Exonerated Jersey City man returned to clutches of justice system

On Behalf of | Jan 13, 2023 | Violent Crimes

After having spent eight years in jail before being acquitted of murder in 2018, a 31-year-old Jersey City man recently pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges.

According to a Hudson County prosecutor, the sentence for the death of a Bayonne resident carries a 25-year term. The conviction brings a whirlwind of legal issues back to where it began.

Convicted of manslaughter less than a year after acquittal

On September 22, 2019, Bayonne police responded to a possible domestic violence incident on Kennedy Boulevard. They found the victim unresponsive; she was pronounced dead at the scene. A criminal complaint alleged the man’s girlfriend told police he had shot the victim. Surveillance footage showed him leaving the apartment shortly thereafter.

The man’s relationship with the justice system began in 2010. At age 19, he faced a murder charge for fatally shooting a man in Jersey City. Witness tampering charges and other legal proceedings delayed the trial for eight years. Only 10 months ago, a jury acquitted him.

Murder in Essex and Hudson County below nationwide average

Data from CrimeGrade.org reveal the murder and violent crime rates in Essex County rank below the average of other counties in the United States. The murder rate, which includes manslaughter, of 0.03 per one thousand residents per year places Essex Country in the 41st percentile of safety. Fifty-nine percent of other counties nationwide are more dangerous.

Criminal charges change circumstances in every aspect of life. Detrimental emotional, financial or psychological effects from an allegation to a conviction lay the foundation for long-term issues. Attorneys who understand the legal protections available can offer guidance.