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Leftist Lawyer Causes Day One Mistrial at the First Federal Antifa Terrorism Trial
Ngo Comment ^ | 17 Feb, 2026 | Andy Ngo

Posted on 02/18/2026 8:06:00 AM PST by MtnClimber

One of the woke attorneys for an Antifa terror defendant wore clothing with politically-charged messaging to jury selection.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A mistrial has been declared on the first day of the historic first federal Antifa terrorism trial after a woke lawyer for one of the defendants engaged in misconduct.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman halted the jury selection process after noticing that MarQuetta Clayton, a BLM-activist attorney for one of the defendants, was wearing a politically-charged t-shirt with images of Martin Luther King, Jr. and messaging about civil rights.

Judge Pittman found her clothing could prejudice jurors. His ruling came on the first day of jury selection in Fort Worth, weeks after nine federal defendants were indicted on charges stemming from a July 4, 2025 shooting ambush on the Prairieland ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas. A local police officer responding to the riot was shot in the neck. One of the defendants escaped from the scene, leading to a Texas-most-wanted manhunt for almost two weeks.

MarQuetta Clayton, who is running to be a judge in Tarrant County, Texas, is a BLM-style activist

Clayton often wears political clothing

“I don’t know why in the world you would think that’s appropriate,” Pittman told Clayton. During her politically-charged questioning of jurors, she mentioned Jesse Jackson’s death, framing her side as being the side of civil rights and justice.

The judge told her that wearing that shirt would be akin to the prosecution wearing a shirt with “Donald Trump riding an eagle with an ICE flag.” It could bias or intimidate the jurors toward a particular view. He said he had never declared a mistrial before today.

Clayton is running to be a criminal court judge in Tarrant County, Texas.

Antifa supporters set up tabling outside the courthouse for their comrades facing trial

Clayton is representing defendant Maricela Rueda. Rueda’s co-defendants include several Trantifa activists. Seven other co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and admitted on record that they were organizing under an Antifa ideology. Some of those defendants are expected to be witnesses for the prosecution.

Those facing trial are facing charges of providing material support to terrorism, attempted murder, conspiracy and firearm offenses.

The nine defendants are:

Benjamin Song

Cameron Arnold, a.k.a. “Autumn Hill” (trans)

Maricela Rueda

Bradford “Meagan Elizabeth” Morris (trans)

Ines Soto

Elizabeth Soto

Savanna Batten

Daniel Sanchez Estrada

Zachary Evetts

A new trial date starting over the jury selection process was set for next Monday.....SNIP


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: alvarado; antifa; autumnhill; benjaminsong; blm; bradfordmorris; cameronarnold; clayton; danielestrada; elizabethsoto; icefacility; inessoto; judge; judiciary; maricelarueda; marquettaclayton; meaganmorris; mistrial; prairieland; rueda; savannabatten; tarrantcounty; texas; trannies; trantifa; zacharyevetts

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To: IllumiNaughtyByNature
Clayton is running to be a criminal court judge in Tarrant County, Texas.

The Enemy is Inside the Wire.


41 posted on 02/18/2026 12:25:26 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: jagusafr

State Bars are captured by the commie ABA. Nothing will happen to her from that direction.

The judge should have put her in jail for contempt and jury tampering.


42 posted on 02/18/2026 12:49:18 PM PST by ChuckHam
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To: MtnClimber

the way we are going, if the GOP loses in 2028, CNN will carry “The Mao Tse Tung Hour” and the Ecumenical Liberation Army will run every blue city.


43 posted on 02/18/2026 12:58:11 PM PST by montag813
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To: montag813

CNN will carry “The Mao Tse Tung Hour”


“DON’T F___ WITH MY DISTRIBUTION COSTS!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuqvlMxfGA4


44 posted on 02/18/2026 1:04:46 PM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Lurker

A DEI Ghettopottami facing consequences for their actions? Surely you jest.


45 posted on 02/18/2026 1:24:12 PM PST by slapshot ( GOPE republipussies are more dangerous than deranged progressives.)
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To: MtnClimber

You wouldn’t want MarQuetta to fall out of an open, second story window on top of you, would you?


46 posted on 02/18/2026 2:48:41 PM PST by SharpRightTurn (“Giving money & power to government is like giving whiskey & car keys to teenage boys” P.J. O'Rourke)
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To: SharpRightTurn

That would be a terrible way to go.


47 posted on 02/18/2026 4:53:13 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Organic Panic

Yeah, negro fatigue.


48 posted on 02/18/2026 5:54:04 PM PST by ebshumidors ( !)
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To: MtnClimber

Donald Trump riding an eagle with an ICE clag. Now there’s a t-shirt. I’d buy one.


49 posted on 02/18/2026 7:29:04 PM PST by Noumenon (They killed the guy who just wanted to talk. Now... now they've got me. KTF)
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