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Amanda Butterfield Reporting"It'll show kids they can do things and get away with it."
A judge sentenced two teens for desecrating a dead body, and the family of the victim doesn't think the punishment was harsh enough. The teens were doing drugs last year with an acquaintance who overdosed and died. The next day they hid his remains. Today, a judge handed down the sentence.
The two boys both got what the judge said was among the strongest punishments the court allows, but Zach Martinez's family doesn't agree.
Georgia Martinez, Mother: "I think that they got off easy."
Michael Martinez, Father: "I think Niles should have been put away for a long time."
But Niles Boyce and Austin Uncles weren't. Instead, Austin Uncle, who has turned 18 since the crime, faces a $750, 50 hours of community service and up to 30 days in jail. 17-year old Niles Boyce, who according to testimony was the one whose idea it was to dump Martinez's body, was sentenced to pay a $2,250 fine, 125 hours of community services, and 30 days of detention.
Both were found guilty last week of desecration of Zachary Martinezs' body back in March of 2005. The three were doing drugs when Zachary overdosed. Instead of calling 9-1-1, the next day the boys dumped his body near the Point of the Mountain, where hikers soon found it. Today, over a year later, they learned their punishment:
Rod Ybarra, Deputy District Attorney: "The judge actually imposed them the max detention time that she was eligible for in one of the cases. I think, under the circumstances, she did as much as she was able to do under the law."
Georgia Martinez, Mother: "I don't think they're going to learn from it."
Zachary's parents don't think it's enough. They wanted Boyce's parents to be held accountable too -- it was their home where Zachary overdosed and his dead body lay for 10 hours. And they also weren't satisfied with the apologies both boys gave the family, for the first time.
Georgia Martinez, Mother: "Body language, I didn't think remorseful, they've had over a year to say this."
Both boys are also on probation, and are not allowed any contact with the Martinez family.
