By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE, June 15 – Christopher Nelson, also known as Hype, was indicted in December 2019 as part of the Black Mob gang. On May 27 he argued for release from prison amid COVID-19 before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Valerie E. Caproni. Inner City Press covered it, below.
On October 1, 2021, a co-defendant was brought into the SDNY Magistrates Court and Inner City Press was there. He had face tattoos and was referred to as "Garcia." Inner City Press was told, in a whisper, that the case is death penalty eligible. Garcia was detained on consent; later this: "unsealing of a five-count Superseding Indictment charging JONATHAN GARCIA, a/k/a “Jayo,” with racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, firearms, and narcotics offenses, in connection with GARCIA’s involvement in the 2017 murder of Joshua Flores, a/k/a “Monster,” and offenses committed by GARCIA as a member of the Latin Kings, including the Black Mob tribe of the Latin Kings. GARCIA was arrested today and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein in Manhattan federal court." Inner City Press was there, as the only media in the Mag Court, and said it would stay on the case.
And it has. Garcia's trial started on June 12, 2023 and Inner City Press was there. The first witness was a Jamaica Hospital nurse about Flores' body dumped outside at a bus stop. Then an NYP Detective about the Ozone Park crime scene, photos of utility glove labels and a Chicago Bulls cap.
On June 13 came the cross examination of a government cooperating witness about his rap songs. One, it emerged, was based off Bladerunner - that is, fiction. The strategy appeared to be to undermine the credibility both of the witness, and the upcoming Fame Kobaine rap video which the US Attorney's Office intends to use to convict Garcia. "Some raps are fiction, right?" the question went. Yes, indeed. The trial continues.
On June 14 Christopher Nelson, now a cooperator, testified about his drug dealing and meeting with Garcia who he said bragged about shooting Joshua Flores or "Monster," to whom he referred with a derogatory word. On the screen were Instagram photos including Nelson and Garcia.
As the trial wound down, the defense wrote it about justification in the jury charge, arguing that "there is evidence that Mr. Garcia was being attacked by... a mob of gang members... He attempted to flee but was overcome by his attackers. They chased him across the street and tore his shirt. In the frantic seconds during which he was being jumped, shots were fired..."
And in the Final Jury Charge, there was a second on Justification on Page 19...
And then, "JONATHAN GARCIA, a/k/a “Jayo,” was found guilty at trial of the May 2017 murder of Joshua Flores in aid of racketeering. GARCIA shot and killed Flores in front of a playground on a residential street in Queens, New York, while Flores was running away from GARCIA."
Back on October 20, 2022 Judge Caproni held another proceeding on Garcia, whose CJA lawyer said he was reaching out to the Federal Defenders. Judge Caproni referred to the Department of Justice making up its mind - that is, whether or not to seek the death penalty. After the mention of 6 gigabytes of discovery, the matter was pushed back to March 10, 2022 at 3 pm. Inner City Press will stay on the case.
From May 27, 2021: Assistant US Attorney Adam Hobson quoted from social media video, about shooting people.
Nelson's defense lawyer argued that "Mr Nelson did not stab anyone. The government asserts that 'the defendant and two junior Black Mob members chased and stabbed a 17 year old boy in Port Jefferson, New Jersey.' This is untrue. The government knows very well that the video shows that it was an entirely different person - it was a black man (Mr. Nelson is white) believed to be 'Jo Jo' Joseph Garcia."
On June 8, 2023, Judge Caproni conducted a final pre-trial conference in US v. Garcia. Reference was made to a music video; the defense was told it cannot cross examine a cooperator about the issue of child sexual abuse.
The overall case is US v. Garcia, 19-cr-862 (Caproni).
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