A Miramar man charged with murder argues he acted in self-defense against an alleged sexual advance
Miramar: A man named Marvin Jean-Pierre is in some serious legal trouble. He’s facing murder charges for the death of Jose Mondelus back in late 2020. Marvin claims he acted in self-defense, saying that Mondelus was about to sexually assault him.
So, here’s the scoop. Marvin, who’s 26, admitted to hitting Mondelus with a clothing iron and then hiding his body in a closet. This all went down in Mondelus’ apartment, where Marvin was staying temporarily. It’s a pretty wild story.
In court, Marvin’s defense is leaning on Florida’s “stand-your-ground” law. They argue he thought he was in danger and had to act fast. But the prosecution isn’t buying it. They say there’s no evidence that Mondelus was gay or that he was about to attack Marvin.
Marvin’s lawyer, Gabe Ermine, acknowledged that his client did kill Mondelus but insists it was out of fear. He claims Marvin woke up to find Mondelus standing over him in a compromising position, which freaked him out.
Detectives have testified that there’s no proof of any imminent threat. They even pointed out that Marvin was using Mondelus’ car after the incident, which raises some eyebrows. It’s a complicated case, and the hearing is set to continue.
Marvin is expected to take the stand soon, and it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out. If he’s found guilty, he could be looking at life in prison. The next hearing is coming up, so stay tuned for more updates.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net/@rafael.olmeda.
