Mocobizscene- Johnny Martinez, the chief of the Mexican Mafia in Orange County, achieved a significant victory in the legal arena. According to his attorney, an Orange County Superior Court judge has overturned his conviction for second-degree murder dating back to the mid-1990s.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson made a ruling on Monday, granting Martinez’s request to have his murder conviction overturned. This decision was based on a recently enacted state law that redefined the definition of murder.
Martinez’s attorney, Orly Ahrony, has dedicated the past decade to working on Martinez’s habeas case. However, the new law has breathed new life into Ahrony’s efforts to exonerate Martinez.
Ahrony expressed his absolute astonishment and joy at the realization of this achievement. He sincerely believes that the person in question truly deserves this success, despite not actively doing anything to bring it about.
According to Ahrony, Martinez was not involved in the fight and was standing off to the side, with his back turned to the group, when the initial punch was thrown.
According to Ahrony, the parole hearings were crucial in strengthening Martinez’s defense, as Villanueva’s statements shed light on what transpired on that day. It is worth mentioning that Villanueva himself was granted parole in 2016.
According to Ahrony, as the group hopped into the car to escape from the chaotic scene, a profound silence filled the air.
Hansen overturned the murder conviction and instead convicted Martinez of three misdemeanor counts of assault. He sentenced Martinez to 18 months in jail, taking into account the time he had already served.
Martinez is now completely relieved of all the state court cases filed against him.
Martinez faced charges in a case that implicated him and several others in the murder of 35-year-old Robert Rios in Placentia back in January 2017. Additionally, he was also accused of attempting to murder Greg Munoz, who happened to be a co-defendant in the Rios killing.
The case faced numerous legal challenges, which led prosecutors to obtain an indictment from a grand jury in 2018. However, this indictment was dismissed due to procedural errors in the presentation of evidence. Consequently, prosecutors decided to re-charge Martinez and the other defendants, and they were subsequently ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue has granted a motion that bars prosecutors from discussing Johnny Martinez or the conspiracy to order the hit on Rios. This decision was made after it was revealed that a gang expert from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department had lied about his training as part of a larger evidence-booking scandal within the department.
Later, Donahue dismissed the murder case against Martinez due to insufficient evidence.
Last year, federal prosecutors intervened and brought forth a racketeering case that included charges of murder, attempted murder, drug dealing, and weapons offenses.
Local authorities claim that Martinez rose to power after the death of Peter Ojeda in 2018, who was serving a 15-year sentence in prison. Similar to Ojeda, Martinez is alleged to have operated the gang from behind bars.
Kevin Trejo, James Mendez, and Mike Escobar were the first individuals to face trial in the RICO case. They were convicted earlier this year for the murder of a Costa Mesa-based drug dealer in Orange. The prosecution alleges that Martinez, who is currently awaiting trial in the federal case, had ordered the killing.
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