The Associated Press
(AP) -- A drug dealer who fled from police, starting a chase that resulted in his cousin fatally shooting a Fair Lawn police officer has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Ivan Marti, 29, of Passaic, was convicted of escape and drug distribution charges.
He was confronted in court Thursday by the sister of the slain officer and by a second officer who was wounded.
“He did not come to their aid as they lay wounded and dying on the church lawn,” said Patricia Snyder, the sister of Officer Mary Ann Collura. “He did not use his cell phone to call 911 for help; he used it to call his family for a ride to escape.”
Superior Court Judge William C. Meehan then harshly criticized Marti for his actions.
Marti has admitted he was out selling drugs with his cousin, Omar Marti, on the night of April 17. A Clifton police officer, Steven Farrell, attempted to stop the cousins, who fled, triggering a high-speed chase.
Collura joined in the chase, which ended in front of a Baptist church in Fair Lawn. Omar Marti fired on the two officers, killing Collura and wounding Farrell.
Both suspects fled. Ivan Marti surrendered the next day. His cousin was tracked down in Florida, where he was killed in a gunbattle with police.
“Despite the fact that he did not plead guilty to murder, this entire matter is overshadowed with the death of Mary Ann Collura,” Meehan said. “In his own statements, he said he hangs out with people with drugs and guns, and that his family and friends are all involved in that culture.”
Meehan imposed the sentence after a long and emotional plea from Snyder.
“Visions of what happened to her on that night haunt us and make us physically ill,” Snyder said. “Attending this ... hearing is extremely difficult for us, but our anger and frustration bring us here to plead for justice to avenge her murder.”
In a show of support for Collura, more than a dozen officers from Fair Lawn and Clifton attended Thursday’s sentencing. Farrell, still recovering from the gunshot wounds he suffered to his legs and arm, also asked the judge to impose the harshest sentence possible.
“There was no reason for this to happen,” Farrell said. “That night is a tragedy and it still hurts, not just my wounds, but emotionally. Both cousins knew exactly what they were doing that night. They could have just pulled over and let me file the charges.”
In exchange for his guilty plea, Ivan Marti agreed to cooperate with authorities in their case against the remaining suspects -- Omar’s brother, Joseph Marti Jr., 36, of Garfield, and father, Victor Emanuel Marti, 53, of Passaic -- both of whom face drug and hindering apprehension charges, for allegedly helping to hide Omar after the shooting.