Emil Fennell | Homicide Watch Trenton

Emil Fennell gets 17-year sentence for killing over ‘respect’

Paul Mickle — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 19:22:47 -0400

Shawn Marinnie didn’t respect Emil Fennell enough to put on a mask before he allegedly pulled a gun to rob him, at least that’s how Fennell saw it.

So Fennell put on a mask days later and shot Marinnie dead.

The illustration of the mentality of Trenton’s gang members came out in Mercer County Superior Court Thursday during a sentencing hearing that saw Fennell get a 20-year prison term.

The robbery and resulting “respect” murder occurred in December of 2011 after, as Assistant Mercer Prosecutor Michelle Gasparian explained, 20-year-old Marinnie showed no fear about robbing Fennell to his face.

So days later Fennell, 26, put on a mask and hoodie and walked up on Marinnie in the 800 block of Stuyvestant and shot him to the ground with three bullets, then pumped another into him to make sure he was dead.

Whatever the “disrespect,” it was avenged. But Fennell will have to pay for it with at least 17 years in prison under the plea deal worked out earlier between the prosecutor and his lawyer, Chris Campbell.

With credit for the two years he’s already served in the Mercer jail, Fennell could get out 15 years from now, at age 40, if he stays out of trouble in prison.

Mercer Superior Court Robert Billmeier told Fennell he’s lucky he’ll still be relatively young when he gets out of prison. Until then, Billmeier said he’ll have plenty of time to think about the point he supposedly made the day he gunned down and killed “S-Money” Marinnie.

Trenton member of Bloods street gang pleads guilty to 2011 murder

Paul Mickle — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:18:03 -0400

One alleged gang member admitted Wednesday to killing a member of a rival gang in retaliation for being robbed at gunpoint by the rival only days before in December of 2011.

Emil Fennell, 26, told Mercer Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier he fired three shots into Shawn Marinnie and pumped one more into him when he was down along 800 block of Stuyvesant Avenue.

In return for his guilty plea to aggravated manslaughter, Fennell will be sentenced to 20 years in prison with no chance for parole before 17 years under the deal worked out between Assistant Mercer Prosecutor Michelle Gasparian and defense lawyer Chris Campbell.

Fennell admitted to disguising himself in a hoodie and a mask on Dec. 15 of that year before he walked up on Marinnie, who was known as S Money, pulled out a handgun and fired away.

Marinnie, 20, and Fennell were members of rival wings of the Bloods known to carry guns and deal drugs. Fennell, who appeared in court wearing prison garb, was arrested in June of 2012.

With credit for the two years he’s already served in the Mercer jail, Fennell could get out 15 years from now, at age 40, if he stays out of trouble in prison.

Four members of his family were in the audience to hear his guilty plea and see him taken away to prison.

Update: Arrest in Shawn Marrinie murder case

Brian Dzenis — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:58:57 -0400

Emil Fennell, 23, of Trenton was arrested in June and charged with the murder of Shawn Marrinie, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. He is held in the Mercer County Correctional Center in lieu of $800,000 bail. There are no scheduled court dates for him.

Fennell told police he shot Marrinie because he had previously robbed him at gunpoint. Marinnie had been identified as a member of the gang "Sex Money Murder" who went by "S-Money."