Tag: Jennifer Parks

Psychiatrist: Randolph teen was psychotic when he killed girl next door:

This is an article about the start of a diminished capacity defense hearing for Jonathan Zarate. I just couldn’t get over the first two paragraphs in the article…

A psychiatrist testified today that Jonathan Zarate snapped when his teenage neighbor insulted his brother, and that after beating her until she lay motionless, he stabbed her repeatedly because “he felt she was going to get up and hurt him.”

Clifton psychiatrist Diana Riccioli claims Zarate, 21, was psychotic when he killed 16-year-old Jennifer Parks in his father’s Randolph home on July 30, 2005. Riccioli said Zarate’s irrational thinking took over and he was unable to form an intent to kill her.

So basically what this quack is saying is that Zarate was not responsible for his actions when he beat, stabbed, dismembered, and tried to dispose of the body of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks back in 2005.

This comes straight from the ‘You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me’ department.

I usually don’t hurl insults at people indirectly involved in trials but Ms. Riccioli, you are either the most gullible psychiatrist, the stupidest psychiatrist ever, or you have no soul.

The prosecution basically said that Zarate is a liar and that he fooled the good doctor into thinking he has a mental illness.

The hearing is scheduled to resume Wednesday with the trial allegedly starting on Thursday.

Judge: Inmate statements allowed in Randolph teen slaying case:

Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto ruled yesterday that the statements Jonathan Zarate made to other inmates of the Passaic County jail are admissible.

If you’ll recall Zarate made statements to other inmates allegedly admitting to the murder of Jennifer Parks and bragging about how he was going to beat the charge on an insanity defense. He also asked an inmate who was found not guilty by reason of insanity on how to act insane.

Some of those inmates sent letters to the prosecutor’s office detailing Zarate’s statements.

One less hurdle to overcome in putting this scumbag away for life.

Inmates: Accused killer asked how to fake insanity:

According to letters from inmates in the Passaic County Jail accused killer Jonathan Zarate asked them how to fake an insanity plea. These letters were sent to the then Morris County prosecutor in 2007. The letters also said that Zarate bragged about how he was going to beat the murder charge against him by using an insanity defense. One of the inmates he was asking how to be ‘insane’ was a doctor.

Zarate’s attorney is trying to prevent the inmates from testifying. He’s still trying for the diminished capacity defense even though this happened…

When questioned, Jonathan Zarate first told police he was dumping garbage in the Passaic River and volunteered to put it back in their Jeep and leave, according to testimony. After admitting Parks’ body was in the trunk, he claimed he “found her like that” when he went outside his home to meet her. When told that explanation was laughable, Zarate confessed, court papers said.

Again, Zarate and his brother brutally killed Jennifer Parks, dismembered her body, hid it for 24 hours, then tried dumping her body in the Passaic River. Doesn’t sound like diminished capacity to me.

3+ years and still no trial.

Court date set in Randolph killing:

A trial date has finally been set in the killing and dismemberment of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks. The trial date for Jonathan Zarate has been set for November 12th.

It’s been over 3 years since Jennifer’s murder. Hopefully, this trial will finally get off the ground.

Venue change request rejected in Randolph teen murder trial:

The trial for Jonathan Zarate will not be moved out of Morris County, New Jersey a judge ruled today.

Zarate is accused in the 2005 murder and dismemberment of 16-year-old neighbor Jennifer Parks.

Zarate’s lawyer argued that there is an anti-Hispanic sentiment in Morris County. It’s more like he was shopping for a sympathetic jury in my opinion.

It’s been over 3 years now since Jennifer’s brutal murder. Can we finally get this trial started and get some justice for Jennifer?

Judge rules Randolph man’s murder confession admissible:

Jonathan Zarate’s videotaped confession to the killing of Jennifer Parks will be allowed into evidence. Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto ruled today that Zarate was not coerced into giving a confession and was read his Miranda rights six times which he gave consent for each.

Today (the 30th) is the third anniversary of Jennifer’s murder. Let’s get this trial started already and bring some much-needed justice to the Parks family.

Videotaped confession details girl’s slaying:

Confession: Insult led to Randolph girl’s killing:

“When I stabbed her in the mouth, she was still alive, so I stabbed her in the neck,”

Those are the words of Jonathan Zarate in his videotaped confession describing the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks. In the tape, he casually uttered those words while eating a Snickers bar.

The tape was played in court today to determine if the confession is admissible in the trial.

Zarate’s attorney, Rich Mazawey, argued that his client uses PCP, has OCD, anger issues, and was hallucinating at the time of the interview and the murder. Are those supposed to be reasons not to throw his ass in a hole for the rest of his life?

The lead investigator, Lt. Jane Recktenwald of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, testified that Zarate did not appear to be under the influence of any drugs at the time of the interview.

Zarate’s lawyer wants Randolph murder trial moved out of Morris County:

The lawyer for accused killer and mutilator Jonathan Zarate wants the trial moved out of Morris County. Defense lawyer, and another comedian, Richard S. Mazawey, wants the trial move because of alleged anti-Hispanic sentiment in the county along with pre-trial publicity.

I wouldn’t call it anti-Hispanic sentiment. I’d call it anti-scumbag who killed 16-year-old Jennifer Parks, dismembered her body and tried to dump it in the Passaic River sentiment.

Just another act of desperation and another delay from another lawyer who knows that Zarate is a lost cause.

It’s been 3-years already since Jennifer’s death. Justice has long been overdue.

Thanks to Keb for the tip.

Accused killer may have been in drug stupor, attorney says:

The last time I posted anything about accused killer Jonathan Zarate I thought the judge had denied his attorney’s request for toxicology reports. Zarate’s attorney is claiming that Zarate was in a marijuana laced with PCP stupor when he brutally beat, stabbed, dismembered, hid the body, then tried to dump the remains of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks into the Passaic River. A reader corrected me and said the judge had, in fact, approved the request for a toxicology report. Now Zarate’s attorney is requesting two bags of marijuana and blood from his client to be analyzed by a lab.

Mazawey said he was merely seeking the scientific data to bolster a February finding by forensic psychiatrist Diana Riccoli that Zarate’s diminished mental capacity may be the result of several years of continued use of marijuana laced with PCP and alcohol. The abuse could have contributed to a “state of de-realization” that would have permitted Zarate to detach himself mentally from his actions and precluded him from giving informed consent before talking to authorities.

So basically all this delay is to try to get Zarate’s confession to be ruled inadmissible. I think the fact that Zarate tried so meticulously to cover up his crime by enlisting the aid of others shows that Zarate has no mental defect. Unless you want to count being a murderous bastard.

Randolph killing defense: It was the drugs talking:

It’s been almost three years since Jonathan Zarate murdered 16-year-old Jennifer Parks, dismembered her body, and tried to dump her in the Passaic River. Almost three years and the case still hasn’t gone to trial. Mostly because of Zarate’s defense either stalling or being completely unprepared. Now they’ve tried to delay it even more by attempting to consult with a toxicologist. Why is that you may ask? Well. now almost three years later Zarate is trying to claim that there’s no way he could have confessed to police willingly because he was high on weed laced with PCP.

Instead, defense attorney Richard S. Mazawey said in court Tuesday that a psychiatrist he plans to use in the case wants to consult with a toxicologist he just hired. Mazawey said his expectation is that the toxicologist would opine that Zarate couldn’t knowingly waive his legal right to remain silent because of the effects of “marijuana laced with PCP lingering in his system.”

Thankfully the judge denied the request.

Today a hearing will be held to determine if Zarate’s confession will be admissible.

Hat tip to Keb.