Martinez Leaves Door Open to Testify

Ray Martinez, the former V.I. Police Commissioner on trial this week facing charges of wire fraud, bribery, money laundering and obstruction of justice, will tell a federal judge on Wednesday whether he intends to testify in his own defense.

After federal prosecutors rested their case against Martinez and former V.I. Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal Tuesday afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Kearney reminded the defendants of their rights either to testify in their own defense or invoke their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. O’Neal signaled that she would not take the stand.

Martinez said he needed more time to speak with his attorneys, Miguel Oppenheimer and Juan Martos De Juan. If Martinez does testify, O’Neal’s attorney will have the opportunity to call more witnesses and present more evidence in her defense.

The parties rested after four days of witness testimony and evidence presented by the United States, which charged Martinez and O’Neal with taking in thousands of dollars in kickbacks from a former government contractor and career felon, David Whitaker. Taking the stand Thursday, Whitaker stolidly answered U.S. Justice Department attorney Alex Dempsey’s questions about recorded phone calls and in-person meetings, text conversations, bank statements and other evidence the United States presented.