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N.J.’s top court orders ex-Black Panther freed after 49 years behind bars – New Jersey Monitor

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N.J.’s top court orders ex-Black Panther freed after 49 years behind bars – New Jersey Monitor


The New Jersey Supreme Court docket on Tuesday ordered the state to free Sundiata Acoli, rejecting the state Parole Board’s claims that the 85-year-old ought to keep in jail for the 1973 slaying of a state trooper.

The ruling, cut up 3-2 alongside get together traces, brings to a detailed a decades-long battle by Acoli’s supporters to launch him 49 years after he first went to jail for gunning down Trooper Werner Foerster throughout a automobile cease for a damaged taillight.

“We’re right here wiping away tears of pleasure,” supporter Heather Hansen advised the New Jersey Monitor.

Civil rights lawyer Soffiyah Elijah has advocated for Acoli’s launch for years and celebrated the “freedom that’s rightfully his.”

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“We strongly hope that Mr. Acoli’s freedom will deliver consideration to the hundreds of elders like him trapped within the New Jersey jail system,” Elijah stated.

Acoli has been eligible for parole since 1993, however the Parole Board has denied his launch eight instances, claiming he poses a danger to reoffend. Throughout arguments earlier than the state Supreme Court docket in January, the state Lawyer Common’s Workplace echoed that declare.

However the state’s prime courtroom, in a call written by Justice Barry T. Albin, declared the board’s parole denial “so large of the mark and manifestly mistaken” that the courtroom needed to intervene to make sure the “pursuits of justice.”

Sure by regulation

The courtroom was not motivated by sympathy or compassion, Albin stated. Moderately, Acoli have to be launched as a result of “the statutory requirements for granting parole have been met,” Albin wrote.

Supreme Court docket Justice Barry Albin stated the regulation offers Sundiata Acoli the precise to be paroled at the moment. (Courtesy of New Jersey Courts)

“Nonetheless a lot we could abhor the horrible crimes that Acoli dedicated, he was sentenced and punished in line with the regulation in impact on the time of his offenses — and he’s protected by that very same regulation, the regulation that we’re duty-bound to uphold, the regulation that provides him the precise to be paroled at the moment,” Albin wrote.

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Had Acoli dedicated his crime at the moment, he would have been sentenced to die in jail.

In 1996, then-Gov. Christine Todd Whitman signed a regulation mandating life imprisonment with out the potential of parole for anybody convicted of killing an on-duty officer. Gov. Phil Murphy and performing Lawyer Common Matt Platkin pointed to that regulation in statements saying Tuesday’s ruling “dissatisfied” them.

“I profoundly want this regulation had been in place when Acoli was sentenced in 1974,” Murphy stated. “Our women and men in uniform are heroes, and anybody who would take the lifetime of an officer on responsibility ought to stay behind bars till the tip of their life.”

A life-without-parole sentence “displays the heinous nature of that crime,” Platkin stated. “I’ll all the time get up for the protection and well-being of our regulation enforcement officers, together with the courageous troopers of the New Jersey State Police.”

Albin acknowledged the general public strain officers face in such a “sensational” case however stated the courtroom should observe the regulation that was in place when Acoli dedicated his crime.

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“Neither authorities companies nor our courts can bow to public outrage in implementing the regulation,” he wrote. “Even probably the most scorned member of our society is entitled to be sheltered by the safety of the regulation, regardless of how laborious and vengeful the winds of public opinion could blow.”

Justices Fabiana Pierre-Louis and Jose L. Fuentes joined Albin’s opinion.

Dissenters’ objections

Justices Lee A. Solomon and Anne M. Patterson dissented, with Solomon writing that they defer to the experience of the Parole Board and would have intervened provided that they have been “totally satisfied {that a} miscarriage of justice has occurred.”

“We have now by no means so jadedly scrutinized a call by the Parole Board in the way in which the bulk does at the moment,” Solomon stated, including: “We can’t say we’re in a greater place than the Parole Board to resolve Acoli’s destiny.”

Acoli nonetheless regards himself as a political prisoner and has blamed Foerster’s demise on the “pleasant fireplace” of one other trooper — a model of occasions that “is clearly fabricated,” Solomon famous.

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Chief Justice Stuart Rabner didn’t take part within the resolution.

Acoli’s supporters have argued that he’s a sick outdated man who’s scuffling with dementia and listening to loss and incapable of reoffending.

Additionally they argue Acoli has had no disciplinary infractions in additional than 25 years, has handed a number of psychological checks, has taken greater than 150 instructional programs in jail, and has taught a crucial pondering class for different inmates on tips on how to keep away from reoffending.

In 2014, an appeals panel dominated the Parole Board failed to point out Acoli was prone to reoffend if launched and ordered his parole, however the Supreme Court docket reversed that call on procedural grounds and ordered a full parole board listening to. The board denied Acoli parole in 2016, however Acoli’s supporters continued combating for his launch.

Tuesday’s ruling reverses the board’s denial. It’s unclear how quickly Acoli will likely be launched. He plans to reside together with his daughter and grandchildren.

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Acoli has been in federal custody and now’s incarcerated on the Federal Correctional Establishment in Cumberland, Maryland. Parole Board spokesman Tony Ciavolella stated the board is “taking the suitable steps” to hold out the courtroom’s order.

Parole reform focused

Reformers have held Acoli’s case up for example of why the state Parole Board wants reform.

In a September report calling for extra oversight, the New Jersey Workplace of the Public Defender stated the board routinely refuses to launch parole-eligible inmates from jail, leaving many individuals languishing behind bars far longer than sentencing judges meant.

Joseph J. Russo co-chairs the Workplace of the Public Defender Parole Mission and argued for Acoli’s launch on behalf of the general public defender.

On Tuesday, he applauded the courtroom for recognizing the Parole Board failed to contemplate research displaying recidivism dangers fall as individuals age.

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“The courtroom faithfully utilized the 1979 Parole Act, which incorporates a presumption of launch,” stated Russo, the workplace’s first assistant public defender. “The courtroom additional acknowledged that the board ignored overwhelming proof that Mr. Acoli is rehabilitated, deeply remorseful, and deserving of launch. This can be a main opinion.”

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New Jersey

New Jersey weighs making underage gambling no longer a crime

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New Jersey weighs making underage gambling no longer a crime


TRENTON (AP) — Should underage gambling no longer be a crime?

New Jersey lawmakers are considering changing the law to make gambling by people under the age of 21 no longer punishable under criminal law, making it subject to a fine.

It also would impose fines on anyone helping an underage person gamble in New Jersey.

The bill changes the penalties for underage gambling from that of a disorderly persons offense to a civil offense. Fines would be $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for any subsequent offenses.

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The money would be used for prevention, education, and treatment programs for compulsive gambling, such as those provided by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey.

Atlantic city waterline aerial

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“The concern I had initially was about reducing the severity of the punishment,” said Assemblyman Don Guardian, a Republican former mayor of Atlantic City. “But the fact that all the money will go to problem gambling treatment programs changed my mind.”

Figures on underage gambling cases were not immediately available Thursday. But numerous people involved in gambling treatment and recovery say a growing number of young people are becoming involved in gambling, particularly sports betting as the activity spreads around the country.

The bill was approved by an Assembly committee and now goes to the full Assembly for a vote. It must pass both houses of the Legislature before going to the desk of the state’s Democratic governor, Phil Murphy.

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The council said recently that it conditionally supports the bill but has concerns about it.

SEE ALSO: Hostile takeover of NJ police department is illegal, court rules

Caesars Atlantic City (Google Street View)

Caesars Atlantic City (Google Street View)

Luis Del Orbe, the council’s acting executive director, said he is glad it will provide funding for gambling treatment and education programs. But he said fines alone are not enough without mandating education about problem gambling. He asked that such a requirement be added to the bill.

“When a young person is ‘fined,’ who actually pays the fine?” he asked.

In a statement submitted to the Assembly panel, the council said, “More and more of New Jersey citizens need help due to the ongoing expansion of gambling opportunities, and it is anticipated that the demand will only continue to grow. There is also an urgent need for expanded education and awareness about the harms that can come of gambling, particularly with respect to youth.”

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21 top spots to take a first-time visitor to New Jersey

Someone from out-of-state, or maybe even out of the country, is visiting New Jersey for the first time. Where do you take them? After grabbing a bagel and before chowing down on a slice of Jersey pizza, be sure to treat your out-of-town guest to a day in the Garden State with some of these places in mind.

Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo

NJ’s wealthiest ZIP codes in 2024

These are the 10 most expensive ZIP codes in New Jersey, based on the median sale prices of homes, according to PropertyShark.

Gallery Credit: Dino Flammia

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Celebrities who vowed to leave the United States after the election

Rumors are flying that Bruce Springsteen has vowed to leave the country if Donald Trump wins the 2024 election. He didn’t say it.

But false promises of leaving the country if a celebrity didn’t get their way has been a real thing and not always said in jest.

Here’s a list of famous people who promised to leave the country if Trump were elected. I hope you didn’t bet money on them leaving since none did.

Gallery Credit: Jeff Deminski





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New Jersey State Police Gave a ‘Free Pass’ to Motorists with Courtesy Cards or Ties to Police, Investigation Finds – Insider NJ

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New Jersey State Police Gave a ‘Free Pass’ to Motorists with Courtesy Cards or Ties to Police, Investigation Finds – Insider NJ


The Office of the State Comptroller found even motorists suspected of dangerous driving offenses were let go by New Jersey State Police.

TRENTON—An investigation finds that New Jersey State Police troopers routinely gave preferential treatment to certain motorists who presented a courtesy card or asserted a personal connection to law enforcement—even when motorists were suspected of dangerous offenses, like drunk driving, according to a new report by the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller.

OSC’s Police Accountability Project reviewed body worn camera footage of 501 no-enforcement stops by New Jersey State Police–meaning stops where New Jersey State troopers did not issue tickets or make arrests. In 139 or 27 percent of these no-enforcement stops, motorists presented a courtesy card, claimed to have a friend or relative in law enforcement, or flashed a law enforcement badge and then were let go, OSC’s report said. In some cases, the trooper released the motorist immediately, offering some version of “you’re good.” The report found that courtesy cards are in wide usage and function as “accepted currency” by state troopers. (In all but one case, the troopers gave the courtesy card back to the motorist, enabling the card to be used again.)

Reviewing more than 50 hours of body worn camera footage of the stops, which took place over ten days in December 2022, OSC found that troopers regularly decided not to enforce motor vehicle laws after receiving a courtesy card or being told the driver has ties to law enforcement. For instance, one motorist, who was stopped for driving over 90 miles per hour, admitted to drinking alcohol but was let go without a sobriety test after he presented two courtesy cards. Another motorist was stopped for driving over 103 miles per hour and was released after she volunteered that her father was a lieutenant in a local police department. The most significant consequence the troopers imposed in these stops was advising the motorists that they had left a voicemail message for the law enforcement officer named on the courtesy card or invoked as a friend or relative. OSC has released video excerpts of the footage.

“Our investigation shows that some people are being given a free pass to violate serious traffic safety laws,” said Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh. “Law enforcement decisions should never depend on who you know, your family connections, or donations to police unions. Nepotism and favoritism undermine our laws and make our roads more dangerous.”

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Overall, close to half of the 501 non-enforcement stops reviewed by OSC involved speeding, many for more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. In three stops, drivers stopped for reckless driving, careless driving, and/or speeding, also admitted to drinking alcohol, yet were released without being asked to step out of the car for a field sobriety test. Both drunk driving and speeding are major causes of traffic fatalities. According to data compiled by the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, in 2022, New Jersey recorded 646 fatal collisions that resulted in 689 deaths or 1.89 fatalities per day. This was among the highest number of traffic-related deaths in New Jersey in the past 15 years.

OSC initiated this investigation in response to reports that law enforcement officers’ decisions not to enforce motor vehicle violations were influenced by improper factors, including courtesy cards. Courtesy cards, often referred to as PBA cards, FOP cards, or gold cards, are given out by police labor associations to law enforcement officers. They also can be purchased through “associate memberships” with police associations and are sold by private companies.

OSC’s investigation found that courtesy cards are widely used. In 87, or 17 percent, of the no-enforcement stops OSC reviewed, motorists presented courtesy cards that came from municipal police departments, county and state agencies, as well as inter-state and out-of-state law enforcement agencies. They all appeared to be equally effective at getting motorists released without enforcement.

Asserting a relationship with law enforcement appeared to carry equal weight, OSC found. In 52 or 10 percent of the no-enforcement stops reviewed, the driver or passengers did not present a courtesy card but claimed a connection to law enforcement, and the trooper decided to let them go. In 29 of those stops, the motorist or passenger identified themselves as current, retired, or in-training law enforcement officers. Other stops resulted in no enforcement when the drivers or passengers claimed a relative, friend, or neighbor worked in a law enforcement agency.

In one stop, a trooper said he stopped a motorist for driving 97 miles per hour. After an extended conversation about the “friends” they had in common, the trooper told the driver to “stay safe” and let him go. In another stop, a trooper performed a computerized look-up of the driver’s credentials and discovered the driver had an active warrant for his arrest. But when the driver’s friend introduced himself, letting the trooper know that he was also an off-duty trooper, the stopping trooper walked back to the motorist, apologized for stopping him, and let him go without even mentioning the warrant. OSC was unable to determine from the footage what the warrant was for.

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Other findings include:

  • Providing preferential treatment to motorists who present courtesy cards or assert close personal relationships with law enforcement appears to have a discriminatory impact. Of the 87 courtesy cards observed in the sample, for instance, 69 were presented by White drivers.
  • Even when courtesy cards were not present, racial disparities were observed in the sample. New Jersey State Police policy requires troopers to request all three driving credentials (license, registration, proof of insurance) when making motor vehicle stops, but OSC found overall, White and Asian drivers were less likely to have all three of their credentials requested and verified when compared to Black and Hispanic/LatinX drivers. Additionally, troopers conducted computerized lookups of Hispanic/LatinX drivers 65 percent of the time, while looking up White drivers only 34 percent of the time.
  • In many stops, OSC was unable to ascertain why the troopers made the decision not to enforce motor vehicle violations because of the quality of the video footage or other factors. Still, OSC observed several of those stops involved dangerous offenses, underscoring the importance of reviewing no-enforcement motor vehicle stops, which are not routinely reviewed.

OSC made 11 recommendations, including that New Jersey State Police regularly review no-enforcement stops to better understand racial/ethnic trends in motor vehicle data and determine if additional training is needed. OSC also recommended that the Attorney General consider issuing a directive that would explicitly prohibit law enforcement officers from giving preferential treatment to motorists because of their ties to law enforcement or possession of courtesy cards.

Read the report. 

Watch excerpts of the body camera footage. 

Sign up now for OSC’s newsletter.



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Authorities Debunk Viral Explanation for NJ Drone Sightings

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Authorities Debunk Viral Explanation for NJ Drone Sightings


U.S. News

The drones spotted over the Garden State were probably not looking for a missing shipment of radioactive material.

Newsday LLC/Newsday via Getty Images
Zachary Folk

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.



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