COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Chicago teenager who used a cellphone to film the fatal beating of a Mexican immigrant was found guilty of first-degree murder Monday.
Anthony Malcolm, 19, is one of three teens charged with murder after an alleged game of "Pick 'em Out, Knock 'em Out" left Delfino Mora, a Mexican musician and father of 12, dead in an alley in the 6300 block of North Artesian Avenue last year.
Cook County Judge Joseph Michael Claps found Malcolm guilty in Mora's slaying on Monday.
Malik Jones and Nicholas Ayala have also been charged in his murder.
Prosecutors said Malcolm used his friend's cellphone to film the "vicious" punch that killed 62-year-old Mora. The video was eventually posted to Facebook and led police to the three teens.
Mora was collecting cans and scrap metal for extra money at the time.
"You want to scream from the pain," said Mora's 21-year-old son, Jose, who was first alerted by a friend to the video on Facebook capturing his father's attack. "When I recognized him on the video, I cried, not because of what I saw, but because I couldn't do anything."
Malcolm, 18 at the time, was with Jones and Ayala early on June 30 when the three teens came upon Mora, prosecutors said.
Jones handed his phone to Malcolm, saying, "I think I am gonna knock this motherf----r out," prosecutors said.
The three teens surrounded Delfino Mora, demanding to know what he had in his pockets, according to prosecutors. Then, without warning, Jones punched him with such force that the sound of his head hitting the pavement is audible on the video later posted to Facebook.
Prosecutors have played the video numerous times in court and argued that while Malcolm may not be the one who threw the deadly punch, he "played his part" and should be held accountable for the murder.
But defense attorneys maintained that Malcolm's only offense was to agree to hold the cellphone, which does not amount to murder.
"This was a random occurrence," his attorney said. Malcolm "told police it was not part of 'Pick 'em Out, Knock 'em Out.' They were not out 'wilding' or in a gang or anything else."
But Claps found him guilty Monday of first-degree murder and robbery.
"It is a sad [travesty] that Mr. Delfino Mora died because of actions of people who apparently think that what they were doing was a game," the judge said before issuing his ruling. "Well, it wasn't a game for Mr. Mora or his family."
