Defense lawyers for the gang-bangers on trial in the murder of an innocent teen at a Bronx bodega used The Post as a prop in court on Tuesday to try and make the argument that a gag order should be lifted.

Defense lawyer Toni Messina unsuccessfully demanded Judge Robert Neary remove the order, accusing The Post and other media of spreading “falsehoods” in reporting on the victim’s brother saying that the killers mocked the family in court.

Messina, holding The Post, fumed: “No one saw this happen. That was a falsehood.”

Victim Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz’s brother, Manny Ortiz, 31, on Monday told a large media pack outside Bronx Supreme Court how the alleged killers smirked at his family during the first day of the trial.

Lawyer Martin Goldberg, who on Monday claimed his client Jose Muniz struck Junior with the blunt side of a machete in order not to hurt him, also blustered in court about the media coverage.

“This is inappropriate. The family is spreading falsehoods!”

Five Trinitarios gangsters are currently on trial for allegedly hacking Junior to death at a Bronx bodega on June 20, 2018, when he was mistaken as a member of the rival Sunset crew.

In court Tuesday, the teen’s mother sobbed as graphic unseen video of her son’s murder was shown to jurors.

Prosecutor Morgan Dolan warned the family “contain your emotions” before the CCTV footage was shown, telling them: “We don’t want your reactions to influence the jury.”

Leandra Feliz silently wept and placed her hand over her mouth as video from an NYPD surveillance camera showed six men hacking at Junior with knives and a machete outside the bodega.

One family member in the gallery began crying uncontrollably and she had to leave the courtroom.

Meanwhile, it was revealed a key witness in the case had been placed in protective custody ahead of her testimony.

Tamika Jones told the court how she witnessed Junior’s stabbing from her apartment window across the street from the bodega and rushed downstairs to help him.

She explained to the jury what was being shown in the CCTV footage and described how she and a friend tried to keep Junior awake as he bled to death near the entrance to St. Barnabas Hospital.

A total of 14 people have been arrested for the brutal slaying, including the five on trial for allegedly carrying out the attack: Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, Jose Muniz, Manuel Rivera and Elvin Garcia.