Gerald Bettman appeared in court yesterday to ask the judge to dismiss two counts of felony manslaughter against his client, 51 year-old Diane Katz Santarelli.
Bettman also asked to separate the felony manslaughter charges from the misdemeanor house party counts pending against Santarelli.
Santarelli was indicted on two counts of manslaughter after two intoxicated teens left a “house party” at her Bartram Trail home earlier this year — they later died in an automobile accident.
Santarelli also faces 5 misdemeanor charges; 4 counts of liquor possession and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Santarelli was arrested and booked in the St. Johns County Jail on July 10, 2009 — and is out on $202,500.00 bond.
Santarelli is accused of hosting numerous house parties at 268 N Bartram Trail; where teens allegedly drank alcohol, smoked marijuana and inhaled nitrous oxide. According to Santarelli’s arrest report, the parties were unsupervised and the mother took part in some of the activities.
The judge did not make a ruling Thursday on the motion to dismiss the felony charges.
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