Man charged in Mill Street stabbing to claim self-defense

By Seth Boyes,

An arrest warrant has been issued for a Decorah man who, after being stabbed in late July, was charged with possessing explicit images of a juvenile.

Jose Maria Cortez Vertiz failed to appear for a Sept. 24 arraignment, according to court filings. Previous court documents said the 56-year-old was “in the process of making arrangements to go back to Chicago” when he was charged with purchase/possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act. Cortez Vertiz posted an appearance bond the day after a criminal complaint was filed against him, and previous court filings indicated he could be fined up to $5,000 and potentially face up to five years in prison for violating the terms of his release. 

Cortez Vertiz was reported to have broken ribs and a lacerated liver following a stabbing the evening of July 31 in the 600 block of South Mill Street in Decorah. Police charged 37-year-old Alfredo Morales Hernandez with willful injury causing serious injury, a class C felony to which he pleaded not guilty in an Aug. 20 court filing.

Both men were listed as residing at the same Mill Street address at the time of the incident. Morales Hernandez’s attorney has since filed notice his client intends to claim the stabbing was committed in self-defense that night.

Full article available in the October 3 Decorah Leader.

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