Homicide suspect complains about case
Oct. 10—WILKES-BARRE — Despite having one of the premiere defense lawyers in the region, homicide suspect Natanihel Sanmartin is not happy.
During a status conference Tuesday before Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas, Sanmartin, 41, said he knows nothing about his case while engaged in an open dispute with his attorney, Demetrius Fannick.
Wilkes-Barre police detectives charged Sanmartin with fatally shooting his girlfriend, Carla Pina, inside their shared residence at 42 Darling St., on Feb. 12.
Sanmartin went into a bedroom occupied by a 3-year-old child and a gunshot was heard, resulting in Pina entering the bedroom quickly followed by a second gunshot, according to court records.
Court records say Sanmartin had been drinking Hennessey and was upset when Pina went out with friends.
An autopsy revealed Pina died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Sanmartin's trial on charges of criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of children and two counts of reckless endangerment is scheduled to begin Jan. 29.
During Tuesday's proceeding, assistant district attorneys Carly Levandoski and Anthony Cardone said the exchange of evidence, called discovery, with Fannick is complete except for translation of phone recordings from the county correctional facility.
Sanmartin began complaining, telling Lupas he knows nothing about what is happening with his case.
In response, Lupas advised Sanmartin his case is in the beginning stages and was absolutely assured Fannick would meet with him to give him an update.
Sanmartin said "Fannick came to him," only to be reminded Sanmartin filed an application with the county's Public Defender's Office for representation, where Fannick is employed as a public defender.
Sanmartin was initially represented by Fannick shortly after his arrest.
Leading up to the preliminary hearing in late April, Sanmartin obtained a private attorney to represent him, only to go back to the public defender's office.
