Overview

• The court held a second hearing on September 22, where the 40-year-old defendant declined to testify and submitted a statement through counsel asserting he disinfected surfaces and had no issues with other clients.
• Prosecutors allege there were no disinfectants on site, that the tattooist ate a burger and handled his phone during the session, then continued working with contaminated gloves, and that some inks were expired or unverifiable.
• The victim, 22, deteriorated rapidly after the procedure, underwent intensive treatment with amputations and dialysis, and died on April 5, 2022, with a treating surgeon reportedly suspecting the tattoo as causal.
• The case was delayed for eleven months because a foreign witness required a visa, and the trial now has multiple continuation dates scheduled through November.
• The charge is negligent homicide carrying a potential sentence of up to five years, and the victim’s mother testified as a co-plaintiff seeking closure.