A Brooklyn man who tried to meddle with jurors in his first murder trial is now facing 25 years to life in prison, after a do-over trial with an anonymous jury delivered a quick guilty verdict. The sentence was handed down in Brooklyn Supreme Court on March 17, 2026.
Sentence, conviction and victim
The defendant, 47-year-old Saalik Jackson, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to a press release from the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors say Jackson opened fire on 42-year-old Brandon Washington on May 14, 2021, as Washington rode a moped near Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Hancock Street. Washington was later pronounced dead at Interfaith Medical Center.
According to the DA's office, investigators allege that during recorded jail calls, Jackson talked about paying $1,000 to "work on" the case and get jurors' names. Prosecutors say those calls prompted them to seek a protective order to shield juror identities ahead of the retrial.
Alleged juror pressure and recordings
Jackson's first trial earlier this year ended with a hung jury and a mistrial, after one juror refused to join the rest of the panel during deliberations. As reported by New York Daily News, prosecutors identified Daniel Collado as the man Jackson and an associate allegedly discussed contacting about jurors, and named Kisha Johnson as Jackson's girlfriend who took part in the recorded jail calls. Prosecutors cited those allegations as the basis for seeking extraordinary protections for jurors during the second trial.
Anonymous jury and the law
Under a recently updated New York law, courts can issue protective orders that limit the release of juror-identifying information in cases where tampering, threats or bribery are a concern. The change affects how judges weigh juror safety against a defendant's right to a public trial. The statutory framework and related court guidance require judges to tell jurors that any anonymity measures should not be viewed as a signal that the defendant is dangerous. For the current statutory scheme, see Justia.
Retrial and reaction
At Jackson's retrial in November 2025, the anonymous jury took just over an hour and a half to convict him. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Warin then imposed the 25-years-to-life sentence on March 17.
"Brandon Washington was unarmed and simply going about his day when this defendant brazenly opened fire," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in the office's statement, calling the killing senseless. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jafari, under the supervision of Homicide Bureau Chief Leila Rosini, according to the DA's office.
