Thursday, March 17, 2005

D.A. BROWN: QUEENS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN STABBING DEATH OF NEPHEW; FACING EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a Queens man has pled guilty to intentional manslaughter in the stabbing death of his nephew in July 2001 whose body he admitted dumping in a garbage can in a wooded section of Douglaston, Queens. The defendant is expected to receive eight years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said, “The defendant has admitted his guilt, waived his right to appeal and will be sent to prison for the killing of his 32-year-old nephew. The defendant used a knife to settle a verbal dispute and now must accept the consequences of his decision.”

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Manuel DeJesus Martinez, 35, a diner employee, of 163-07 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, Queens. The defendant pled guilty earlier today to Manslaughter in the First Degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Randall T. Eng who indicated that he would sentence the defendant to a determinate term of eight years in prison at sentencing on April 7, 2005.

The District Attorney said that the defendant admitted that in July 2001 he became involved in an argument with the victim, Miguel Martinez, 32, his nephew, in the basement of the Seville Diner at 230-110 Northern Boulevard, Douglaston, Queens, where both were employed. The argument became heated and the defendant stabbed the victim twice in the neck fatally wounding him. The defendant left the victim’s body in a garbage can in a wooded area behind the diner which was found on July 14, 2001.

The defendant, an undocumented immigrant, fled to El Salvador after the slaying and was arrested on November 5, 2003 when he attempted to illegally enter to the United States in Tucson, Arizona.

Assistant District Attorney Jack Warsawsky, Deputy Chief, of the District Attorney's Homicide Trials Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.