The suspect was seen on video laughing in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday as he was on trial for murder, according to the New York Post.
Samaria Lopez is accused of stabbing her to death near a local bus terminal. according to According to the New York Post, Lopez pleaded not guilty before a judge to a charge of second-degree murder in the incident that led to the death of 22-year-old Jordan Walston, who was caught on surveillance video stabbing Walston twice in the chest during an argument on June 11.
The situation in the courtroom escalated emotionally when Lopez laughed and giggled during the arraignment, angering Walston's relatives who were in the courtroom, according to the outlet. Lopez's reaction prompted grieving family members to vocally express their anger, and the family was removed by court officials.
The tattooed suspect accused of stabbing a woman to death in a brutal brawl caught on camera last month outside Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal was laughing as he faced a judge on Monday, infuriating one of the victim's grieving relatives who had to be dragged out of the courtroom. pic.twitter.com/BOEKOhs5kQ
— NYC Crime (@CrimeInNYC) July 9, 2024
“That was funny…that sleazy, nasty bitch,” the woman yelled, The New York Post reported.
Tensions between the two families began even before the hearing began, with a dispute over seating arrangements in the courtroom: Walston's family reportedly complained about being too close to Lopez's supporters, and the two families were seated on opposite sides of the courtroom. (RELATED: 'Lots of blood': Dispute over online gaming ends in brutal hammer attack, police say)
According to the New York Post, Walston's relatives continued to fight back, hurling insults at Lopez and threatening a retaliatory trial. If convicted, Lopez faces life in prison. Judge Curtis Farber stressed decorum in the courtroom, but the room was kept under close surveillance until the two families left separately. The legal process continues, but Lopez is scheduled to return to court on October 22.
