A federal judge declared a mistrial this week after jury selection began in the case against nine defendants accused in a July 4, 2025, shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center, saying a defense attorney's courtroom attire carried what he viewed as an improper political message.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman halted the proceedings after nearly seven hours of questioning a jury pool of about 75 people, saying he was concerned the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could later overturn any verdict if he did not act, according to KERA News in North Texas.

The mistrial was prompted after defense attorney MarQuetta Clayton appeared in court Tuesday wearing a shirt depicting civil rights leaders as she questioned prospective jurors on behalf of defendant Maricela Rueda.

Clayton appeared to be wearing the shirt in honor of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and presidential candidate who died Tuesday at 84.

Pittman halted the jury selection process after taking issue with Clayton's questioning and told her, "I don't know why in the world you would think that's appropriate," in reference to her shirt.

Clayton's shirt depicted several figures from the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Shirley Chisholm, and the judge later compared it to a prosecutor wearing an ICE pin or "a shirt with Donald Trump riding an eagle" with an ICE flag.

Pittman said the issue was not the historic figures depicted but what he believed the display could signal to jurors.

"It's what [the shirt is] suggesting that's improper," he told the attorneys, adding, "Politics as prevalent as they are, as divided as they are don't have any business here."

Pittman dismissed the jury pool and told jurors he was "absolutely disgusted" with the country's political divisions, urging them to pray they could love their neighbors despite disagreements.

The case stems from an incident outside the ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, where prosecutors say a group used fireworks and gunfire during what the defense has described as a "noise demonstration," and an Alvarado police lieutenant, Thomas Gross, was wounded when shots were fired from nearby woods.

Prosecutors have labeled the defendants a "North Texas Antifa Cell." The case is being closely watched because authorities have described it as a first-of-its-kind federal terrorism prosecution tied to "antifa," even though antifa is not a formal organization and federal law does not provide a standalone domestic terrorism charge comparable to foreign terrorism statutes.

All defense attorneys opposed a mistrial, and outside the courthouse defendant Savanna Batten's sister, Amber Lowrey, said, "We've got everybody's clothes ready."

She added, "We've got our support people over here," and "Everybody's worked really hard to make this happen," before saying it was disappointing "to just have him say, 'I don't like your shirt.'"

Pittman said Clayton will return for a hearing to determine whether sanctions are warranted.

Evetts' lead attorney, Patrick McLain, said, "I'm extremely disappointed that an action was taken that was merited neither by the facts nor the law, that none of the parties moved for."

He added, "But we're prepared to go to trial Monday to seek acquittal of our client."

Jury selection is set to resume Monday with a new pool of prospective jurors.

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