A Trenton man suspected of killing of a city barber in 2013 has rejected prosecutors’ final plea offer and will head to trial.
Zaire Smith is the only remaining co-defendant in the murder of 20-year-old Rasheen Jones, who was shot in the head July 23, 2013, in the city’s West Ward, following a botched robbery, authorities have said.
Jones had worked for 15 years cutting hair at Mason’s barbershop before he was gunned down while walking home from a convenience store. He left behind two daughters, aged 5 and 7.
Smith was arrested alongside Knovell Desmond in connection with the murder. However, Desmond resolved murder charges by pleading guilty to two counts of robbery and a weapons count in exchange for a 10-year state prison sentence. Read more
By Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman
Rodney Burke
Three men accused of shooting and killing intellectually disabled city resident Rodney Burke during an attempted robbery last year have all been indicted this week on first-degree felony murder charges and related offenses, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday.
The indictment alleges Kenneth Hines, 35, Alexandria Gomez, 31, and Jaquan Dallas, 20, all conspired to commit an armed robbery, which led to the death of Burke, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Burke, 48, was found inside his apartment on the 1000 block of South Broad Street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds about 2 a.m. Nov. 4, 2014. Medics rushed Burke to Saint Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Read more
Zihqwan Clemens
Undeterred following the acquittal of the accused killer, prosecutors are forging ahead with their murder case against Zihqwan Clemens.
But in light of the acquittal of former co-defendant and accused killer Keith Wells-Holmes, a judge next week will consider lowering the $1 million bail for Clemens.
Clemens, known as “Woodiey,” is accused of driving the getaway vehicle, a gold minivan registered to his girlfriend, in the January 2013 slaying of Trenton graffiti artist Andre Corbett. Prosecutors believe he drove Wells-Holmes to and from the murder scene.
In May, Wells-Holmes was found not guilty of gunning down Corbett in broad daylight outside of an apartment complex on the corner of Hoffman Avenue and Oakland Street.
Wells-Holmes’ attorney, Caroline Turner, convinced jurors another man was responsible for killing Corbett and that her client was innocent.
Following his acquittal, Wells-Holmes agreed do an interview with The Trentonian but backed out when he realized he would not be paid for it. Read more
A judge delayed the murder trial for three men suspected in the fatal shooting death of 34-year-old Emilio Lopez, in part so prosecutors can seek a superseding indictment that would charge the defendants with robbery and felony murder.
Despite an objection from one defense attorney, Assistant Prosecutor James Scott on Thursday was granted an adjournment in the murder trial of Roberto Cruz, Kenneth Rivera and Jose Rivera, all of whom are cousins and all of whom were set to be tried in late September on counts of murder and weapons offenses. Read more
Four men plan to point the finger at Zaire Jackson for the 2012 murder of Irvin “Swirv” Jackson, prosecutors disclosed at a pretrial hearing Wednesday.
Their names are Casey Corker, Tiemear Lewis, Robert Patterson and Seption Diggs. Read more
Prosecutors hoping to secure forensics tying a Trenton man charged with the 2011 murder of a North Trenton pharmacist to the robbery of a Hamilton convenience store that occurred days later were dealt a roadblock Tuesday when the defendant refused to provide a DNA swab.
Assistant Prosecutor Lewis Korngut must now make a formal application to the court in order to compel Jamar Myers to submit a DNA swab, known as a buccal swab, taken from the inner cheek.
One of Myers’ attorneys called the request a “fishing expedition.” Read more
A Trenton teenager accused of fatally shooting another teen during a botched drug deal has been ordered transferred to the Mercer County jail after he recently turned 18.
Alberto Lopez was 16 when he allegedly shot 17-year-old Shamere Melvin in the head during a botched robbery in December 2013 on the 300 block of North Clinton Avenue. Read more
Anthony Marks
A man who was driving a stolen vehicle during a 2012 drive-by shooting on Route 29 that killed a city man had murder charges against him dismissed Friday when pleaded guilty to a pair of lesser counts.
Anthony Marks, 27, was charged with murder along with William Mitchell and Andre Romero in the slaying of 23-year-old Daquan Dowling, who was killed instantly after he was struck in the head by a bullet fired by alleged shooters Mitchell and Romero. Read more
Courtney Levine
The mental state of a key witness in David Noncent’s upcoming murder trial remains up in the air despite a report from the woman’s psychiatrist declaring her competent to testify.
A judge said at a hearing Wednesday he would ultimately decide at trial the fitness of the woman to testify. Prosecutors want to tape her testimony at an upcoming hearing outside of the jury’s presence while she is still competent and play it for a jury at trial if she is deemed incompetent in the future.
Attorneys for Noncent, a convicted sex offender who is accused of fatally stabbing 26-year-old Courtney Levine on Dec. 4, 2012, began probing the woman’s mental state after they learned she was committed to a state psychiatric facility. Read more
Rodney Sutphin
The grandmother of now-deceased Rodney Sutphin has a message for a defense attorney who has accused her grandson of ordering the murder of Enrico Smalley Jr.
“A dead man can’t speak,” Deborah Ellis, who raised brothers Rodney and Raesean Supthin at her home on Grand Street, said from inside a cavernous conference room at The Trentonian’s office. “But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let [Edward Heyburn] or the prosecutor rip my grandkids who I love very much with my heart. It’s bull–t. And they can stop it right now. Please, leave Rodney alone. Let him rest. If you find Enrico’s killer, then you’ll find Rodney’s killer.”
Ellis spoke out Tuesday in order to address statements Assistant Prosecutor Brian McCauley and defense attorney Heyburn made about her grandsons. Read more
