A monthlong federal armed robbery trial in Washington, D.C., took an unexpected turn when jurors discovered items hidden inside the defendant’s clothing that had apparently been overlooked by investigators, prosecutors and defence lawyers.
The discovery was made during deliberations in the case against Shamell Naquan Joyner, who was accused of carrying out a series of armed robberies at 7-Eleven stores and petrol stations and stealing vehicles in 2023.
Jurors found a Chinese yuan banknote inside the pocket of Joyner’s jacket, along with a piece of paper containing what they described as a white powdery substance. The items had not previously been identified as evidence during the trial.
The unusual discovery prompted Judge Rudolph Contreras to express his disbelief over how the material had escaped notice.
In a written opinion, Contreras said the court shared Joyner’s “amazement” that the yuan note and powdery substance had not been found in the physical evidence earlier.
According to a trial transcript, the jury foreperson told the court that a juror reached into the breast pocket of the jacket while examining it. The juror initially thought the folded paper might have been a receipt before noticing the white substance inside.
The jurors placed the material back in the pocket and returned the clothing to its evidence bag. They later searched another item of clothing and discovered the crumpled yuan banknote.
The judge subsequently questioned the jurors individually and reminded them that the newly discovered objects were not part of the evidence presented during the trial. The jurors confirmed they could disregard the material and continue deliberating.
The discovery came as the jury considered 28 charges against Joyner. After deliberations, jurors convicted him on 13 counts connected to five armed robberies and a carjacking.
However, the jury could not reach unanimous decisions on 15 other counts, with jurors reportedly divided over whether the prosecution had met the required standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The US Attorney’s Office said the convictions mean Joyner faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 31 years in prison.
The case has also raised questions about the handling and examination of physical evidence. The fact that the jurors, rather than investigators or lawyers, located the items inside the clothing has drawn attention to the unusual evidentiary lapse.
Joyner’s lawyers had not appealed the convictions at the time of the report.