.
Pittman said he was “left with no other choice” but to declare a mistrial because political messaging is strictly prohibited in the courtroom, even “if it is something as admirable as civil rights or the D-Day landing.”
In addition to the shirt, Pittman took issue with Clayton’s alleged failure to clear the use of a visual aid depicting activism and protests during jury selection. At one point, he stopped the proceedings, asked jurors to step out of the courtroom and began lecturing Clayton.
The mistrial resets the entire case, delaying potential convictions and forcing the court to restart jury selection. The delay will likely cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. A new jury is set to be selected on Feb. 23.
The DOJ announced the charges on Nov. 14 against the nine defendants, who were alleged Antifa members: Cameron Arnold (also known as Autumn Hill), Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Hanil Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris (also known as Meagan Morris), Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto and Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada.
According to the grand jury indictment, the defendants participated in a coordinated July 4 ambush targeting an ICE detention facility in North Texas. The attack resulted in a police officer being shot.
According to court documents, the Antifa members were shooting fireworks at the facility. When police responded, one member of the group yelled “get to the rifles” and then opened fire, striking an Alvarado Police Department officer in the neck area. He fell to the ground but was able to return a few shots. Prosecutors say more rounds were then fired at the wounded officer and an unarmed DHS correction officer.
Court documents say Gibson, Baumann and Sikes were among those who were present the night of the attack and were arrested shortly after, while Sharp and Thomas were among those who helped the accused shooter avoid arrest until July 15.
Nine members of a North Texas Antifa cell have been arrested in connection with a July 4 attack on an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas; seven others were "charged by information".#lawenforcement #texas #antifahttps://t.co/pN3BmDKkGj pic.twitter.com/CPiVscAWfa
— Blue Lives Matter (@bluelivesmtr) November 19, 2025
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
