New York man who killed brother, then blamed Black men, gets blasted by judge before sentencing
Dennis Martinez was remorseful at his sentencing hearing, but a New York judge wasn't hearing it, knowing how he lied about what he had done
Dennis Martinez killed his own brother, blamed the crime on a group of imaginary black men and only received a 10 year sentence.
The sentencing of a New York man who killed his brother has enraged the victim’s family after he was given a 10-year sentence for the crime that he first blamed on imaginary Back men, the New York Daily News reports.
Dennis Martinez begged the court for mercy after he killed his 36-year-old brother, Jorge Montanez. He asked Bronx Supreme Court Judge Lester Adler to give him “the lowest possible time that you can,” saying that he regrets committing the heinous crime. “He was my dearest brother. I tried to raise him the best way I could. I was only 13 when he came into my life,” Martinez told Judge Lester Adler. “I loved him and I am going to miss him a great deal. I pray every day for forgiveness, for what happened.”
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The 53-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter in October for stabbing his brother to death in March 2016. Martinez was upset that his brother was making too much loud noise. An argument ensued and Martinez fatally stabbed him in the chest back and leg, prosecutors said.
Judge Adler was concerned about Martinez’s web of lies after the incident.
“You just said you have nightmares concerning the death of your brother. I have some trouble with that because within seconds of stabbing him, you contrived a story, made up a story of three Black males attacking you and your brother in the hallway,” Adler said.
With the weight of how he lied about what he had done, prosecutors pushed for a 25 year sentence.
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Montanez’s ex-wife disagreed with the sentence and blamed the judge for being lenient.
“There was no justice today. He did not get justice today. We’re all sad,” Deborah Mercado, 41, said. “You let a man pretty much walk and do whatever he wants with his life whereas another man’s life was cut short.”
Daniel Mentzer, Martinez’ lawyer defended his actions framing Montanez as violent.
“The man that Dennis Martinez encountered that morning in his bedroom was a man who had been drinking, no doubt about that,” Mentzer said, adding, “I’m not suggesting that he hasn’t done anything. He could’ve kicked his brother out, but he didn’t. He has a responsibility that he needs to bear and he will.”
