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Jose "Boom Bat" Negrete waits at the defendant table for his 2008 trial in this file photo.

(Martin Griff/ The Times of Trenton)

TRENTON — A former member of the Latin Kings testified Friday that he heard Jose "Boom Bat" Negrete whisper "That's what you get for being a snitch" as he placed yellow beads into the coffin of a mother killed execution style in 2004.

Negrete is accused of ordering the hit on 23-year-old Jerry Lynn Dotson, who was left dead in her Trenton home with her two young children. Negrete is also charged in the attempted murder of Alex "Al-Key" Ruiz, who was abducted and left for dead in a gang dispute.

Negrete, 32, allegedly ordered Dotson's killing because she witnessed the abduction of Ruiz, prosecutors have said.

The testimony about Negrete's statements at Dotson's funeral came during the first day Negrete's trial on murder and attempted murder charges.

This is the fourth trial for Negrete. He was previously convicted, but the verdict was overturned on appeal. His first trial ended in a hung jury and another trial had to be abandoned after jury selection.

State Police Det. Thomas Keyes also testified on Friday about finding a bruised and incoherent Ruiz walking on the Route 29 off-ramp to I-295 on Aug. 30, 2004. After Ruiz was abducted and beaten, his body was dumped on Duck Island. His abductors had presumed Ruiz dead.

Keyes said Ruiz's eyes were nearly swollen shut and had a laceration on his neck. Ruiz appeared to be hallucinating and was wearing nothing but boxer shorts and socks, Keyes said.

The testimony of Keyes and the former Latin Kings gang member came after opening arguments, in which Assistant Prosecutor John Boyle told jurors that Negrete ordered both hits on Ruiz and Dotson.

"That falls at the feet of Jose Negrete because it was on his orders," Boyle said.

Negrete's attorney Jack Furlong said his client was not behind the killing of Dotson or abduction of Ruiz. He acknowledged the tragedy of Dotson's slaying, but told jurors "nothing any of us do in this courtroom will change that."

Furlong also questioned the nature of the Latin Kings, noting that the group's manifesto advises members to be educated, get jobs and help their community.

"Are they a gang or a community organization?" Furlong said.

Negrete remains held in lieu of $2 million bail. The trial is expected to resume Tuesday.

James McEvoy may be reached at jmcevoy@njtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @byJamesMcEvoy. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.