by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 22 – A woman was indicted for murder for hire in September 2024 and her case assigned to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Analisa Torres. She was writted in from Miami to the SDNY Magistrates Court, which Inner City Press closely covers.
The murder was committed around Christmas 2023. The victim was Clarisa Burgos.
On October 4, the SDNY prosecutors wrote to Judge Torres that "DOJ has authorized this Office not to seek the death penalty."
On October 15, co-defendant Smith was in the SDNY Magistrates Court. Inner City Press as only media there live tweeted, thread
Note: the judge asked about Smith's "a/k/a" on the indictment and was told it was just his Instagram handle. And on that page, nine photos - more on X for Subscribers here, and Substack here
On October 17, Jeezy Mula, whose cases Inner City Press has previously covered, was added. Inner City Press, and as only media in the Mag court live tweeted, thread
On April 3, 2025, with the case transferred to Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, a hearing was held about the MDC cell search. Inner City Press thread here
On May 6, the US Attorney's Office wrote in of the previous day's superseding indictment which among other things adds co-defendant Batholomew, saying she'd be presented in the Magistrates court on May 7.
Inner City Press was there in the Mag court when she was presented, in an orange WCDOC jump suit. Her assigned lawyer consented to detention, saying he needed to study the issues.
On May 20 all four co-defendants were before Judge Engelmayer and Inner City Press was there. Each has two lawyers, but only one each fit at counsel table. Judge Engelmayer "strongly urged" Main Justice to decide if it is seeking the death penalty on McBean, by June 3.
On June 6, the US Attorney's Office "notifie[d] the Court and DAJAHN MCBEAN, a/k/a “Jeezy Mula,” a/k/a “Freeze,” the defendant, that the United States believes the circumstances of the offense charged in Count One are such that, in the event of a conviction, a sentence of death is justified under Chapter 228 (Sections 3591 through 3598) of Title 18 of the United States Code, and that the United States will seek the sentence of death for this offense: Conspiracy to Commit Murder for Hire Resulting in Death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1958, which carries a possible sentence of death."
On June 10, a schedule - or three: "As to defendant Julissa Bartholomew, trial is scheduled for January 12, 2026... As to defendants Chelsey Harris and Karl Smith, trial remains scheduled for July 28, 2025... As to defendant Dajahn McBean, a conference is scheduled for July 8, 2025 at 1:00 p.m."
On June 30 in a joint letter, the US cited McBean's two previous SDNY cases, both of which Inner City Press has covered before Judges Sullivan and Failla; the US Attorney's Office also favorably cited Judge Garnett's schedule in US v. Luigi Mangeone.
The defense noted that it was more than four years in Saipov between notice of intend and the trial; they annexed a declaration by Matthew Rubenstein of the Capital Resource Counsel project, with a list of timing in death penalty cases.
On July 8 Judge Engelmayer issued a schedule: "as to Dajahn McBean. Defense Motions due by 1/15/2026., Defendant Replies due by 3/2/2026., Government Responses due by 2/12/2026, Oral Argument set for 3/26/2026 at 11:00 AM. Pretrial Conference set for 10/3/2025 at 11:30 AM. The Court sets the following schedule for death-penalty related motions: Defense motions shall be due September 30, 2025. The Government's response shall be due November 14, 2025. Defendant's reply shall be due January 26, 2026
On July 17, co-defendant Smith pled guilty: "held before Judge Paul A. Engelmayer: Arraignment as to Karl Smith (2) Count 1sss,2sss held on 7/17/2025. Defendant sworn, pleads GUILTY to the S5 Information. Plea entered by Karl Smith (2) Guilty as to Count 1sss,2sss.
On July 18, as to Harris, the prosecutors announced that NYPD Commissioner "Jessica S. Tisch, announced today that [Smith and] CHELSEY HARRIS, a/k/a “Ms. Chinn,” have pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul E. Engelmayer for their role in orchestrating a shooting that killed Clarisa Burgos, an innocent bystander. HARRIS pled guilty on June 26, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025, and SMITH pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025. Two other defendants, DAJAHN MCBEAN, a/k/a “Jeezy Mula,” a/k/a “Freeze,” and JULISSA BARTHOLOMEW, a/k/a “Trophy,” a/k/a “Tactical Mommy,” have been charged and are awaiting trial." Tisch did not add that McBean / Jeezy Mula faces the death penalty.
On September 15, "Change of Plea Hearing as to Julissa Bartholomew held on 9/15/2025. Sentencing set for 1/13/2026 at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 1305, 40 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Paul A. Engelmayer."
On September 29 McBean's lawyer filed to strike the death penalty bid, citing the 5th and 8th Amendments and Ring v. Arizona.
On October 20, the US Attorney's Office filed a redacted copy of its Curcio letter about Chelsea Harris, including that "McBean wrote.. Make sure nothing illegal in your phone. Go through camera role delete out recently deleted and clear Internet search history"- then more than a page redacted.
On October 22 counsel to Chelsea Harris wrote in at some length that while Probation is recommending 25 years, she suggests... seven.
The case is USA v. Harris, et al., 1:24-cr-541 (Engelmayer)
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