Miami

Jury Dismissed for Day in Revenge Killing Trial Due to Ferguson Protest at Miami-Dade Courthouse

Miami-Dade courthouse closing early ahead of scheduled Ferguson protest.

The jury deliberating the fate of a South Florida woman charged with killing her husband’s business partner was dismissed early Tuesday because the Miami-Dade courthouse was closing early ahead of a scheduled protest over the Ferguson, Missouri grand jury decision.

The decision to close the courthouse was said to be out of abundance of caution.

The jury in the Janepsy Carballo case was dismissed at 4 p.m. Tuesday ahead of the protest scheduled for between 6 and 6:30 p.m. near the courthouse. Carballo, 37, is on trial for first-degree murder in the 2008 killing of Ilam Nissim.

Jury deliberations began Monday after prosecutors and defense attorneys presented their final arguments to the jury.

Carballo claims self-defense, saying Nissim had murdered her husband a month before and was coming for her when she shot him six times.

“When he was trying to hurt her, when she was backing up to the drawer; she knew she had the defensive weapon to shoot him with, to stop him, as he’s reaching out to her, as he’s trying to grab her,” said defense attorney Nathan Diamond.

During closings, Carballo's attorney said she was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder at the time of the shooting, saying she was scared of Nissim.

Husband Orlando Mesa and the couple's son were shot outside their home on April 20, 2008. Mesa was killed and the young boy was injured but survived. Mesa's murder was never solved.

Prosecutors argue Carballo was out to avenge her husband's death, saying she lured Nissim to her home the night she fatally shot him. During closings, prosecutors argued that there was no evidence Nissim attacked Carballo

“Revenge is first-degree murder, no matter which way you slice it, no matter which way you dice it, revenge is first-degree murder,” prosecutor Abbe Rifkin said.

Carballo faces up to life in prison if convicted. The jury is expected to resume deliberations in the case at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Contact Us