- Essex District Attorney’s Office
Media Contact
Lawrence, Massachusetts — Mark Pimentel, 26, of Lawrence, pleaded not guilty today in Salem Superior Court to one count of perjury. Judge Timothy Feeley maintained his bail at $10,000 cash without prejudice, and continued his case until September 11 for a pre-trial conference.
Pimentel was a witness to the August 17, 2014, murder of Mark Trussell, at the Stadium Projects in Lawrence, and testified at the trial of defendants Joshua Chevez and Juan Castillo.
During his testimony at trial, he admitted that he had lied before the Essex County Grand Jury, which was investigating the murder. Committing perjury in a capital case carries a term of up to life in state prison.
Chevez was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. Castillo was found not guilty of the homicide, but was convicted of witness intimidation and sentenced to 7-10 years in state prison.
The case will be prosecuted by Essex Assistant District Attorney Kelleen Forlizzi. Pimentel is represented by Nicholas Morris.
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