Mistrial declared in Sacramento's deadliest shooting case

The trial for two men charged in Sacramento's deadliest shooting, which claimed six lives and injured over a dozen, concluded Tuesday with a mistrial. Mtula Payton and Dandrae Martin faced potential life sentences for their alleged roles in the 2022 incident.

Although the jury did not convict them for the deaths, both men were found guilty of possessing firearms despite prior felony convictions. The trial, spanning more than two months, presented extensive evidence, including hours of shooting footage and testimony from law enforcement and witnesses. Prosecutors argued Payton and Martin initiated the gun battle against rival gang members, while the defense contended they acted in self-defense.

The 2022 shooting, which occurred blocks from the state capitol, significantly impacted Sacramento. Victims' advocate Leia Schenk noted that while gang violence rarely garners such sustained attention, the shooting's high death toll and prominent location drew international media coverage. The victims included three bystanders, Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; and Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21, and three men allegedly involved in the conflict: Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and DeVazia Turner, 29.

Smiley Martin, Dandrae Martin's brother, was arrested shortly after the shooting but died in jail in 2024 from a methadone overdose. Payton was arrested in Las Vegas in late May 2022. The initial murder charges against all three were later downgraded.

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But the shooting’s lethality, and its high-profile location, meant it attracted media from all over the world.