After Firing Lawyer in SDNY Man Charged in CBP Agent Shooting Still Has Him in NY Case

After Firing Lawyer in SDNY Man Charged in CBP Agent Shooting Still Has Him in NY Case by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY EXCLUSIVE, Feb 19 – Five days after a shooting in NYC which drew comments from DC and beyond, on July 24, 2025 SDNY prosecutors announced they are "charging MIGUEL FRANCISCO MORA NUNEZ and CHRISTHIAN AYBAR-BERROA in connection with the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Patrol Officer.  The incident occurred on July 19, 2025, at Fort Washington Park.  AYBAR-BERROA was arrested today and will be presented tomorrow before Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang."    Jump cut to February 19, 2026, when Mora Nunez was slated to change his plea to guilty. Inner City Press was there; Mora Nunez was brought on by US Marshals and said he wanted a new lawyer.   Out in the hallway many CBD officers waited. Inside, with no other media present except Inner City Press, Mora Nunez was brought out again to meet his new lawyer. He said, "I haven't seen any decisive evidence against me yet." Out in the hall, when Inner City Press announced the news first orally and now here in writing, several CBP officers expressed disbelief. Inner City Press will continue to follow the case. There was nothing in the docket setting up the February 19 proceeding; there is, however, co-defendant Aybar-Berroa's motion for a hearing and special order under Local Criminal Rule 23.1(h), focused on the Government's press conference and "highly prejudicial statements." More Feb 19 details on X for Subscribers here and Substack here   Previously, Inner City Press live tweeted the detention proceeding, thread On July 31, 2025 Mora Nunez was presented, by video from a hospital bed, before SDNY Magistrate Judge Aaron. Inner City Press again live tweeted, here More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here The case was indicted and wheeled out to Judge Loretta A. Preska, who held an initial conference on September 3. Mora Nunez was there - and so was Inner City Press: All rise! AUSA: We will produce discovery, including the DANY file. Defense duo: We'd like time to review. Judge: December 2, 1 pm. Speedy Trial Act time excluded  Mora Nunez lawyer: He's getting no wound care in the MDC, only aspirin FD: Just noting the parallel NYS case And at the end of February 19, 2026, at least according to NYS WebCrims, Mora Nunez (known in WebCrims as just Miguel Mora) was still listed with the same lawyer he essentially fired in SDNY, and a court date coming up. Will he and Aybar-Berroa continue to go forward with both Federal and State cases against them, like Luigi Mangione? More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here The case is USA v. Nunez, et al., 1:25-cr-367 (Preska) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com SDNY Press Room 500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2025 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com