News of Doom 2.0 - Jonathan Zarate

Zarate's attorney asks for drug test

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Wed, 07 May 2008 08:40:48 -0400

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 and 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.

Attempt at more delays in Zarate trial

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:04:03 -0400

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.

Nod of Doom to Keb.

Zarate has no mental defect says prosecutor

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:48:54 -0400

Prosecutor: Accused Randolph killer not impaired:
Morris County, NJ assistant prosecutor Robert Lane told a judge Tuesday that accused killer Jonathan Zarate bragged to other inmates that he wasn't mentally diminished when he killed and dismembered his 16-year-old neighbor Jennifer Parks. This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one.

It seems that Zarate has a new lawyer as well. Richard S. Mazawey replaces Anthony Fusco as Zarate's attorney. No reason was given why Fusco is no longer his attorney. Mazawey plans to use the same diminished capacity defense that Fusco was pursuing.

Zarate's lawyer claims diminished capacity

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:03:41 -0500

Report: Accused killer of Randolph teen had mental defect:
Instead of going for an insanity defense the attorney for accused killer Jonathan Zarate is now going for a diminished capacity defense. Here's the difference...

A defendant deemed to be insane at the time of a crime in New Jersey cannot be held criminally responsible. A person found guilty of committing a murder, but found to have diminished capacity, or a mental defect or impairment, is merely convicted of a lesser offense than murder.

For those of you new to the site then 18-year-old Jonathan Zarate killed his 16-year-old neighbor Jennifer Parks, dismembered her body, then hid her body for 24 hours, and then tried to dump her body into the Passaic River.

Basically this kind of defense admits guilt but tries to get a reduced sentence other than a murder sentence.

The prosecution however subscribes to the common sense theory...

Office Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert Lane said the report will be reviewed over the next week to see if the office wants to hire its own expert. But Lane told Judge Salem Vincent Ahto that Jonathan Zarate's mind appeared clear when he scrubbed up the crime scene, cut off the girl's legs to cram her body into a steamer trunk and tried to toss the trunk over a bridge into the Passaic River.

The only mental defect Zarate has is that he's a raving psychopath.

The judge wants the trial to start on April 17th but Zarate's attorney, Anthony Fusco, said he won't be ready. How much more time does he need? It's been almost 3 years since Jennifer Parks' death. Get on with it already. Doesn't the victim's family have the right to a speedy trial too?

Nod of Doom to Keb.

No plea for Zarate

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:08:36 -0400

Prosecutor: No plea bargain for murder suspect Zarate:
The Morris County (NJ) Prosecutors Office has restated their refusal to offer a plea to accused killer Jonathan Zarate. For those of you just joining us Zarate killed 16-year-old Jennifer Parks dismembered her body and tried to dump the body in the Passaic River.

At a brief hearing in Morristown, Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto wanted to know where the 27-month-old case stood. Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Ralph Amirata said the only way Zarate would avoid trial is to plead guilty to the July 2005 murder.

Zarate has already been spared the death penalty.

Zarate's attorney is pursuing an insanity defense and expects a psychiatric report in a few weeks.

Zarate isn't crazy, he's inherently evil in my opinion.

Parks family sues Zarates

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 21:15:00 -0400

Parents of murdered Randolph teen sue:
It's been a while since we've talked about the murder of Jennifer Parks. It was at least before News of Doom was merged with CrimeNe.ws so I'll do a brief recap for those of you who didn't follow the News of Doom site.

Jennifer Parks was a 16-year-old girl from Randolph, New Jersey. She was killed by her neighbor Jonathan Zarate. Zarate dismembered her body and stuffed her into a steamer trunk. He then hid her body in his parents Jeep for 24 hours while he attended a child's birthday party. Zarate, his brother James, and a third teen were caught trying to dump Jennifer's body into the Passaic River.

That was 2 years ago. In true New Jersey fashion the trial has yet to commence.

Now the parents of Jennifer Parks are suing the parents of Jonathan Zarate for negligence.

An attorney for David and Laurie Parks filed the lawsuit in Superior Court in Morristown, claiming Jonathan and James Zarate were negligent in not stopping the other from committing the brutal murder in their father's home.

The lawsuit claims the boys' parents, John Zarate and Flora Mari, failed to adequately supervise them, knowing they both had bullied 16-year-old Jennifer prior to the July 30, 2005 murder.

Like I always say in these kind of lawsuits whatever the Parks get it won't even be close to what they've lost with the death of their daughter.

Insanity defense for Zarate

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:24:28 -0400

Zarate to pursue insanity defense:
I'm surprised it took this long. Anyway, Anthony Fusco, the attorney for accused killer Jonathan Zarate, is going to be pursuing an insanity defense for his client.

Jonathan Zarate's lawyer, Anthony Fusco, told Judge Salem Vincent Ahto in Morristown that he plans an insanity defense and is in the process of hiring a forensic psychiatrist to examine the high school dropout. Fusco, a privately-paid lawyer, also plans to make a petition to the state Office of the Public Defender to help finance the cost of the evaluation.

Your tax dollars at work.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the insanity defense basically boil down to knowing the difference between right and wrong? If that's the case Zarate's actions of dismembering Jennifer Parks' body after killing her, hiding it in a trunk for 24 hours and then trying to dump the trunk in the Passaic river leads me to believe that he what he did was wrong.

Zarate brothers plead not guilty

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:45:45 -0500

Not-guilty pleas in grisly slaying:
From the "You've gotta be fucking kidding me" Dept. comes the story that both Zarate brothers have pleaded not guilty in the murder and dismemberment of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks. So let me get this straight. They invited Jennifer to their house, beat her and stabbed her to death, dismembered her body so that they can store the body in a trunk, stored the trunk in a Jeep for 24 hours and attended a kid's birthday party, then got caught trying to dump her body in the Passaic River, and then they plead not guilty? What possible defense could they have? I guess they figured since the death penalty is off the table they'll take their chances in the trial.

Jonathan Zarate will NOT face the death penalty

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 13:59:19 -0500

Slaying-dismembering: No capital case:
Excuse my language butâ?¦fucking New Jersey.

Jonathan Zarate, the New Jersey teen who killed and dismembered 16-year-old Jennifer Parks, will not be facing the death penaltyâ?¦

On the day a grand jury handed up murder indictments against Jonathan Zarate, 19, and his brother, James, 16, Prosecutor Michael M. Rubbinaccio said he could not seek a capital case because the crime's most-heinous aspects occurred after Jennifer Parks was dead.

Citing state law, Rubbinaccio said prosecutors must establish the murder was "outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman ... and that it involved torture" to allow him to seek the death penalty.

"Certainly you can describe what took place after the homicide as being all those things," Rubbinaccio said, referring to the dismemberment. "But that is not evidence of an aggravating factor that would trigger a capital case litigation."

I don't fault Mr. Rubbicano. I'm sure he did what he could. But the New Jersey law is so incredibly wrong on this. There is no justice for Jennifer Parks without the execution of Jonathan Zarate.

Mrs. Parks, I know you're reading this and I am truly sorry about this.

James Zarate's bail reduction denied

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:21:18 -0400

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.

James Zarate goes to adult jail

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 12:31:55 -0400

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 at News of Doom says if you commit and adult crime you deserve adult time. Have fun in Morris County Lockup.

Zarate's brother to be tried as adult

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 21:13:45 -0400

Teen to be tried as adult in Randolph murder:

Jonathan Zarate's brother, formally 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.

The Walk for Jennifer Parks

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Sat, 13 May 2006 15:33:33 -0400

Hundreds walk for murdered girl:

RANDOLPH -- About 200 people walked three miles this morning to support a fundraising effort for a memorial and scholarship in honor of Jennifer Parks, the 16-year-old Randolph High School student who died last year.

The event, Pennies for Jen Memorial Walk, was an idea generated by members of the high school student council. It raised money for a scholarship and a planned memorial park at the school, located on Millbrook Avenue.

Organizers said several thousand dollars had been collected, but an exact number was not immediately available because the money hasn't been counted yet.

Parks, who was lured to a neighbor's home on July 30, 2005, was allegedly murdered there at around 2 a.m. Jonathan Zarate, now 19, and his younger brother are charged with murdering Jennifer and are accused of enlisting the help of a 16-year-old friend from Clifton to try to dispose of her body.

I just wish I could have been there. You can still donate to the Jennifer Parks scholarship fund. Contact me for details.

Jennifer Parks remembered II

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Fri, 05 May 2006 13:22:21 -0400

Slain Randolph teen leaves legacy:
Jennifer Parks, the 16-year-old New Jersey girl that was brutally murdered and dismembered by Jonathan Zarate, will be remembered by her high school...

RANDOLPH -- It's closing in on one year since Laurie Parks'16-year-old daughter, Jennifer, was senselessly murdered.

Parks, who attended Randolph High School, will be honored on May 13 by her classmates during the Pennies for Jen Memorial Walk, an idea generated by the student council that will raise money for a scholarship and memorial park at the school.

"I thought it was a great idea," Laurie Parks said on Thursday.

"(I'm) really proud of what they're doing. They've done so much for me and my husband."

Parks said the scholarship fund already has $900, and that she and her husband, David, will award the scholarship to a student who wants to study editing or journalism in college.

"That's what my daughter loved to do," Parks said. "She wanted to be an editor or in journalism when she graduated."

The walk will begin at 9 a.m. at the Randolph High School parking lot and will wind through a nearby trail system that connects the township.

The event is sponsor- and donation-driven, said Kimberly Standridge, 17, a junior who also is treasurer of the student council's executive board.

Proceeds will go toward the scholarship, as well as a memorial garden.

Standridge said Jennifer Parks' mother didn't want the garden to be only about her daughter.

"She didn't want the memorial garden just to be for Jen, so it's going to be dedicated to Jen and other high school students who lost their lives during their high school careers," Standridge said.

The walk is open to anyone and donations will be accepted on the day of the event. Standridge hopes the event is held every year.

I'm working on getting an address to send donations to.

Zarate gets new home

nospam@example.com (Trench Reynolds) — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:53:54 -0500

Suspect's transfer called essential:
Our favorite New Jersey psychopath is in the news again. Jonathan Zarate, accused of murder and dismemberment of his 16-year-old neighbor Jennifer Parks, is in a new prison. He has been transferred out of the Morris County jail and into the Passaic County jail. Like I mentioned before he was transferred because he is suing the Morris County jail over alleged abuses. What cracks me up, as if any actual humor could be found in this case, is his attorney and the things he had to say...

"Jonathan Zarate is a man with very deep emotional problems," his lawyer, Anthony Fusco Jr., said Monday. "He was not getting the treatment he needed in the Morris County Jail."

Ya think?

Since his arrest July 31, Zarate has twice been charged with assaulting guards at the Morris County Jail. After the second alleged assault on Dec. 10, Zarate was sent to the Ann Klein Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in West Trenton. He was treated there until Feb. 2, when he was brought back to the jail.

Fusco said his client's mental condition has worsened since his return to the Morris County Jail -- and Zarate has served notice that he intends to sue the state for depriving him of his proper medical treatment. On Friday, state Superior Court Judge Salem V. Ahto allowed Zarate to be transferred to another jail.

Well maybe if he didn't kill and dismember a 16-year-old girl he wouldn't be having these problems. It sounds like to me that they've been laying the grounds for an insanity defense for some time now.