Opening remark leads to mistrial for accused prison guard killer - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports

ST. FRANCISVILLE, LA (WAFB) - What's being called a huge mistake on the part of the prosecution resulted in a mistrial Thursday morning for a man suspected of killing a prison guard.

The defense attorney for Jeffery Cameron Clark asked a judge to declare a mistrial after the prosecutor brought up Clark's previous conviction for murder.

"They want another felony murder," said prosecutor Tommy Block. "They want another life sentence."

Attorney Tommy D'Amico objected and made the motion for a mistrial after Block's statement.

The judge agreed with the defense, saying the statement poisoned the jury.

"And I think it's highly prejudicial and I think it's something that the judge had no other choice but to grant the mistrial," said D'Amico. "We don't want to try these kinds of cases twice. It should be tried with an impartial jury who's not looking at that kind of evidence."

Clark is suspected of being one of five inmates who killed an Angola prison guard.

The group is known as the "Angola 5."

Clark was the first to stand trial in the stabbing and beating death of Captain David Knapps.

Authorities say the group murdered Knapps during an escape attempt in Dec. 1999.

Clark is already serving a life sentence for the 1984 killing of a Baton Rouge nightclub employee during a robbery.

Prosecutors were seeking the death penalty in this case and have appealed the judge's decision.

D'Amico said he feels confident the appellate courts will support and affirm the mistrial.

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