James Crawford, a 24-year-old of Jersey City, was convicted of murder on March 31 for his role in the shooting death of 23-year-old Eric Crocker of Bayonne, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Bayonne man shot dead
On Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at approximately 5:55 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of gunshots in the area of Lembeck Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Jersey City.
Upon arrival, responding officers found a male victim, later identified as Eric Crocker, 23, of Bayonne, with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso.
He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at approximately 6:30 p.m. The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and the manner of death to be homicide.
Convicted of murder
A jury convicted Crawford of first-degree Murder, second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. The jury was hung on the Conspiracy to Commit Murder charge against Crawford.
The jury could also not reach a unanimous decision on the Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder charges brought against co-defendant Alexander Harris, a 33-year-old of Jersey City. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office intends to have Harris retried on the charges.
The verdict was delivered before Hudson County Superior Judge Angelo Servidio following a four week trial. The State was represented at trial by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutors David Feldman and Dennis Murray.
A third co-defendant, Jahmir Thomas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault on Friday, April 23, 2021. He is tentatively scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, April 4 before Hudson County Superior Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez.
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