Trials and Verdicts: Intro to Criminal Justice
Trials and Verdicts
Crystal L. Sanders
Professor Roshanna S. Parker
CRJ 100 – Intro to Criminal Justice
February 25, 2015
Bergen County v. Baksh and Roberts
On August 12, 2010, Officers Saheed Baksh and Jeffrey Roberts were the first to respond to Bogota after a high-speed chase that started when two suspects fled the scene of a home that they attempted to burglarize. When apprehending the suspects, one of them reached for what Baksh suspected was a gun and the officer fired two rounds, both of which missed the driver. It was believed that both officers failed to immediately report the shooting and that officer Baksh removed the shell casing from the crime scene and at first had denied that he had even discharged his weapon. Grand jurors indicted the two officers on six charges, including tampering with evidence, making false statements and second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct later that month after prosecutors presented video from patrol car cameras and transcripts of interviews with several officers following the chase. On May 29, 2014, both officers were acquitted after 3 days of jury deliberation and a month long trial. The trial was handled by the Superior Court and since the both of the officers involved were members of the Bergen County Police Department, it took place at the Bergen County Courthouse. This was appropriate because it involved a criminal case and state jurisdiction.
State v. Gardner, Bethea and Frink
On April 15, 2011, South Brunswick High School student and promising football star, Marcus Hankins was found fatally shot at the Brunswick County Democratic Party headquarters. He was attending a private party when the shooting occurred. Samar Gardner, Jamal Bethea and Michael Frink were all arrested for felony inciting to riot. All of the defendants pleaded guilty but none of them were charged with the murder of Hankins because more than 40 rounds were fired that night and the DA’s office said it would next to
Crystal L. Sanders
Professor Roshanna S. Parker
CRJ 100 – Intro to Criminal Justice
February 25, 2015
Bergen County v. Baksh and Roberts
On August 12, 2010, Officers Saheed Baksh and Jeffrey Roberts were the first to respond to Bogota after a high-speed chase that started when two suspects fled the scene of a home that they attempted to burglarize. When apprehending the suspects, one of them reached for what Baksh suspected was a gun and the officer fired two rounds, both of which missed the driver. It was believed that both officers failed to immediately report the shooting and that officer Baksh removed the shell casing from the crime scene and at first had denied that he had even discharged his weapon. Grand jurors indicted the two officers on six charges, including tampering with evidence, making false statements and second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct later that month after prosecutors presented video from patrol car cameras and transcripts of interviews with several officers following the chase. On May 29, 2014, both officers were acquitted after 3 days of jury deliberation and a month long trial. The trial was handled by the Superior Court and since the both of the officers involved were members of the Bergen County Police Department, it took place at the Bergen County Courthouse. This was appropriate because it involved a criminal case and state jurisdiction.
State v. Gardner, Bethea and Frink
On April 15, 2011, South Brunswick High School student and promising football star, Marcus Hankins was found fatally shot at the Brunswick County Democratic Party headquarters. He was attending a private party when the shooting occurred. Samar Gardner, Jamal Bethea and Michael Frink were all arrested for felony inciting to riot. All of the defendants pleaded guilty but none of them were charged with the murder of Hankins because more than 40 rounds were fired that night and the DA’s office said it would next to
References: JEAN RIMBACHEmail: "2 RETURN TO COUNTY COPS AFTER ACQUITTAL." Record (Bergen County, NJ). 2014, June 07: L1. WECT Staff. (2012). Guilty: Plea deal reached for men involved in riot before hankins’ death. Retrieved from http://www.wect.com/story/18780887/plea-deal-reached-for-man-involved-in-riot-before-marcus-hankins-death WECT Staff. (2012). Arrests made in connection to death of marcus hankins. Retrieved from http://www.wect.com/story/17103356/arrests-made-in-connection-to-death-of-marcus-hankins Katz, J. M., & Eckholm, E. (2014). DNA Evidence Clears Two Men in 1983 Murder. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/03/us/2-convicted-in-1983-north-carolina-murder-freed-after-dna-tests.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone&_r=1