Syracuse, N.Y. -- Allegations of jury tampering triggered a mistrial Wednesday in a murder trial in its opening days after a supporter of one defendant acted inappropriately, according to the judge.
Onondaga County Judge Ted Limpert halted the trial on its third day and declared a mistrial. Both defendants who were on trial for different charges are back in jail, for now.
The trial began Monday for two defendants: Carl Newton, 37, and Synike White, 32. While they are on trial together, Newton is the only one charged in connection with the 2021 murder of a Syracuse man. White is charged as Newton’s codefendant in a separate incident.
Newton is accused in the killing of Jarrette Johnson, 31, of Syracuse. He was shot in August of 2021 and died a month later.
White faces an attempted murder charge in a separate shooting earlier in 2021 on the 200 block of Allen Street that’s unrelated to Johnson’s death. The cases were joined because the circumstances of each case share some of the same evidence, prosecutors have argued.
That pairing is confusing enough. But what happened once the trial got going this week was even more unexpected.
On Monday, a person -- who the court said is an associate of Newton -- attempted to intimidate one of the attorneys in the case regarding jury selection, Limpert said in court Wednesday. Other attorneys on the case and potential jurors witnessed the interaction that happened outside of the courthouse, Limpert said.
By Wednesday, the entire jury pool was dismissed, two of Newton’s three lawyers were taken off the case and the judge declared a mistrial. Newton -- who had been out of jail -- had his bail revoked.
“The court has determined it is physically impossible to proceed with this trial,” Limpert said.
The judge told Newton and White, who’s been in jail for two years awaiting trial, he would do his best to get the case back on the court calendar quickly. In the meantime, lawyers indicated they would explore trying the two men separately, which the defense has been pushing for all along.
The two cases began in July 2021. Newton and White are accused of driving to the 200 block of Allen Street in a silver SUV and shooting a man, according to court documents.
A month later, police say Newton used the same silver SUV to drive to the 700 block of North Alvord Street to shoot Johnson. Johnson died just a few weeks later on Sept. 5, 2021, as a result of his injuries.
Prosecutors have said that the murder was an act of retaliation in response to Johnson robbing Newton’s sister -- who later died by gun violence -- a decade earlier. Newton’s attorneys have argued that Johnson had arrests for a string of robberies, so others could have the same motive for murder.
Police originally charged White with Johnson’s murder. But the district attorney’s office chose not to present that charge to a grand jury; instead, White was indicted on attempted murder charges for the Allen Street shooting.
Newton was arrested in November 2021 and White was arrested a month later.
The trial, which has already been delayed by over a year as Newton switched attorneys, started Monday with jury selection. Five jurors were selected by the day’s end.
But Limpert halted the trial Tuesday after he was informed of events that occurred on the trial’s first day.
The judge explained in court he was concerned about several things, including Newton’s behavior toward one of White’s attorneys. During jury selection Monday, Newton spoke out as White’s attorney was trying to strike a potential juror from moving forward in the selection. Newton objected to that juror being excluded, Limpert said.
Later that day, one of Newton’s supporters approached one of White’s attorneys and “attempted to intimidate” her regarding the same juror, Limpert said.
That person also told White’s attorney that the defense needed jurors they “could essentially influence,” Limpert said.
One of Newton’s three attorneys witnessed the event outside the courthouse. Another lawyer was also subjected to intimidation, Limpert said.
A potential juror also saw the interaction between the person and White’s attorney and reported it to the court on Tuesday. That led Limpert to start an inquiry.
Limpert said he learned that several jurors already selected to hear the case saw the incident with Newton’s supporter and White’s defense attorney. Potential jurors also told Limpert they were yelled at outside the courthouse, which the judge said could be an attempt to intimidate them. The prosecutor in the case, Anthony Mangovski, said the yelling came from people in a car parked in front of the courthouse.
By Tuesday, Limpert ordered Newton, who’d been out on bail, back into custody. While at the jail Tuesday night, Newton allegedly approached White and the pair had to be separated by deputies, according to the judge.
By Wednesday, Limpert took both of Newton’s lead attorneys off the case because they could be witnesses in a potential jury tampering investigation. That left Newton with only one attorney who was set to represent him in trial this week. The judge also formally revoked Newton’s bail and declared the mistrial.
The person accused of inappropriate behavior with White’s lawyer had not been charged as of Wednesday, Mangovski said.
Still, Limpert said he believed that person was acting at Newton’s direction. One of Newton’s attorneys countered. Defense lawyer Craig Cordes said he agreed the actions of Newton’s supporter were reprehensible. But Cordes argued there was no evidence that Newton told the person to interfere on his behalf.
Cordes also said that while Newton has been more involved in the jury selection process than his attorneys would have advised, it is his right. Airing his grievances about the process to his attorneys and family does not equate to Newton directing people to interfere, Cordes said.
In the end, Limpert said Newton had been disruptive and the court believes he could be involved with a scheme to intimidate jurors.
A member of Johnson’s family loudly expressed her excitement after Limpert’s decision, even after repeatedly being told by court officers to remain quiet. Her outburst upset Newton’s family, who had been quiet during Wednesday’s proceedings.
After court Wednesday, Newton’s mother said her heart bleeds for the family of Johnson, the man shot and killed two years ago. She said she lost her own daughter to gun violence.
But she’s upset her son, Newton, is being painted as a villain for something he and his family says he didn’t do. She said her son is emotional because he’s fighting to prove his innocence.
Before things ended Wednesday, White’s lawyer argued that her client should be released and monitored with an ankle bracelet as he awaits yet another trial. He’s been in jail for two years without a conviction.
White’s attorney and Mangovski agreed that White had nothing to do with the events that resulted in the mistrial and had been respectful during all proceedings.
Limpert agreed to reduce White’s bail to $100,000 cash.
The case is scheduled to appear before Limpert for an update on Jan. 25.
Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.