An Irvington New Jersey man who pleaded guilty to shooting another person during an argument over a parking spot has been sentenced to 10 years in NJ State Prison.
According to prosecutors, the altercation began when the 33-year-old defendant got into an argument with his mother’s neighbor. The defendant was at his mother’s Irvington NJ house to celebrate Labor Day and attend a party.
The defendant confronted the 42-year-old victim in the street after the victim got home from work. The argument stemmed from a dispute over a parking space.
When the victim tried to walk away, the defendant allegedly fired four gunshots.
The victim suffered severe injuries to his torso and had to spend nearly a month recuperating in the hospital. For much of his time in the hospital, the victim was in a coma.
Although the defendant could have been charged with aggravated assault, he was instead charged with attempted murder. He pleaded guilty to the attempted murder charges in December 2014.
The defendant recently appeared in Essex County Superior Court in Newark NJ, where a superior court judge sentenced him to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison. The defendant will be required to serve more than 8 years of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.
Prior to issuing the sentence, the judge heard arguments from an Essex County assistant prosecutor. The prosecution in the case had recommended a 12-year sentence. During the sentencing proceedings, the assistant prosecutor noted that the victim’s entire life had been adversely affected by the defendant’s actions.
The defendant also addressed the judge prior to sentencing. The defendant expressed his remorse and said that he wants to “make amends” for what he’s done wrong.
For further information about this case, check out the NJ.com article entitled “N.J. Man Gets 10 Years for Shooting Man 4 Times Over Parking Spot.”