A Cleveland cartoonist was dismissed from jury duty after informing the court of his childhood friendship with notorious serial killer Jeffery Dahmer.

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John Backderf, a cartoonist and graphic novelist who creates under the name Derf, was asked the routine question in Judge John Sutula's courtroom along with his fellow jurors regarding whether they knew anyone who had been convicted of a crime, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Monday.

"I had a close friend in high school who killed 17 people," Backderf replied.

When Sutula asked for more information, Backderf confirmed he was talking about Dahmer, the convicted serial killer who himself was killed by a fellow prison inmate in 1994.

Backderf said he is preparing to publish "My Friend Dahmer," a graphic novel containing several short stories.

Backderf was dismissed from the jury pool.