Jury Tosses DA Jim Martin's Murder Case in an Hour

Let's "read between the lines" of the always helpful to Jim Martin Morning Call "newspaper" account, shall we ...

Morning Call "newspaper" account

Jury acquits 2 men of murder

1 hour: Fast verdict spares Allentown man death sentence

Following a nine-day trial, a Lehigh County jury needed only about an hour Friday to acquit two men of murder.

Translation: Prosecutor DA Jim Martin's office busted their butts on this case (9-day trial) but the jury blew it in favor of the guilty killers.

By Kevin Amerman

Of The Morning Call

... and Bill Villa, Of Lehigh Valley Somebody

April 25, 2009

Despite DNA evidence, an alleged motive and witness testimony that prosecutors said showed the two men gunned down 30-year-old Rahiem Melvin in an Allentown alley in 2004 in front of his pregnant girlfriend and the woman's child, the jury found Sylvester Nelms and Wayne Jarrett not guilty of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the 12-member jury announced its verdict at 2:10 p.m., Nelms, 37, of Allentown wept as he rested his head on the defense table by his attorney Philip Lauer while 28-year-old Jarrett of Easton hugged his lawyer, John P. Karoly Jr.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Teary-eyed, Nelms, who faced the death penalty if convicted, put his hand up and thanked the jury as it exited the courtroom.

Translation: Remember OJ doing the same thing?

Jury members were led out before others were permitted to leave. They were quickly escorted to their cars by sheriff's deputies and could not be reached for comment.

Translation: The jury of "killer lovers" wouldn't even comment, they just ran away in shame like the OJ jury did.

Nelms and Jarrett, also known as Wayne Benn, were taken to Lehigh County Prison but were expected to be freed by Friday night.

Translation: They'll be bragging to their criminal buddies how their lawyers helped them get away w/ murder.

''Justice is served, justice is served,'' said Jarrett's mother, Joan Jarrett, as she exited the courtroom. ''My son has never been guilty.''

Translation: What would you expect his mother to say?

Josephine Felton testified that Melvin, her boyfriend at the time he was killed, was so threatened by Nelms that the couple moved several times. She said Melvin spotted a car matching the description of Nelms' car a few times on Jan. 23, 2004. She saw it again in the 200 block of E. Winton Street in Allentown at about 2:30 p.m. The cars came together and Felton said shots were fired from the other car, which contained two men wearing ski masks.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Melvin's chest absorbed four of the seven shots. Two ski masks containing DNA matching Nelms' and Jarrett's DNA were found within two blocks, police said. Leotta Smith, the girlfriend of Nelms at the time, told police during one interview that Nelms came home that day and told her ''I put him [Melvin] down.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Besides the physical evidence, authorities said they uncovered a motive. Nelms, police said, blamed Melvin for luring him to Larry Holmes' Ringside Restaurant in Easton in May 2003, where Nelms was shot by another man. Tracy Campbell, 35, of Easton was charged with shooting Nelms in 2003, but the case was dismissed in February 2008. Nelms said he couldn't say for sure that it was Campbell who shot him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms took the stand Wednesday and Thursday and said he believes Campbell not only shot him, but also shot Melvin. He said Campbell and his cohorts could have stolen a car that looked like his and planted DNA evidence near the scene to frame him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms said Campbell could have killed Melvin because Melvin refused to cover up the 2003 shooting.

Attorneys in the case Friday didn't speak with the jurors, so they were unsure if the jury bought Nelms' theory or just believed Nelms and Jarrett were not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Translation: No one from The Morning Call spoke w/ any of the jurors neither.

''I think the speed with which they rendered the verdict was to send a message that these two men should not have been defendants in this case,'' Karoly said. ''Based on the evidence, I don't see how it could be anything but [an acquittal].''

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Karoly and Lauer argued that police focused only on Nelms and Jarrett and refused to consider others who could have killed Melvin. The lawyers also said witnesses who testified against the men were unreliable and in some cases had ulterior motives.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

The prosecutor in the case, Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Christie Bonesch, said she was disappointed but, ''We respect the jury verdict.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the jury left the courtroom, Jarrett hugged Karoly and thanked Judge Robert L. Steinberg for being ''very fair'' and treating him with respect. The one way you can make me feel better is to never see me again,'' the judge replied."

Translation: Hmm, well I guess it is possible that two innocent men were wrongly charged here ... and that justice was indeed served ... but ... more likely the jury blew this case. Heck, even the judge seemed pissed off.

Readers: Either 2 guilty killers walked in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin ...

or ...

2 innocent men were wrongly charged in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin.

It was one or the other.

And for the 2nd time in as many months, a Lehigh County jury has seen through DA Jim Martin's prosecutorial incompetence quickly, see LVS, March 1, 2009

And once again, The Morning Call tells us absolutely nothing about the defense's winning case.

The Morning Call will not lay a glove on DA Jim Martin, no way, no how.

Is anyone interested in WHY this is?

Read > THE DIRTY FACTS ON DA JIM MARTIN

Essential Reading > WHY WE FIGHT