the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Mahwah NJ, Dieter Zimmermann, the Mahwah man accused of murdering his wife in January 2021, has chosen to waive his right to a jury trial and will instead face a bench trial, where a judge will determine his guilt.
Zimmermann appeared in Bergen County Superior Court on May 12, where Judge James Sattely reviewed the case’s pretrial memorandum, which included a proposed but unfinalized plea deal.
What Is a Bench Trial?
In a bench trial, unlike a jury trial, a single judge evaluates all evidence and witness testimony to issue a verdict. Zimmermann, who is in his late 70s, confirmed to the court that he understood this decision and was voluntarily forgoing a jury of his peers.
Plea Agreement Still Under Discussion
The pretrial memorandum discussed a potential plea agreement that could result in up to 21 years in prison. However, no formal deal has been reached between Zimmermann’s defense attorneys and Bergen County prosecutors.
Due to scheduling conflicts among the legal teams, a formal trial date has not yet been set. Another court hearing is scheduled for June 9 to discuss the progress of plea negotiations.
Background: 2021 Mahwah Homicide
Zimmermann was charged with the murder of his wife, Jacqueline Zimmermann, on January 12, 2021, after police discovered her stabbed to death in the bathroom of their Indian Field Court townhome in Mahwah.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Zimmermann initially claimed his wife had attacked him. However, he later allegedly confessed to stabbing her after finding two kitchen knives in her nightstand. Police recovered a bloodstained kitchen knife from the bathroom vanity and observed wounds on Zimmermann’s hands.
Zimmermann has remained in county jail since his arrest and faces charges of murder and weapons offenses. If convicted, he would be subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve at least 85% of any prison sentence imposed.
What’s Next?
With both sides still open to plea negotiations, the court will reconvene on June 9 to determine whether a deal has been reached or if the bench trial will proceed.
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