Robert Meza, Gang Member Who Refused To Testify, Could Get 10 Years For Code Of Silence

A suburban murder trial came to a screeching halt last summer, when prosecutors hit a wall due to the "code of silence." Prosecutors were arguing that Antonio Aguilar Jr. and Robert Meza shot into a window in Addison, Ill., hoping to hit a member of a rival gang. Instead, they allegedly killed 22-year-old Lorenzo Salazar-Cortez, a bystander with no gang ties.

Meza had already been sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in the shootings. But when prosecutors called him to the stand to testify about Aguilar's involvement, he said nothing.

"I apologize, sir, but I cannot answer any questions," Meza reportedly said to Judge George Bakalis, despite being warned that he was in contempt of court.

The trial was suspended last June, and last week, Aguilar was acquitted. Judge Bakalis pointed specifically to Meza's failure to testify in eviscerating the prosecution's case.

"The court cannot decide this case on a gut feeling," the judge said, according to the Daily Herald newspaper. "It is no help to speculate the defendant may have killed the victim."

But Meza may now pay the price for adhering to the code of silence.

He pleaded guilty Thursday to "serious direct criminal contempt," which has no maximum sentence; the only requirement is that the sentence be "reasonable."

The judge in the contempt case, Kathryn Creswell, said she will abide by a plea agreement Meza made with prosecutors that he face no more than ten years in prison for pleading guilty to the contempt charge, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Those years will be tacked on to his 45-year sentence, which he will have to serve 100 percent of. Day-for-day credits will allow him to serve one-half of the contempt sentence.

Comments

[Andrew Mclaurin]

11:42 AM on 02/25/2011

The guy doesn't care he already has 45 years he's not worried about another 5, he's probably more worried about his own gang killing him while he's in there for telling.

[goodmarina]

01:33 AM on 02/25/2011

Look ... i am not defending gang behavior, crime or violence.

But doesn't the fellow have the right to remain silent and plead the 5th?

I imagine he has his reasons ...  

what a mess!

[Andy Manor]

12:55 PM on 02/25/2011

He was already convicted and couldn't face more charges by testifying. He has the right to not be compelled to testify against himself but he wasn't going to be in this case.

[unique]

10:08 PM on 02/24/2011

I find it so sad that children so young are going around killing people.
Whatever happened to morals, values, and work ethics?
What about education?
These kids think they have street smarts, but, they do not have any smarts.
So Sad. So Sad.

[Peerless Pillar of Power]

08:15 PM on 02/24/2011

Condolences to the family of the man who was killed. If he was not the intended target, it begs the question of who was the intended target, and what was their motive, other than the broadly defined "gang related" categorization.

Once that mistake had already been made, one of these guys was going down for it. After such a long sentence, his status on the inside is far more important to him than the ten extra years.

If authorities want cooperation from gang members, they should treat them as individuals. He got an extra long sentence as a gang member, and then they're surprised by his silence?

Gangs aren't going away, so I hope they'll take as much pride as they can in being true to their code of ethics. More formality makes for less problems and more stability. Eventually they'll have families, some will become entrepreneurs, responsible for their own establishments.

[Brodie Parker]

07:52 PM on 02/24/2011

He's already doing 45 years. What's another 10?

[foxbat]

08:15 PM on 02/24/2011

You mean another 5?

[imayes]

09:29 PM on 02/24/2011

55.

[Doug-Life]

07:19 PM on 02/24/2011

No 5th?

[foxbat]

08:16 PM on 02/24/2011

He wasn't testifying against himself.  5th applies to self-incrimination.

[goodmarina]

01:35 AM on 02/25/2011

yes ... but what's to say that he could have exposed himself to self-incrimination by making a statement or testifying against another person?

he was not offered total immunity, was he?

[ForemostPanda]

01:09 AM on 02/25/2011

you've been watching too much Chappelle.

[Robert Frank]

07:07 PM on 02/24/2011

25 years is reasonable for someone who refuses to help solve a murder...violent people not drug addicts are the ones who should be in prison

[Michael Johnson 1]

06:45 AM on 02/25/2011

What about violent drug addicts?

[E-Nation]

06:13 PM on 02/24/2011

Usually, contempt can keep you in jail for the duration of a trial. This charge against him after the fact is fishy. I'm not speaking on the crime itself, but sometimes we have to look at how the courts are behaving, because if not, innocent people could get caught in these traps too.

[E-Nation]

06:14 PM on 02/24/2011

When I say crime, I mean the murderr. I'm strictly commenting on the contempt charge

[goodmarina]

01:36 AM on 02/25/2011

yes ... before i saw your comment - i had made a similar comment, too

[slb83]

06:12 PM on 02/24/2011

Were authorities going to provide him and possibly his family with protection if he testified? Gang membership does not end when one is incarcerated.

[rikilii]

06:01 PM on 02/24/2011

Hmm, do I want to be a hero in prison until I'm 77 years old, or die in prison before my 24th birthday....I can't decide....

[French Toast]

07:55 PM on 02/24/2011

A hero in prison. That sure is meaningful. And it's sure to last! His code of silence will be forever remembered by the streets and he can expect a triumph when he gets out!

[silverlake3]

12:34 PM on 02/25/2011

If he lives long enough to see 2066

[yetiwatcher]

06:50 PM on 02/24/2011

the article doesn't state that he's in the country illegally... so what do open borders have to do with it?

[TedEjr]

08:43 PM on 02/24/2011

They, open borders, have nothing to do with. However, tr0lls will use any article to post their talking points, regardless of how off topic it is.

[dazed]

07:29 PM on 02/24/2011

So he has Hispanic last name...Where in the article did it say that he's an illegal citizen?
You should get out more..

[goodmarina]

01:37 AM on 02/25/2011

no kidding ...  guilty by inference, i suppose

faved 

[bkerensa]

05:57 PM on 02/24/2011

I'm not defending the guy at all but sadly people are more frequently being prosecuted for contempt when exercising their right to not self incriminate. I'm sure this guy had all the info the prosecutors wanted but at the same time he may have also incriminated himself by testifying.

Barry Bonds trainer got sent to federal prison repeatedly for refusing to testify against Barry Bonds but the issue was if he testified he would have been prosecuted.

The 5th Amendment to the United States Constitution protects a individuals right to refuse to testify in court or answer questions if it would incriminate the individual.

[overcat]

06:15 PM on 02/24/2011

Except that he'd already been sentenced for his role in the crime and was refusing to testify about the role that another person played. That's not self-incrimination.

[goodmarina]

01:38 AM on 02/25/2011

being already sentenced for a crime does not stop additional charges ... if he were to make a statement that further iimplicated him

[edgarcaycedoc]

06:36 PM on 02/24/2011

Absolutely. But you won't find as much T-B@gger, white supremacist, and/or Christian Fundamentaliban support for the right to refuse to testify to avoid self-incrimination. They wants they guns. And they wants their rights to express themselves--even in lies. But they don't wants "real criminals" having the right to not incriminate themselves.

[JessWonderin]

05:51 PM on 02/24/2011

5x8 cell 24/7 - no windows - ought to be standard lockup ... For gang bangers and bankers ... Or how about just outsourcing to China - real cost cutter!

[Steve Richmond]

05:45 PM on 02/24/2011

may your dance card in prison be very full.

[tissa]

05:41 PM on 02/24/2011

This person puts the s cu m  in  s c u m ba g_