Leopard-print underwear photo on Facebook leads to mistrial in Miami murder case, lawyer gets fired

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Leopard-print underwear, in fabric looking like this, was behind a mistrial in a Miami murder case.

/ AP Graphic

(CBS/AP) MIAMI - A lawyer posted a photo of her client's leopard-print underwear on her Facebook page, prompting a South Florida judge to declare a mistrial in a murder case.

What was she thinking?

The Miami Herald reports that public defender Anya Cintron Stern was fired Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, Stern snapped a photo of the underwear with her cell phone as corrections officers inspected a bag of clothing Fermin Recaide's family had brought for him to wear to the trial. Officials say the caption suggested the family believed it was "proper attire for trial."

But someone saw the photo and reported it to the judge, who declared a mistrial. Recaide is accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend in 2010.

The judge must now assign a new lawyer and set a new trial date.

3 Comments +

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by Jhihmoac September 13, 2012 11:37 PM EDT: That's one helluva "technicality"...; Reply to this comment

by Ericwvb September 13, 2012 7:04 PM EDT

Uh, who cares what kind of underwear the defendant was wearing? Even lacy thongs would be "appropriate" unless he was planning to show them off during the trial.

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by MegaProcrastination September 13, 2012 8:40 PM EDT: That was pretty much my thought. I can't imagine there being such a thing as underwear appropriate for a trial. At least he was wearing them!