Manslaughter Trial Ends in Hung Jury
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Your Local Connection November 1, 2007 North Brunswick * South Brunswick 50$ Look of despair Schiano's Scarlet Knights get trounced by West Virginia in the rain Page 24 Entertainer Check out this week's Just Go! Page 20 Quote of the week: SCOTT FRIEDMAN "I hate cfowns." Olga Jimenez-Delgado (r), of the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management, helps Mindy Chervin, of North Brunswick, empty her old paperwork into a truck during a free paper-shredding event held at the North Brunswick Municipal Building on Saturday. — Nicole Traves Page 14 Manslaughter trial ends in hung jury stated that he believed the boy sustained blunt tified for the defense that the injuries that State must decide force trauma injuries to his abdomen and back, caused the child's death could have occurred Index by December whether causing a broken vertebrae and massive inter- up to three days prior. He agreed with DiCarlo 30 to proceed with retrial nal bleeding near the kidneys, the adrenal that homicide was the likely cause of death, 22 glands, the intestinal lining and the psoas but neither he nor the defense speculated on Editorials ,.10 BY JENNIFER AMATO muscle. who else might have been responsible. Entertainment 20 Staff Writer He told the jury that such injuries were Baden said a slip in his mother's bathroom inflicted about a half-hour to an hour prior to just days prior could have caused the broken Obituaries 17 fter six days of deliberation, a state Police Beat ..15 the 10:46 a.m. 911 call on Nov. 30, 2005, back, which would not affect Nikolas' move- Superior Court jury could not unani- because of the quick rate of bleeding and the ments because his spinal cord remained intact. Real Estate 27 mously decide if Robert Knutsen was Sports 24 A fact that a child cannot walk around with a He also told the jury that the boy's abdominal guilty of the aggravated manslaughter of his broken back. That fact left only Knutsen with injuries, could have occurred 24 hours prior to godson, 3-year-old Nikolas Chavez, in the child, and DiCarlo ruled the boy's death a his death, which left the boy in the care of his November 2005. homicide, even though Knutsen told police great-grandmother. Although Baden did not Knutsen, 31, a former North Brunswick that the boy was suffering from a seizure that allege that the woman beat the boy, the timing and current Middletown resident, has been on morning. of the abdominal injuries seemed to have caused trial since Oct. 2, with nine days of testimony However, Michael Baden, the chief medical debate among the jurors, who asked to hear relying heavily on autopsy information. www.gmnews.com examiner for the New York State Police and an Baden's testimony on the subject readback. During his testimony, Frederick DiCarlo, an investigator for the HBO show "Autopsy," tes- (Continued on page 6) assistant Middlesex County medical examiner, WE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT www.ProvictentNJ.com 2 SENTINEL, November 1, 2007 www.gmnews.com "•j*. «. 1 •.^ . it •* •J-U >«•»--. in SAVE! Sq, Ft. package •v-. \.. 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Cathy Nicola* (D) Lawrence Baldini (R) Susan Marcrie (R) Arthur Lee Young III (R) Running for: Mayor Running for: Council Running for: Council Running for: Mayor Running for: Council Running for: Council Age: 51 Age: 56 Age: 42 Age: 52 Age: 44 Age: 52 Residency: 20 years Residency: 28 years Residency: Lifelong Residency: 24 years Residency: Lifelong Residency: 10 years, on Occupation: Attorney Occupation: Construction Political positions: Coun- Occupation: Owner of Occupation: Real estate and off Political positions: Mayor executive cilwoman for three years; the Buda Bar & Grille, agent with Re/Max Plat- Occupation: Part owner for three years; former coun- Political positions: Coun- previously on the Board of New Brunswick inum of landscaping business cilman; former Democratic cilman three years; Parks & Ethics and the Environmen- Political positions: Community involve- Community involve- committeeman; former Rec. Advisory Committee; tal Commission Councilman 2000-02 ment: North Brunswick ment: Board member of the member of the Affordable Cable Television Advisory Community involve- Accomplishments dur- Adult Drama Group Oaks at North Brunswick Housing Committee Committee; 2030 Committee ment: Previously a cheer- ing former term: Made Campaign issues: Sta- housing complex; soccer, Community involve- Former affiliations: leading and baseball coach; commitment in 1999 to in- bilizing and possibly lower- gymnastics and karate in- ment: Coached recreational Member of Open Space former member of Middlesex crease open space; voted ing taxes; trimming the fat structor; worked with the soccer, basketball and soft- Committee; Make North County Dept. of Human against the water contract off budgets; attracting good Big Brothers program; for- ball in town Brunswick Count census Services Veterans Stand- that caused North ratables; preserving open mer liaison to Department Recent accomplishments: committee; six-year chair- Down; former member of Brunswick to have the space; gearing new hous- of Youth and Family Serv- Keeping a balanced tone in man of the Planning Board; Middlesex County Very Spe- highest rates in the county; ing toward young profes- ices; provided counseling the township; administra- liaison to Environmental cial Arts; multiyear volun- acquired the Otken prop- sionals and empty nesters services to juveniles in the tive focus on economics Commission; special adviser teer CCD teacher at Our erty for the new Commu- in order to limit the impact Department of Corrections; through 2012 when the to Planning Board for the Lady of Peace Church nity Park; implemented a on the school district; op- qualified on his own for the township's debt will be re- master plan Current affiliations: Do- 13-year road improvement posing development that 1980 Olympics as a mile duced; financial responsibil- Community involve- mestic Violence Response program; re-evaluated does not take open space runner ity in the face of the ment: Volunteer baseball, Team, 2030 Committee, Hu- businesses that were pay- into consideration; revising Campaign issues: Lim- contamination at the town- basketball and soccer coach; mane Association, Demo- ing incorrect, reduced the water contract since iting the number of people ship high school; continuing executive board and found- cratic Social Club, Italian taxes on their properties North Brunswick has the leaving town because of open space preservation ing member of North American Social Club Ladies Brunswick Basketball Former affiliations: highest rates in Middlesex high tax rates; efforts to with the construction of the Auxiliary, Municipal Alliance Open Space Committee County; improving quality stabilize taxes; being a role Assoc; executive board, Committee, Traffic Safety Community Park; expansion founding member and past 1998; Zoning Board of Ad- of life model for African Ameri- of pocket parks; decrease in Committee; New Jersey justment 1999 cans in town; promoting treasurer of N.J. Knights Women's Political Caucus; crime rates; established first Soccer Club; former secre- Community involve- the Republican Party to county pay-to-play ordi- Monmouth Park Charity ment: Baseball, basketball, African Americans, who tary of high school Soccer Ball Organization Commit- nance; enacted various qual- Parents Assoc; member of soccer, flag football and usually join the Demo- ity-of-life ordinances; tee; Collier School Gala National Soccer Coaches Committee; Animal Defense roller hockey coach; Youth cratic Party; making North televised public township Assoc; former member of League; ReRun Horse Res- Council liaison Brunswick a safe place to meetings Youth Sports Council cue Organization Campaign issues: Com- live; handling the illegal Campaign issues: Fiscal Recent accomplishments: mitment to open space; immigration situation, responsibility; bringing Recent accomplishments: designating the Pulda since taxpayers are sup- Completed township master Initiating anonymous TIP sewer services in-house to plan and open space master farm as open space; smart porting children who are increase efficiency and lower Line to report suspicious ac- development; less school not legal residents; con- plan; passed open space tax tivity in town; supported costs to residents; recogniz- referendum to preserve impact by reducing the fronting an impending ing volunteer organizations; anti-gang legislation; spon- number of additional gang problem; helping property; opened Commu- sored anti-graffiti