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Two teens held without bail in Beverly playground slaying

Print | Comments () Posted by Mike Bello March 18, 2011 05:03 PM

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By Sean Teehan, Globe Correspondent

Two Beverly teenagers were ordered held without bail today after their arraignment in Salem District Court on charges that they fatally beat and stabbed a 26-year-old man Thursday night in a Beverly playground.

Sajan Christensen, 18, and Adam Martin, 17, are charged in the slaying of James Vernazzaro.

But Christensen's attorney, Raymond Buso, said, "I fully expect ... that both of the defendants will be exonerated."

Police allege Christensen and Martin beat and stabbed Vernazzaro at Balch Park in Beverly at about 9:20 p.m. Thursday. Police found the victim lying unconscious at the park, with stab wounds to his lower back and upper chest area, Essex County Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hemond said during the arraignment. Witnesses told police Vernazzaro was also hit with a bat, a Beverly police report filed in court said.

Vernazzaro was taken to Beverly Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at about 9:50 p.m.

A witness to the crime who knew Christensen told police he lived at the Sail Program group home on Blaine Avenue, Hemond said. Upon arrival at the house, police found Christensen and Martin on the porch.

"Mr. Christensen had visible wounds" and dried blood on his hands, Hemond told the court.

Buso told the judge the two defendants, each weighing less than 150 pounds, acted in self-defense against Vernazzaro, who stood 6-feet one inch-tall and weighed more than 200 pounds.

Vernazzaro, Buso said, instigated the fight when he harassed a girl, whom the defendants know, with repeated calls on Thursday and then threatened Christensen when he took the girl's phone and told Vernazzaro to stop calling her.

According to Buso, Vernazzaro, who was possibly under the influence of alcohol, slurred his words as he demanded Christensen meet him at the park to fight Thursday night. Vernazzaro led Christensen to believe he would come to the group home if he did not show up at the park. Martin joined Christensen, Buso said.

"They thought they had no choice but to come there," Buso said.

Both defendants focused their eyes toward the ground for most of the arraignment.

Judge D. Dunbar Livingston set an April 19 probable cause hearing for the two defendants.