ALBANY - A state appeals court reversed the conviction of an Albany gang member accused of setting up the killing of a rival, ruling the trial judge should have never allowed jurors to view a video of a police interrogation in which the shackled suspect stayed silent.

In reversing Olaijaide Chapman's conviction in the plot to hire two hit men to kill Marquis Mitchell, the justices on the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that allowing jurors to see the video of Chapman sitting in silence while he was peppered with questions by detectives violated a well-established tenet of New York case law.

"There are many reasons why an individual may choose not to speak to the police; however, there is a substantial risk that jurors might construe such silence as an admission and draw an unwarranted inference of guilt," the justices wrote.

"Defendant is shown slouching, with an ankle shackle securing him to the chair, and he is dressed in a hooded sweatshirt with oversized sweatpants worn in a manner so as to expose his underwear," the ruling continues. "His attitude appears to be dismissive and, at one point, he laughs in response to police questioning. Throughout the video, defendant makes no inculpatory statements."

Use of the video was rejected during pre-trial hearings on the grounds it was prejudicial. But the justices wrote Judge Peter Lynch erred when he allowed prosecutors to show the jury a redacted version of the video. It ended up being the last thing shown to the jury before Assistant District Attorney Shannon Corbitt wrapped up her case at Chapman's May 2016 trial.

Chapman's post-trial lawyer, Lucas Mihuta, pursued two points in his appeal: That there was no evidence to back up testimony Chapman's accomplices made during the trial and that the video should not have been shown. The judges rejected the first argument but sided with Mihuta on the second, triggering the reversal.

Earlier: Tweets help convict Albany man in assassin-for-hire plot

Mitchell, who was 24 at the time of the trial, survived shooting but he lost an eye and suffered from constant seizures.

Prosecutors contended Chapman boasted on Twitter about his plans to assassinate a rival, attracting the attention of police.

Chapman, known as "Luka," was accused of hiring two hit men to kill Mitchell. The victim was shot on April 17, 2014, at Garden and Raymo streets in Albany.

One day before the shooting, Chapman tweeted, "Sendin my hittas."

He later tweeted, "Try me and end up smoked," and "See us know we mean business." After Mitchell was shot but before police knew about it, Chapman tweeted, "Hospital."

He also tweeted, "I started all this (expletive)!"

The jury deliberated an estimated 2½ hours over two days before it found Chapman guilty of offering the hit men $2,000 to ambush Mitchell under the guise of selling him tickets to a music show. The hitmen, Desonte Welch and Shaqquis Salmond, later cut deals with Albany County prosecutors and testified against Chapman.

Chapman, 29, was convicted of attempted murder, conspiracy and assault. He was ordered to serve 25 years to life in prison. He was serving his sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora.