Teen pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter for 2011 death

SALEM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – A 19-year-old pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the 2011 death of a Beverly man.

On Monday, a judge sentenced Adam Martin to 12 to 15 years in state prison followed by five years of probation.

Martin accompanied 20-year-old Sajan Christensen to Balch Park on Cabot Street in Beverly to fight James Vernazzaro back in March of 2011. Martin struck Vernazzaro two times with an aluminum bat.

Christensen was heard threatening Martin to help him fight Vernazzaro. Christensen allegedly stabbed Vernazzaro in the heart.

Members of Vernazzaro's family, who was two days away from turning 27 at the time of his death, gave victim impact statements to the court.

Cox Media Group