An 18-year-old man was charged with murder on Thursday for the fatal stabbing of a friend in East Oakland on Monday evening after an argument that involved the friend’s dog, police and prosecutors said.
Martez Penn of Oakland is charged in the killing of Jalain Dickson, 19, who was stabbed outside his home in the 2000 block of 64th Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. on Monday, according to police. Dickson died at a local hospital a short time later.
Penn was arrested near the scene about an hour after the stabbing.
A witness told police that Dickson identified Penn as the person who stabbed him shortly before he succumbed to his injuries, Oakland police Officer Gloria Beltran wrote in a probable cause statement.
Penn told investigators that he and Dickson had been friends for several years and had been “hanging out” since around noon the day of the stabbing, according to Beltran.
Penn said he and Dickson got into an argument over what he said was Dickson’s “erratic behavior” and because Dickson was allowing his dog “King” to run into the street, Beltran said.
Penn initially told investigators he acted in self-defense after Dickson pulled a knife on him, but later admitted that he chased Dickson down out of anger because Dickson had punched him twice, according to Beltran.
Martez is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland on Friday.
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