Not guilty plea in shooting of Maplewood officer

by Jessica Mador, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Joshua Martin, 21, pleaded not guilty Friday afternoon to charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the slaying of Maplewood Police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron.

Bergeron was shot early the morning of May first while responding to a reported carjacking. Martin has told police, his friend, 21-year-old Jason Jones shot Bergeron. Jones was killed later in the ensuing manhunt.

The plea took place during a brief hearing in a Ramsey County court room. Among those in attendance were members of Bergeron's family and Maplewood Police Chief David Thomalla.

Afterwards, Thomalla spoke on behalf of officer Bergeron's family.

"Every time that they have to sit through something like this it kind of reopens the wound a little bit that really hasn't even had a chance to heal yet or even start to heal," he said.

Martin was represented by two defense attorneys.

People were also there to support defendant Joshua Martin, but they declined to identify themselves or comment on the hearing.