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"World's Greatest Dad" Mug Defense in Nixzmary Trial
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 23, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 23, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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The Nixzmary Brown murder trial took an interesting turn yesterday when the defense lawyer for Cesar Rodriguez entered a photograph of a mug into evidence. Rodriguez is on trial for second-degree murder of his 7-year-old stepdaughter Nixzmary Brown. Though Rodriguez has admitted to beating her the night she died, lawyer Jeffrey Schwartz has been trying to argue that Brown's death was directly caused by her mother and not Rodriguez.
Schwartz questioned a detective about a mug reading "World's Greatest Dad" found in the apartment; the detective said he found the mug "pretty weird." Schwartz later told reporters, "I believe Nixzmary bought it for him for Father's Day...I think the mother went with her to get a Father's Day gift... Nixzmary and he had a close relationship. He was a good father. He was a strict disciplinarian."
Prosecutor Ama Dwimoh had entered into evidence a belt Rodriguez used to beat Brown (the girl had also been tied to a chair, starved, made to use a litter box as a toilet and much more during her short life). She wasn't impressed with Schwartz's claim, "As evidence comes out, it becomes clear that the last thing he was was ‘World’s Greatest Dad.’"
Tagged
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brooklyn
Cesar Rodriguez
child abuse
murder
Nixzaliz Santiago
nixzmary brown
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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