A man accused of committing a fatal carjacking in December 2013 faces additional charges in an unrelated gun possession case in Newark, New Jersey.
According to law enforcement, witnesses saw the 33-year-old suspect walking on a Newark NJ street in March 2013. The suspect reportedly stopped in front of a residence and passed out on the front lawn. Authorities believe that the suspect passed out on the front lawn because he had ingested PCP.
The witnesses dialed 911 and alerted Newark police. A short time later, police officers arrived at the scene and found the suspect lying on the ground. When the officers checked to make sure that the suspect was still breathing, they allegedly discovered a loaded handgun sticking out of his jacket.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
Now the suspect, who is from Newark, is set to stand trial in the gun case.
The most important issue in the trial is whether the suspect knew that he was in possession of the handgun. The suspect’s defense attorney argued in his opening statement that the suspect could not have “knowingly” possessed the weapon because he had passed out.
Additionally, the defense attorney said, the suspect was unable to sign a medical document a short time after the incident.
Regardless of the outcome of the gun possession trial, the suspect also faces charges for participating in a fatal carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills in Millburn, NJ. The suspect, along with three co-defendants, has been charged with first degree murder in that case.
The suspect allegedly committed the homicide because he had been released on bail in the gun possession case. His bail was set at $60,000, but he received a discount bail deal and exercised the 10 percent option to secure his release from the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.
For additional information about this case, go to the NJ.com article entitled “Short Hills Mall Carjacking Suspect Goes on Trial in Unrelated Gun Case.”
