Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A Chicago teen charged with the murder of a 62-year-old man in a vicious attack that was videotaped and posted on Facebook was convicted of the crime today following a trial at the George Leighton Criminal Courts Building, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Cook County Judge Joseph Claps convicted Anthony Malcolm of First Degree Murder and Robbery for his role in the brutal attack of Delfino Mora on Chicago’s north side in 2012. At the time of the murder, Delfino was in an alley collecting items to be salvaged when he was attacked by three defendants.
According to prosecutors, on July 10, 2012, at approximately 5 a.m. near the 6300 block of North Artesian, the defendant along with co-defendants Nicholas Ayala and Malik Jones decided to play a game they dubbed “pick em out and knock ‘em out.” The three then targeted an innocent victim to attack and rob.
According to prosecutors, Jones allegedly saw the victim in the alley while he was collecting items for salvage and started the video recorder on his cell phone. Jones stated, “I think I’m going to knock this guy out” and he then handed the cell phone to the co-defendants who continued to record the attack.
According to prosecutors, the three defendants surrounded the victim and then Jones punched Mora in the face. Mora then fell to the ground and the back of his head struck the concrete. The co-defendants continued to video record the incident on the cell phone before running from the alley and leaving Mora lying on the pavement. Jones and co-defendant Nicholas Ayala then returned to where the victim lay bleeding in the alley and took money from his wallet, laughing as they left the alley. A witness found Mora lying unconscious in the alley approximately three hours later. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where he died the next day.
According to prosecutors, the attack was later posted on Jones’ Facebook page where it was seen by a witness who knew Jones as the person who had attacked him approximately one month earlier. Video obtained from Jones’ cell phone showed the attack, including Jones hitting the victim and the sound of the victim’s head striking the concrete.
Malcolm faces up to 120 years in prison at his sentencing hearing which is scheduled for July 26, 2013. The co-defendants in this case, Ayala and Jones, are awaiting trial. Their next court appearance is set for Aug. 19, 2013.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys James Murphy, Risa Lanier and Lorraine Lynott for their work on the case.
