Leftist lawyer causes day one mistrial at the first federal Antifa terrorism trial

Members of various Antifa groups on federal trial for terrorism, February 17, 2026

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

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

MarQuetta Claytonoften 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 activists trial information table

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.

Outside the federal courthouse, a group of far-left Antifa supporters gathered with signage in support of the suspects. Antifa have urged their supporters and members to pack the courthouse during the trial.

The spectator gallery was in an overflow room that displayed a video feed of the jury selection process. The federal court rules do not allow spectators to cover their faces, which has upset some of the leftist attendees.

Clayton was seen leaving the courthouse with her shirt turned inside out. A later hearing will determine whether her conduct merits sanction.

Antifa accounts advocating on behalf of the terror suspects have responded online to the mistrial by targeting Judge Pittman with unfounded conspiracies that he did it because he didn't like the jury pool. They're trying to solicit gossip and rumors about him to damage his reputation.

DFW Support Committee is one of the Antifa groups supporting the defendants

This is not the first time that an attorney for the defense has been sanctioned. Last month, three attorneys for co-defendant Zachary Evetts were fined $500 each for filing frivolous motions and omitting communications they were ethically obligated to include in a filing.

If you want to attend the trial starting on Feb. 23, and I strongly encourage you to, it's being held at 501 W 10th Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 76102. This case about Antifa terrorism will not get national media attention.

Reader Comments

Crow · 2026-02-24T22:46:58Z

Check out the eyes on the photographs at the top of article. Zombies? Stepford wives? There is nothing there.

boli · 2026-02-24T23:31:52Z

Crow Mostly what I'd characterize as the Thousand Yard Stare. No focus.

Is there actually an Antifa?

Eventide · 2026-02-25T17:03:35Z

Crow Yeah, all MIA. All except for the girl on the left in the bottom row. She's not only present, she's flat-out evil.

Stallinuse · 2026-02-25T19:24:31Z

boli Apparently there is. Rose City Antifa has been an organization here in Portland for years. Seems kind of odd to have an organization for a group that doesn't exist. They're akin to area 51 or S4 and the government's statements on the facilities: We have no such knowledge of any installations existing and have no information to offer concerning this matter. However, satellite images of the installation, and first-hand accounts of people approaching the compound that are met with armed ( sometimes military) security threatening them with arrest or worse, indicates to the contrary. Nothing to see here. Antifa is just another tool to keep the people at bay and not focused on the real problems in our country. Antifa is real in the sense that their funding and lifespan is directly correlated to their usefulness.

Dwoods44 · 2026-02-25T06:43:37Z

The author Ngo is an excellent investigative journalist, and has been attacked for it.

JohnDukes · 2026-02-25T15:56:29Z

That activist lawyer should never be allowed to sit on a bench. Judges are supposed to be impartial and she proves that she is incapable of being impartial. She is an example of the types of judges who allow violent repeat offenders to walk free when they should spend the rest of their lives in a cage.

boli · 2026-02-25T16:25:31Z

Contempt of Court? Certainly not, Judge. I have every manner of respect for the Court itself. It is you personally whom I find utterly contemptible. I suspect most people, if allowed to express their opinions openly, agree with me.