"Defendant’s remorse turns into flare-up at victim’s family; Man admits he killed ex-girlfriend" by Maria Cramer | Globe Staff November 11, 2014
After Martin Jimenez pleaded guilty Monday to beating his former girlfriend to death in his South Boston apartment, he turned to his victim’s family to apologize.
“Sorry,” he began, his arms outstretched as he faced the family of 33-year-old Melissa Hardy in a Suffolk Superior courtroom.
But her relatives did not want to hear it.
“Shut the [expletive] up,” one man yelled.
Jimenez, 44, scowled, then yelled back, as correction officers rushed toward him.
Jimenez had just pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the June 23, 2013, killing of Hardy, who had gone to Jimenez’s apartment in a home for recovering substance abusers on East Fourth Street.
Hardy, who had been in an on-and-off relationship with Jimenez for 10 years, wanted to pick up the last of her belongings.
Jimenez attacked Hardy and beat her head repeatedly with a baseball bat and a hammer, prosecutors said.
Hardy’s relatives, who knew she had gone to Jimenez’s apartment, reported her missing on June 26.
Officers found the front door of the apartment padlocked and entered through a back window. Inside, they found Hardy’s body covered with blankets.
With the plea, Jimenez faces life in prison but will have a chance at parole after serving 15 years.
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Jimenez, who worked occasionally in construction, has a history of mental illness including anxiety and long bouts of depression. He was addicted to cocaine, heroin, and other opiates, he told Suffolk Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke at Monday’s plea hearing.
Before Locke sentenced Jimenez, he asked if any of Hardy’s relatives wanted to address the court. Her older sister, Marie Brennan, took the witness stand.
“She had so much to live for and so much to do, so much she wanted to do,” Brennan said, wiping her eyes.
“I know I’m supposed to forgive. There is no forgiveness here.”
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When Jimenez addressed the family directly, some did not hold back their anger.
“Save it,” one relative yelled.
After yelling back at Hardy’s family members, Jimenez turned to his own relatives — a brother and several sisters, who were also sitting in the courtroom.
“Sorry, family,” Jimenez called out to them. “I love you.”
“We love you,” they replied loudly. “We’ll call you later.”
Hardy’s family watched the exchange in disbelief.
“ ‘Call you later?’ That must be nice,” Brennan said before she burst into sobs.
“Who says that?” Brennan asked, as Broadbent walked over to comfort her. “Who says something like that?”
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