Facebook Photo Of Client's Underwear Leads To Miami Murder Mistrial
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Leopard-print underwear lead to a mistrial in a South Florida murder case.
A lawyer posted a photo of her client's underwear on her Facebook page, prompting a South Florida judge to declare the mistrial.
The Miami Herald reports 31-year-old public defender Anya Cintron Stern was fired Wednesday.
According to the newspaper Stern snapped a photo of the underwear with her cell phone as corrections officers inspected a bag of clothing Fermin Recaide's family had brought for him to wear to the trial. Officials say the caption suggested the family believed it was "proper attire for trial."
But someone saw the photo and reported it to Miami-Dade Judge Leon Firtel, who declared a mistrial.
Recaide is accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend in 2010.
The judge must assign a new lawyer and set a new trial date.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report.
