A mistrial was declared Tuesday in the murder trial of Marcus Short, who's accused in the 2015 shooting death of Garion Johnson.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said the mistrial was declared after alleged jury tampering by Short and two others.
"Yesterday we became aware from a juror in the case that there was contact made by someone," Kleine said. "That was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and as a result there have been three people who have been booked for tampering with the jury. Marcus Short, Adrian Ixta and Devaughn Perkins."
Kleine says Short, Ixta, his cellmate, and Perkins are believed to have improperly contacted at least one juror. Ixta is a convicted killer.
All three have been booked and charges are pending. Ixta faces a first degree murder charge in the 2017 shooting death of Billy Walker.
Kleine says there has been at least one attempt to contact the seated jurors in this case. There was a joint motion for mistrial.
"Obviously we want to get this to completion, it’s extremely frustrating for all parties involved particularly when something like this happens which is really an attack on the system. The system of justice. So we need to get to the bottom of this and hold the parties accountable that are responsible for it," Kleine said.
Johnson was found in his car in the area of Fontenelle Boulevard and Sorensen Parkway suffering from gunshot wounds in August 2015. He later died at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center.
Short and Preston Pope are facing first degree murder charges for this crime.