Milwaukee man charged with brutally beating grandson bound over for trial
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On Monday morning, Sept. 13, Andrez Martina faced a judge in a virtual preliminary hearing.
State prosecutors called Milwaukee Police Homicide Detective Timothy Keller to recount when he was called to respond to the hospital.
He described the condition of 12-year-old Andre Smith.
"He had, not only, injuries to the top of his head but most of his face was swollen. He had lacerations to his face and he was unresponsive," said Det. Keller.
Keller was the prosecution's sole witness, and after his testimony both the state and the defense rested.
In his statement to detectives, Martina admitted to "losing control" on Aug. 29.
Keller said the boy's grandmother told police Martina called her numerous times that morning, ultimately texting her that the boy had stolen money and was now bleeding.
The grandmother said she then woke up her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend, Anthony, to go to Martina's home.
In court, Keller then described what the grandmother said happened next.
"The adult daughter knocked on the front door and A.T.S., the eight-year-old victim came running out. The adult daughter and Anthony then went into the residence. They observed the defendant dragging A.R.S.' body out of the bathroom area and that he was suffering from severe head wounds."
The defense entered a not guilty plea for Martina.
The judge granted the state's request to bind him over until trial.
Martina returns to court for a status conference on Oct. 4.