A Superior Court judge today declared a mistrial in the case of an Elizabeth man accused of fatally shooting a middle school boy in 2007, and jury selection is scheduled to begin today for a new trial.

Union County Superior Court Judge Joseph Perfilio questioned jurors individually today after one juror told him that some members of the panel viewed press coverage of the homicide trial of Edariel Melendez. On Thursday, while in the jury room, a handful of jurors viewed a Star-Ledger article about the Melendez trial posted on NJ.com, the juror told the judge. The post on the newspaper's website was viewed using a cell phone, the juror said.

While most jurors admitted to having glanced briefly at the article, none would identify who owned the cell phone, and one member said there were two cell phones involved.

Previous coverage:

• Elizabeth teen recounts shooting of friend during trial of accused killer

• Alleged gang member charged in two Elizabeth murders

• Nov. 13, 2007: Family, neighbors cry for 13-year-old slain in Elizabeth

• Nov. 13, 2007: Wounded teen recalls watching friend die

• Nov. 13, 2007: Isiah Speaks Out

• Nov. 12, 2007: Surveillance video from Elizabeth shooting

• Nov. 12, 2007: Masked man guns down Elizabeth teen

Jurors told Perfilio that a juror had pulled up a story showing a photo of witness Isaiah Davis testifying in the case of Edariel "Riddick" Melendez, charged with the 2007 death of 13-year-old Elijah Henderson.

They said some jurors expressed amazement at how quickly the article appeared online, considering they had just left the courtroom after hearing Davis’ testimony. After a juror suggested that looking at newspaper accounts of the trial was inappropriate, the cell phone owner quickly shut if off, they told Perfilio.

Perfilio ruled members of the jury are not reliable and cannot follow the instructions of the court. He said he is considering confiscating cell phones at the next go-around.

"After going through this, everyone denied it was them," Perfilio said. "It leaves us with no choice but to declare a mistrial."

Melendez, who was 19 years old at the time and an alleged member of the Crips street gang, stands accused of fatally shooting Henderson and another person just days later in cases of mistaken identity.

Henderson was shot in the head while riding on the back of a bicycle pedaled by a friend along an Elizabeth Street about 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 12, after the boys had sneaked out of the house during a sleepover.

Davis, then 13 and riding a second bike, was shot three times and survived.

Melendez also stands accused of killing 54-year-old Celse Pedra two days after Elijah’s death. The shootings happened just blocks apart, authorities said.

Authorities have said they believe the two homicides were retribution for the Nov. 11 killing of Rahshad Thomas, a member of the Crips known as "Twin." Melendez had mistakenly believed Pedra, a construction worker, and the three eighth-graders on bikes were members of the rivals Bloods gang, authorities said.

A second Elizabeth man, Bryant "Smoke" Lee, then 19, has also been charged in the killings and will be tried separately.