Thread: Mexican immigrant sentenced for stabbing death

http://www.nj.com/news/bridgeton/loc...60.xml&coll=10

Saturday, November 19, 2005
By MATT DUNN
Staff Writer
BRIDGETON -- Although Adrian Martinez was sentenced Friday to eight years in state prison, the fact that he has spent 858 days in county jail since his arrest means he'll only have to serve about four years of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

Martinez, 23, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced Friday in connection with the 2003 stabbing death of 18-year-old German Perez of Church Street.

He pleaded guilty Oct. 3 to second-degree aggravated manslaughter.

"He acted recklessly," public defender Jorge Godoy said of his client. "He acted irresponsibly."

Martinez, who does not speak English, had nothing to say to the court through a court-appointed interpreter.

He stood with his head lowered, a mop of dark hair obscuring his face.

Because Martinez pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, he waived his right to claim self-defense.

The diminutive man told police on the night of his arrest he was merely defending himself against Perez after an argument between the two men escalated into violence.

Martinez met Perez at a party on Laurel Street in Bridgeton on July 13, 2003.

Godoy said Friday when a fight broke out between the two men, both were armed with knives.

"It was one of those situations where both people acted irresponsibly," he stated.

Martinez, born in Veracruz, Mexico, is essentially a nice, respectable young man, according to Godoy.

What brought him to Bridgeton really exemplifies the immigrant story, he added.

"He came for no other reason but to work," Godoy said.

Prior to his arrest, Martinez was employed by a palette company, the name of which escaped Godoy.

"Unfortunately he found himself in this spontaneous situation," he remarked.

Following his release from prison, Martinez could be headed back to Mexico.

"He has an immigration detainer lodged," Godoy noted.

An immigration detainer advises law enforcement that the Immigration and Naturalization Service seeks custody of an illegal alien for the purpose of arresting and removing that individual.

So much crime that involves Illegal aliens goes unreported. From my old home town in Oregon it's the same every day. Last week an illegal was arrested when he tried to rape a young girl on a greyhound bus. Another slit the throat of an x girlfriend. Two or 3 meth labs busted ran by illegals. Another guy stabbed to death.

It goes on every day.

Hi Auntie-Iam from oregon too- Did you read that story about 2 months ago where the Hillsboro oregon janitorial sevice- owned and run all by mexicians- was arrested for stealing over a hundred thousands dollars in parking meter coins?
I am planning to find the story in the oregonian so I can post it here. also an alert this week on all the stations; apparently an illegal mexican kidnapped his son from his mexican wife - again in the hillsboro oregon area. these alerts happen about every other week here- where a mexican mail kidnapps some child.
the case that really sent me over the edge -a about a year ago- was the blandly reported story- three mexicans came up from mexico on a stealing raping killing spree-
they pulled women over at gunpoint- raped and murdered at least one- stole their cars- two of them were back in mexico - and one turned himself in or was caught.
the bland television report- as though nothing had happened- then nothing -no public outrage-
no follow-up- then we are supposed to celebrate Cinco De mayo
you know that day in may - and be really excited about mexican culture.
on top of this about 2 years ago , the New York times did an extensive investigation into trafficking of women and children into sexual slavery from mexico into this country.Terri Gross on NPR interveiwed the man who wrote about it. It is truly harrowing what happens to these girls and some boys- sold or sent by their parents or kidnapped - in a place in mexico they are broken in- and the mexican men line up to have their shot at them- then they are smuggled into the us ,living in slavery and sold to american men.
when they are really broken or become damaged by a customer- they are given to the ones who torture and murder for fun.
the police think the women are in a self-chosen profession - they are not- illegal trafficking and open borders and police who will not get involved-not to mention the ugly underbelly of american culture makes all this possible rebecca

Truth he did not come here as an immigrant.