Tag: stabbing

  • James Zarate’s bail reduction denied

    James Zarate’s bail reduction denied

    Judge: No bail change in Randolph teen’s murder:

    It seems that James Zarate, the brother, and accomplice of Jonathan Zarate, won’t be having his bail reduced anytime soon…

    A 15-year-old boy, scheduled to be tried as an adult along with his 19-year-old brother on charges of killing and mutilating neighbor Jennifer Parks a year ago in Randolph, will continue to be held on $1 million bail in the Morris County jail, a judge ruled this morning.

    The defense lawyer for James Zarate unsuccessfully asked Superior Court Judge Salem Vincent Ahto to reduce bail for the youth, who was transferred in June from the county juvenile detention center to the jail after a judge ruled he would be tried as an adult.

    The juvenile is charged with assisting his brother, Jonathan Zarate, in the stabbing, beating and dismemberment of the 16-year-old Parks at her home on Old Brookside Road in Randolph on July 30. The brothers were staying next door at the time at the home of their father.

    Ahto read aloud excerpts of psychological reports that have been done on the juvenile, in which none refer to him as having a mental illness or chemical dependency. But one expert concluded he has little empathy for people, enjoyed getting into fights, and believes the girl’s killing was justified.

    Justified? How in the hell could the murder and dismembering of Jennifer Parks be justified? What possible reason could the little shit have for saying it was justified?

    I can’t wait to hear the explanation behind that.

  • They can’t be serious

    They can’t be serious

    Possible Dyleski jurors quizzed on Goth, magic:

    The prosecutor in the Scott Dyleski murder trial asked prospective jurors Friday whether they were familiar with or knew anyone who embraced the Goth culture or the Wicca religious movement, and whether they had read books about psychopaths, serial killers and Jack the Ripper.

    The discussion in Contra Costa Superior Court touched on good and bad witches, black and white magic and “the dark side,” in what could be key elements in the upcoming trial of Dyleski, who has pleaded not guilty to special-circumstances murder and burglary in the Oct. 15 slaying of Pamela Vitale, the wife of lawyer and legal analyst Daniel Horowitz.

    Prosecutor Harold Jewett noted that Dyleski, 17, appeared “neat and tidy” while clad in a blue dress shirt and tie in the Martinez courtroom. Jewett suggested in his questioning to potential jurors that they would hear evidence that the defendant had embraced a different lifestyle before his arrest.

    When a prospective juror told Jewett that he enjoyed role-playing in the form of dressing up like people did during the Renaissance, Jewett asked whether he did that because “you’re visiting the dark side.” The man said no.

    Please tell me that they’re not going with a “satanic ritual” killing prosecution. Welcome to 1985.

    Just stick with the facts and the evidence. That shit may fly in Arkansas, but not in California.

  • Dyleski jury selection starts today

    Dyleski jury selection starts today

    JURY SELECTION SET TO BEGIN IN SCOTT DYLESKI MURDER TRIAL:

    For those interested…

    Jury selection is scheduled to begin this morning in Martinez in the murder trial of 17-year-old Scott Dyleski of Lafayette.

    The teenager is accused of the Oct. 15 killing of 52-year-old Pamela Vitale at the Lafayette home she shared with her husband, lawyer and legal commentator Daniel Horowitz.

    On Friday, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Barbara Zuniga denied a defense motion to move the murder trial out of the county because of allegedly prejudicial pretrial publicity.

    Zuniga ruled that moving the trial would do no good, saying “The nature of the crime will be the same wherever this case is tried.”

    Jury selection is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in Department 2 of the A.F. Bray Building, 1020 Ward St., Martinez.

    I wonder how long this will take?

  • Change of venue denied

    Change of venue denied

    Judge denies change of venue in Dyleski trial:

    That was quick…

    MARTINEZ – A Superior Court judge today denied a request to move the murder trial of Scott Dyleski out of Contra Costa County.

    Judge Barbara Zuniga said she reviewed more than 200 newspaper accounts of the case and found that the reports reflected “actual proceedings in court” but did not contain material prejudicial to the defendant.

    Zuniga heard arguments Thursday on the defense change of venue motion. A CSU Chico professor testified that an “exceeding” high number of county residents were familiar with the Dyleski case and that more than 60 percent had decided that he was guilty.

    The judge said Friday that she placed “little weight” on Ross’ study.

    Back to the drawing board for the defense.

  • Change of venue in Dyleski trial?

    Change of venue in Dyleski trial?

    Dyleski Judge Considering Change Of Venue:

    Sorry to the people following this case. I found this article a couple of days ago and forgot all about it…

    MARTINEZ — Superior Court Judge Barbara Zuniga heard testimony throughout most of Thursday on a motion for a change of venue made by the defense in the Scott Dyleski case.

    “I believe that the nature and volume of publicity in this case have made it very unlikely that Scott could get a fair trial,” Contra Costa County Deputy Public Defender Ellen Leonida said outside the courthouse.

    She questioned Robert Ross, a professor of political science at California State University, Chico, on the impact of pre-trial media coverage on the case. He said that a survey he had conducted of 306 Contra Costa County residents who would qualify as potential jurors showed that a high percentage of people had heard of the case and had formed an opinion as to Dyleski’s guilt or innocence.

    Ninety percent of those surveyed said they recognized the case, Ross said. Of the people who recognized the case, 61 percent said they believed that Dyleski was guilty or probably guilty.

    Using a statistical analysis, Ross said he concluded that an estimated 55 percent of the total jury pool has been contaminated by media coverage of the case.

    In addition, of the 90 percent of people who said they recognized the case, 92 percent knew at least one additional fact about the case. Of the people who had heard or read that Vitale had been struck more than 39 times with a piece of molding, 75 percent said they believed Dyleski was guilty. Of the people who said they had heard that a “satanic symbol” had been carved into the victim’s back, 72 percent said they believed Dyleski was guilty. People who had heard that Dyleski had allegedly purchased marijuana-growing equipment with stolen credit card information, 70 percent believed he was guilty of murder.

    “An exceedingly high number of people recognize the case and think the defendant’s guilty,” Ross said. “A very high number of people know a lot about the case.”

    The findings show that people in the community have been following the case and that it has had an emotional impact on them, Ross said.

    Prosecutor Harold Jewett questioned Ross on potential flaws in the survey. For example, the purpose of the survey is to determine whether or not people had formed an opinion on whether Dyleski was guilty or innocent, but the survey did not ask that question. Instead they asked people what their opinion was about the guilt or innocence of the defendant.

    In addition, of the 748 people who qualified for the survey, 442 people refused to answer further questions. Only 306 people agreed to participate in the survey.

    Jewett also took issue with the fact that Ross used the term “satanic symbol” to describe what was carved into Vitale’s back. Ross said he did not recall any newspaper article using the term “satanic symbol.”

    Ross testified that in media coverage, the crime and subsequent legal proceedings had been described in strong emotional terms, such as “gruesome bludgeoning,” “stabbed and beaten,” “shocked,” “brutal and callous,” “blood-soaked carpet” and “words carved into her back.”

    Ross, however, admitted that the words used were fact. After the hearing, he also told reporters that he felt the media coverage of the case had been accurate and fair to Dyleski. The media coverage had not, in his opinion, sensationalized the case, Ross said.

    Zuniga is expected to rule on the motion soon as jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday.

    I haven’t heard the symbol that was carved into Pam Vitale’s back referred to as satanic either, just “gothic”. However, it does make a compelling argument for a change of venue.

  • 911 call will not be heard at Dyleski trial

    911 call will not be heard at Dyleski trial

    Daniel Horowitz’ 911 Call Will Not Play During Trial:

    MARTINEZ, Calif. — The anguished 911 calls Daniel Horowitz made after he found his wife’s body won’t be played for the jury in the upcoming murder trial of the couple’s teenage neighbor.

    A Contra Costa County judge ruled Monday that the tapes are too “disturbing” and prejudicial to defendant Scott Dyleski.

    Horowitz called authorities on Oct. 15th after finding the bludgeoned body of 52-year-old Pamela Vitale in their Lafayette home.

    The defense has suggested that Horowitz played a role in her death.

    Prosecutors sought to play the tapes, arguing that an “almost primordial scream” by Horowitz would prove to jurors that he didn’t kill his wife.

  • James Zarate goes to adult jail

    James Zarate goes to adult jail

    Teen charged in Randolph murder moved to adult jail:

    The 15-year-old charged with helping his brother murder and sever the legs of 16-year-old neighbor Jennifer Parks in Randolph last year was ordered held in the Morris County jail this morning on $1 million bail.

    Superior Court Judge Salem Vincent Ahto approved the transfer of James Zarate from the county Juvenile Detention Center to the county jail since the youth on June 7 was “waived up” from juvenile status to be tried as an adult.

    Defense lawyer Joseph Ferrante said it would “be a tragedy” if the teen — who was 14 when he allegedly helped his then-18-year-old brother kill Parks on July 30 — was moved to the adult facility. Ferrante characterized the state’s evidence against James Zarate as weak and based upon the statements of a co-defendant and DNA from a piece of chewing gum found in a bag containing supplies used to clean up after the murder.

    “My view is it would not be appropriate for him to be amongst other juveniles,” Ahto said, saying he believes it is in the public’s interest to hold the teen in an adult facility.

    One of the mantras here says if you commit an adult crime you deserve adult time. Have fun in Morris County Lockup.

  • Gag order remains in Dyleski trial

    Gag order remains in Dyleski trial

    Allred loses bid to lift gag order in teen murder trial:

    California attorney and all-around shrew Gloria Allred has lost her bid to have the gag order removed from the Scott Dyleski trial…

    California attorney Gloria Allred lost an emergency appeal Tuesday to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to lift a gag order in the case of a teenager accused of killing a prominent lawyer’s wife.

    Justice Anthony M. Kennedy refused without comment to lift the order preventing Allred from publicly discussing the upcoming trial of Scott Dyleski, 17, who is accused of murdering Pamela Vitale, wife of television legal analyst Daniel Horowitz.

    Allred represents an undisclosed witness in the murder case, which is set for trial July 17 in Contra Costa County Superior Court.

    Why does she want the gag-order lifted? So her client can make the talk show rounds to make some money? Not to mention tainting the jury pool in the process.

    I, personally, think Dyleski is guilty, but I want to see him receive the fairest trial possible, so there will be no question of his guilt.

  • Zarate’s brother to be tried as an adult

    Zarate’s brother to be tried as an adult

    Teen to be tried as adult in Randolph murder:

    Jonathan Zarate’s brother, formerly known as “J.Z.”, will be tried as an adult, for assisting his brother in the killing and dismembering of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks…

    A youth who was 14 when he allegedly helped his older brother maim and murder next-door neighbor Jennifer Parks in Randolph last year will be tried as an adult, a Superior Court judge ruled this afternoon.

    Family Division Judge John B. Dangler ruled that James Zarate, now 15, will be prosecuted as an adult on charges of stabbing and chopping off the legs of the 16-year-old victim on July 30.

    James and his now-19-year-old brother, Jonathan Zarate, are accused of getting Parks to visit their father’s home on Old Brookside Road around 2 a.m. and then ambushing the girl shortly after her arrival.

    Parks’ mother, Laurie Parks, asked the judge to order James Zarate to be prosecuted as an adult.

    “Our loss is complete. We only had one child; now we only have pictures, videos and our memories,” she said.

  • Nicole Lambert on Primetime

    Nicole Lambert on Primetime

    Nicole Lambert will be appearing on ABC Primetime tonight at 10 PM.

    For those of you who may have missed this story, Nicole was literally stabbed in the back by her ex-boyfriend Eric Schorling in the middle of Romeo High School in Michigan. Schorling was sentenced to 10–15 years for the stabbing.