KEY WEST
Ferro released Monday on $752,000 bail
The Hollywood, Fla. man charged with second-degree murder in the 2009 Fantasy Fest stabbing death of Key West resident Marques Butler was released from jail Monday morning on $752,000 bail.
Nicholas Ferro, 26, had been held in the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island since his Oct. 31, 2009 arrest.
Ferro's first trial, which took place in Key West, ended with a hung jury in March. Circuit Judge Luis Garcia will preside over the second trial at the Plantation Key courthouse. No date has been set for the second trial.
Ferro and Butler were involved in a 4 a.m. scuffle in Old Town Key West during the city's annual Fantasy Fest celebration in October 2009. The fight involved people from both Key West and Hollywood.
Ferro's lawyers claim he was acting in self-defense in the face of an angry crowd that attacked him.
Butler, 23, was a Key West High School graduate and an athlete who was studying at Florida Keys Community College.
UPPER KEYS
Motorcyclist killed on U.S. 1
A Cutler Bay man died Sunday evening after reportedly losing control and being ejected from a 2011 Suzuki motorcycle. The accident occurred near Mile Marker 112, about six miles north of Key Largo near Card Sound, according to reports from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Dervin A. Martinez, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:24 p.m. Sunday, according to an FHP press release.
Martinez was riding with another motorcycle, but no other vehicles were involved in the crash. Authorities are still trying to determine what caused the Suzuki to leave the road and slide down the shoulder into Card Sound, the release states.
Initial reports did not indicate whether Martinez was wearing a helmet or whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
MONROE COUNTY
Polling place changes
Supervisor of Elections Harry L. Sawyer recently announced a precinct location change was made to "adequately accommodate the voters of Monroe County."
Residents who vote in the following precinct are notified that their polling place has been relocated and they will now vote at the following location -- for the Aug. 14 primary election only:
From: Florida Sea Base, Boy Scouts of America, 23800 Overseas Highway, Summerland Key
To: First Baptist Church, 300 Key Deer Blvd., Big Pine Key