By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack
SDNY COURTROOM EXCLUSIVE, June 19 – The four defendants detained for the death of Michael K. Williams were presented in court on August 12, 2022. Inner City Press was the only media in the courtroom.
On August 12, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Ronnie Abrams held an in-person proceeding. Inner City Press went and covered it.
There were four defense lawyers, and three of the defendants.
It was said that one of the defense lawyers could not start a trial earlier than July 15, 2023. Judge Abrams said that was too slow, and defendants nodded. One of them was resisting wearing his COVID mask.
A trial date of May 15, 2023 was selected. Then the three defendant, in yellow prison jumpsuits, were led to the elevators of 40 Foley Square.
Previously SDNY said IRVIN CARTAGENA, a/k/a “Green Eyes,” was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed yesterday in Manhattan federal court with a narcotics conspiracy in which he distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of Michael K. Williams. In another criminal complaint unsealed today, co-conspirators HECTOR ROBLES, a/k/a “Oreja,” LUIS CRUZ, a/k/a “Mostro,” and CARLOS MACCI, a/k/a “Carlito,” were charged as members of the fentanyl and heroin conspiracy. CARTAGENA was arrested in Puerto Rico yesterday and is expected to be presented tomorrow in federal court in Puerto Rico. ROBLES, CRUZ, and MACCI were arrested.
On April 4, 2023, Macci pled guilty to a lesser included offense: "Change of Plea Hearing as to Carlos Macci held on 4/4/2023. Defendant (4) Carlos Macci present. Defendant pleads guilty to the lesser included offense of Count One of the Indictment. Sentence is scheduled for July 20, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Defendant shall remain in custody."
On April 5, Irving Cartegena was bought in the the courtroom in a yellow jumpsuit (presumably in Essex County Correctional Facility - it's not in the docket) to plead guilty. Inner City Press was in the courtroom, with three others in the gallery. Cartegena read an allocution in Spanish. Sentencing was set for August 18 at 3 pm.
On June 19 - Juneteenth - counsel for co-defendant Luis Cruz, who pled guilty, sought to adjourn his August 4 sentencing until "late September," due to counsel's July 11 murder trial before Judge Jed S. Rakoff (US v. Garcia, 21-cr-412), and a brief in Adelglass 23-6193.
More with analysis on Substack here
The case is USA v. Cartagena, et al., 22-cr-92 (Abrams)
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