A jury has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts in the trial of a man accused of involvement in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 17-year-old girl in north London.
Trial ends without a verdict
The Old Bailey heard that Tanesha Melbourne-Blake may not have been the intended target when she was killed in the Northumberland Park area of Tottenham on 2 April 2018. The 36-year-old defendant, Michael Clarke, had been on trial for her murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
On Friday, Judge Mark Dennis KC discharged the jury after it became clear they would not be able to agree on verdicts. He told them the matter would have to be retried at a later date with a fresh jury. "Do not be despondent about this, and don't think in any way that you have not done what you are supposed to be doing," the judge said.
Background of gang rivalry
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC had outlined to jurors that the shooting occurred during a "ride-out" from Wood Green into Northumberland Park. This violent act was allegedly in retaliation for a "slight" against a man named Marcus La Croix in the early hours of 1 April 2018.
The court was told of a "longstanding enmity" and territorial rivalry between two north London criminal gangs: the Northumberland Park Killers (NPK) and the Wood Green Mob (WGM). Ms Ledward said disputes between the groups had manifested as "a series of violent tit-for-tat incidents".
The prosecution alleged that La Croix had been beaten up by men with links to the NPK hours before the fatal shooting. Tanesha was tragically caught in the crossfire of this gang conflict.
Defence and next steps
Throughout the trial, Michael Clarke denied all charges against him. His defence asserted that he was not present in the vehicle involved in the drive-by shooting.
With the jury now discharged, the case is set for a retrial. A new panel of jurors will be tasked with examining the evidence and determining Clarke's guilt or innocence. The failure to reach a verdict means the search for justice for Tanesha Melbourne-Blake and her family continues, more than seven years after her death.
