A month-long criminal trial in Washington’s federal court took an unexpected turn when the jury made a shocking discovery during deliberations. The trial of Shamell Naquan Joyner, who was accused of holding up seven 7-Elevens and other gas stations in spring 2023, had been proceeding with the prosecution presenting its case.

The Discovery

However, on the second day of jury deliberations, a juror found a Chinese yuan in one sweatshirt that was part of the evidence, and a suspicious white powder in a folded piece of paper inside a jacket. The prosecution and judge were unaware of these items, which could have supported the case against Joyner.

The jury’s discovery raised eyebrows across the federal court, with several longtime lawyers in Washington stating they had not heard of a similar situation. Judge Rudolph Contreras, who presided over the trial, expressed his amazement at law enforcement’s failure to uncover the evidence.

Impact on the Trial

The discovery of the suspected drugs and money in the pockets of the clothing items could have prejudiced the jury against Joyner. The items had been key evidence in placing Joyner at the scene of two of the May 2 robberies. After the discovery, Contreras brought each of the jurors into the courtroom to ensure they could set aside the new evidence in their consideration of the case.

The jury ultimately found Joyner guilty of 13 criminal charges, representing an armed robbery in mid-April 2023 and four armed robberies and a carjacking on May 2, 2023. The conviction ensures Joyner will face a 31-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.