An Ohio judge got emotional and angry at the hearing for Juan Razo, an illegal immigrant accused of murdering one woman, shooting another women and attempting to rape a 14-year-old girl.
On July 27, police say Razo, 35, attempted to rape his teenage niece before shooting a woman in the arm. He is also accused of fatally shooting Margaret Kostelnik who was 60-years-old, before participating in a brief shootout with police in Painesville, Ohio,
“I can’t set a bond high enough,” Judge Mike Cicconetti bristled, setting the price at $10 million.
Judge Mike Cicconetti told the illegal immigrant accused of murdering a 60-year-old woman and injuring others that he “can’t set a bond high enough.” (Image source: WKYC-TV)
During the Friday hearing, Razo said with the help of an interpreter that he did not have a license, identification or passport. His also said his birth certificate is in Mexico.
“I have somebody who we don’t even know who he is, why he is in this country, why he is here illegally and why he allegedly committed a murder,” Cicconetti said.
Razo pleaded not guilty and will appear at a preliminary hearing on Monday, according to CNN.
The Latino grassroots organization HOLA attempted to shift the blame to Razo’s mental health instead of his immigration status, according to WKYC-TV.
“Juan Razo’s family has grappled with his serious mental health issues for many years,” Veronica Dahlberg, Executive Director of HOLA Ohio said in a statement to WKYC. “His acts do not represent our community.”
Dahlberg claimed in the statement that Razo’s father was a legal U.S. citizen, making Razo “not a random illegal alien” as he was waiting for his green card. WKYC reported that the status of Razo’s father’s citizenship could not yet be confirmed.
Dahlberg told WKYC that Razo suffered from bipolar disorder.
“Thus, this is not an issue about immigration; rather it is about the problems associated with adults with mental illness,” Dahlberg said. “We are disappointed to see leaders exploiting this tragedy to promote a political agenda.”
Juan Razo, an illegal immigrant, is accused of murdering a 60-year-old woman in Ohio. (Image source: WKYC-TV)
As CNN reported, this is the second man in July who has been accused of murder after authorities discovered he was in the country illegally and yet did not detain nor deport him.
Earlier in July, police say Juan Francisco Lopez fatally shot a 31-year-old woman who was walking along a pier in San Francisco with her father. Lopez, who also pleaded not guilty, was an illegal immigrant who police had previously detained.
However, unlike in San Francisco, Painesville is not a “sanctuary city.”
Watch Judge Cicconetti’s remarks and WKYC’s report below.
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