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.

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Sounds like they are labeling him as a psychopath as defined by Dr. Hare www.hare.org. If thats the case then it means he will never feel remorse, convential prison rehap will be of no use and he will always be at risk for repeating his crimes. It's about time some of these docs start identifying these criminals accurately so they do not unleash them back on society.

#1 Patty on 2006-07-27 22:25 (Reply)

this is for trench,
thank you for all your kind words and we all know that in the end the 2 bastards will get what they deserve

#2 laurie parks on 2006-07-28 07:56 (Reply)

You dont have to thank me Laurie. I'm just offering my opinion.

#3 Trench (Homepage) on 2006-07-28 20:45 (Reply)

does NJ have the death penalty? Or will tax money be covering lifelong accomodations for the Z. brothers? Guess which I vote for. And I live in Morris County.

#4 keb on 2006-07-29 01:18 (Reply)

Jersey has the death penalty but never uses it.

#5 Trench (Homepage) on 2006-07-29 08:57 (Reply)

If perchance I'm asked to be on the jury I'll do what I can.

#6 keb on 2006-07-29 19:04 (Reply)

LOL, Keb. If you are called for jury duty, remember- you haven't heard anything about the crime, you can be fair and impartial, and while you believe the death penalty is warranted in some cases, you do have reservations about it. Otherwise you will never make it to the jury panel.

#7 Home Sweet Home (Homepage) on 2006-07-30 09:50 (Reply)

But of course.

#8 keb on 2006-07-31 00:25 (Reply)

there is a panel of lawyers as we speak in trenton studying the death penalty laws. they are looking to bring back the death penality in nj for such crimes as this. lets all keep our fingers crossed.

#9 laurie parks on 2006-08-01 18:00 (Reply)

Laurie, you don't know me but you have been in my prayers all this past year. What happened to your baby cuts to the core - how vulnerable we all are. Sincerest sympathies.

#10 keb on 2006-08-02 22:16 (Reply)

is not justified but this boys is a several problem psychopath, but a death penalty is terrible for the family and parents, his boys is a human persons, no a mosters.

#11 Veronica Zarat on 2006-08-02 22:34 (Reply)

Laurie Parks, you are a family the jennifer? your points is okay, but tihs other part?, the family this boys...

#12 Veronica Zarat on 2006-08-02 22:44 (Reply)

Laurie is Jen's mother. Jennifer was her only child.

#13 keb on 2006-08-03 07:26 (Reply)

i still cant believe how everyone thinks the death penalty will solve anything... laurie do u think that if my cousins die u will be satisfied and could go on with ur life... you will still be as miserable as u are rite now... and just remember one thing u keep asking for these boys to die and death might come knockin on ur door

#14 rich on 2006-08-08 02:39 (Reply)

is that a threat rich. you know nothing about my life.if you believe in their innocense then you are just as guilty. you did not see what they did to her. you did not see my daughter laying in that casket so if i were you i would shut my mouth until you got your facts straight.

#15 laurie parks on 2006-08-08 08:04 (Reply)

I met Jonathan about a month before he committed this gruesome crime. He took the GED at my testing center and I proctored the test so I came into close contact with him. He was angry from the moment he came in the door. He was scolded for coming in late for the test and the whole time that he was testing I got an evil look from him. What is really scary is when he used our private bathroom he urinated all over our walls. I know it was him cause I went in to use the bathroom right after him. Later that night I told my boss that kid was pure evil and she just chalked it up to him possibly having some problems at home. I stressed to her that I know that look and it was just pure evil. Sure enough a month later I was reading the news paper and I recognized his name and then later his picture. I still can't believe I called it to this day. I'm only sorry that this poor girl and her family had to go through this. May god bless them and heal them.

#16 Connie on 2006-08-08 22:41 (Reply)

I have spoken to people in the school system that have had both boys since they were very young. They have nothing good to say about either one. They also have stated that the father was a big problem. Whenever he was told of a problem with them he never did anything but defend them and denie that it was them. Instead of teaching them right from wrong or punishing them. This even got them kicked out of their after school program when they were young. These two boys have been nothing but trouble. It's just so sad that it had to come to this. Their parents are also to blame. Well now they are where they belong, like animals in their cages.

#17 anothermom on 2006-08-15 18:13 (Reply)

this goes out to another mom

my daughter was a good child she never hurt anybody or never had a crule word to say about anybody until she met james now he will get his revenge thank you for all your kind words.

#18 laurie parks on 2006-08-15 18:20 (Reply)

she won't get her revenge u will

#19 5461658 on 2006-08-17 15:08 (Reply)

Re: the death penalty questions raised by several people in this thread:
I have a tough time with the idea that the events of one single occasion can so outweigh all the other moments of an individual's life. One impulsive act and nothing else means ANYthing ...
BUT what we are hearing here from various individuals who are acquainted with the "accused" is that that one evening was not a glitch in an otherwise productive, positive (or at least not destructive) life. That evening was a culmination of a pattern of negative, hostile behavior. At least their apprehension makes it the culmination instead of the beginning of a repeating motif.
Something this horrific does not come out of nowhere, from kids who are really "good" in a basic way. Part of the rationale for death penalty is prevention. Societal revenge is another rationale, and a sticky one, as the state becomes the murderer. But prevention ... harder to dispute, isn't it? Except, what if you execute an innocent man? That does not seem a risk in this case, being as the "accused" were caught in the act of dumping the trunk containng what it did.

and to Rich, re: "death might come knockin on ur door" - it already did - how can you be so insensitive?!

#20 keb on 2006-08-19 23:10 (Reply)

I'm new to this site however I've been following the story since it happened last year. I live in Morris County and also used to work nearby to this horrible crime scene. I always wanted to send my condolences to you Mrs. Parks. You and your family are in my prayers.

I did want to comment on Richs comment:
You, like anyone else are of course entitled to your opinion however I'm in shock that you would have the nerve to say that. You really are no better than your cousins if you boldly state your opinions and threats the way you did. Death penalty or not...you obvioulsy don't know your cousins that well if you can defend their lives after what they did and how dare you say that to Jennifer's mother. You should go down with them with that type of attitude!!

#21 Ali on 2006-08-23 16:08 (Reply)

for laurieparks i hope with all my heart that this will work out in our families favor i just want you to know that you and uncle dave are always in my prayers and i am really sorry that of all people for them to do this to it had to be jen. i will always remember jen from that last time i saw her 'roller blading in nana and pappy's drive way when you all came to visit us all in PA. just keep you head high aunt laurie and i am sure you know it might be a long fight to see the proper justice they diserve to get. we will all miss jen and the way she had the way of if you are in a bad mood to put you in a good.
this comment was posted by jens cousin michelle in PA

#22 jensfamily on 2006-08-24 11:04 (Reply)

our family will not be able to get back to normal until the zarate boys get what they deserve, in justice cause of what they have done to jen.

#23 jensfamily on 2006-08-28 16:11 (Reply)

Jennifer Parks was my little cousin and I am disgusted regarding the remarks that came out of Rich to my cousin Laurie. Guess the apples don't fall far from the same tree. (hopefully, you are intelligent enough to know what I mean). You better watch your mouth because I'm a retired cop and that sure sounded like a terrorist threat to me. Watch your own back buddy.

#24 Patti on 2006-09-12 11:33 (Reply)

All I can say is that what the 2 boys did to my cousin is not right and because of them I have changed my mind of what I want to go to college for and that would be for forensic science cause I want to be the one to help put the people who commit crimes this horrible too people who don't disserve that kind of stuff done to them and it really makes me mad cause Jen lost her life because the 2 boys wanted to be stupid and get revenge for something stupid. Innocent people don't need to lose their life like Jen because of stupid shit like revenge as for the minor he got what he disserve when they decided to charge him as an adult.

#25 jensfamily on 2006-11-19 15:49 (Reply)

well i went to highschool with Jonathan Zarate and he was very angry and vicious he obviously got kicked out of our highschool whichhis parents sent him to because it was a christian boarding skool in hopes of him changing but obviously it didnt work... it was a shock to me when me and his fellow classmates heard of the horrific crime he had made... it was horrendous to know the details... i cant believe he was capable of such a crime... my sincerest condolences go to the parents of Jennifer Parks i know its hard to lose a child but u need to keep your head up and let justice take place...

#26 tuty on 2006-12-19 10:21 (Reply)

I knew Jenn Jon and James i was friends w. James and Jon and i dated jon at one point. Jenn was in my math class and we werent close but we did exchange words. I never have believed in the death penilty and i still dont because i dont understand how we can kill someone for killing another person...isnt that being hypocritical ? I do think they should both stay in jail and my whole heart goes out to Mrs. Parks i went to the run we held for Jenn at the high school and i was glad to see the turn out.

R.I.P Jenn
I wish i could have done more when there was a chance

#27 Unknown on 2006-12-23 20:03 (Reply)

why waste a penny on that worthless scum bag.
it makes me crazy to think any part of my tax money is spent paying lawyers or a correctional facility to have anything to do with this piece of garbage. please god let him die in a horrific and long torturous death hopefully one on video that people can see on the internet and laugh about as he dies in pure agony ,
that vile scum sucking clown boy.

I heard it was because him and his brother both suffered from infantile penis syndrome that they were angry at women because they had no manhood.

#28 Frank on 2006-12-31 04:39 (Reply)

I hope those 2 animals get F*c*ed up their asses in jail. There is NO excuse for what they did!!!!

My prayers go out to the family!

#29 SummerRain (Homepage) on 2007-04-05 17:43 (Reply)

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