Jersey City man charged in machete-murder held on $500K bail

February 28, 2012, 7:29 PM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

The only adult among five people charged in a gang-related Jersey City Heights machete murder made his first appearance on the charges today and his bail has been set at $500,000 cash or bond.

Joel Santos, 18, of Palisade Avenue, is charged in the Feb. 8 murder of Victor Martinez, 21, of Waverly Street, who was fatally stabbed in an attack on Palisade Avenue at Prospect Street, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

The attack continued as Martinez ran to his nearby home, and he died a short time later died at Christ Hospital, DeFazio said.

Santos was nabbed on Feb. 12 while trying to board a flight to the Dominican Republic, and a 15-year-old Dickinson High School student was arrested soon after the fatal stabbing, officials said.

Another 15-year-old Jersey City boy, as well as a Brooklyn 16-year-old boy who is formerly of Jersey City, have also been arrested. All are charged with murder as accomplices in the attack, DeFazio said.

The prosecutor said his office plans to ask that the 15-year-old charged shortly after the murder be prosecuted as an adult, subjecting him to a potentially far more lengthy term of incarceration if convicted. A Hudson County Family Court judge will make the decision.

Santos spoke through a Spanish translator when he appeared in Central Judicial Processing Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny today. The native of the Dominican Republic was told that if convicted, he will likely be deported after serving his sentence.

Santos was also told that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement will likely place a detainer on him, meaning that even if he pays the $500,000 bail, he will not be freed.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_man_charged_in_mac.html

Quote:
I agree, when a parent lets junior do what ever he (or she) wants little junior grows to cause problems of whoever is around and society has to pick up the pieces. These parents don't have to be accountable when that time arrives the grown-up kid just leaves a wake behind such as the parent did when giving birth to the problem child, aka their golden child. Article below says a lot, also read the comments.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/kid-special-article-1.1019436

Cant help but say that it all starts at Home and if your raised by Animals, you therefore become one!

Call it whatever you will, parenting is lacking in most households and these kids are forced to grow up in the streets where the rules are completely a whole different ballgame.

Then its expected that the school system is suppose to pick up where the parents lack and this is wrong as well.

Its easy to read this article and to villafy the perp, however I see it as being tragic on both ends and an Issue that society desperatley wants to Ignore or write off as just another bad apple.

A true Shame!

They grow up quick in the city, but lead a short life. At 3:30 pm there must have been a large audiance.

A 15-year-old Jersey City boy has been charged with stabbing a man to death in the Heights during a street fight last night, and prosecutors say they will seek to charge him as an adult, officials said.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... d_jersey_city_boy_ch.html