Willie Barney, Teen Convicted in Off-Duty Miami-Dade Cop Shooting, Getting New Trial

19-year-old to get new trial based on judge's jury selection decision

The teen convicted in the shooting of an off-duty Miami-Dade Police officer during a robbery will get a new trial.

Court documents filed Wednesday show prosecutors agree that 19-year-old Willie Barney should be tried again based on a decision made by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat during jury selection, according to the Miami Herald.

According to the documents, Rodriguez should have allowed Barney's defense attorney to dismiss a prospective juror who he had originally agreed to but later asked to have him booted.

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Rodriguez-Chomat refused to take the juror off the case. The juror helped convict Barney last month on a charge of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and attempted first-degree murder without a firearm in the shooting of Officer Wislyn Joseph.

Police say Barney, Dedrick Brown, 20, and Travares Santiago, 20, ambushed Joseph and demanded his jewelry at gunpoint after he had finished volunteering at Union Baptist Church at 6701 Northwest 7th Avenue.

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Brown and Santiago haven't gone to trial yet.

Barney, the alleged triggerman, had been facing up to life in prison during a sentencing hearing next week. The new trial could start May 20, according to the Herald.

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