Drug Dealer Gets Life for Murder

A Los Angeles drug dealer was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole in the stabbing death of his wealthy Studio City customer.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michelle Rosenblatt imposed the maximum sentence against Marcus Sartin, 35. He was convicted in March by a Van Nuys jury of first-degree murder, carjacking, robbery and burglary for killing Mitchell Stanman, 41, in September 1999 and stealing his 1999 silver Porsche Boxster and an $18,000 gold Rolex watch.

Sartin’s attorney, Arnold M. Notkoff of Beverly Hills, said he will appeal. Deputy Dist. Atty. Laura Rosenthal prosecuted the case.

Before sentencing, Sartin maintained his innocence while the victim’s family recalled a generous brother whose presence is missed by his three young nephews.

Arthur Stanman acknowledged his brother’s drug addiction, saying he could have made his drug dealer rich, but added “he could light up a room.”

“What I can’t see is him getting butchered for a car and some money,” he said. “He would have given it up in a minute--to live.”

Sartin interrupted Stanman, declaring his innocence, after Stanman called him “an idiot.”

When it was his turn to speak, Sartin, handcuffed and seated at the counsel table, turned to members of the victim’s family behind him, looked them in the eye and said he didn’t kill anyone.

“I’m a lot of things but I’m not a murderer,” he insisted.

Although he did not testify, Sartin has said he drove Stanman’s Porsche for two weeks before Stanman was killed.

“Just because I had that man’s car didn’t mean I murdered him,” he said. “In my line of work, I don’t have to kill for a car.”

Sartin is a convicted drug dealer and twice served time in state prison.

After the hearing, Diane Stanman, the victim’s sister-in-law, said Sartin was lying when he said he was not responsible.

Two years ago, Stanman’s housekeeper discovered his body upstairs in his apartment and called authorities. His room was ransacked and his car and jewelry were missing.

During the trial, Sartin’s girlfriend, Tammie Wilkerson, testified that they went to Stanman’s apartment for a drug deal but Sartin stabbed Stanman to death and stole his car.

Authorities recovered two bloody kitchen knives and found Sartin’s fingerprints in Stanman’s apartment, court records show.