CAMDEN
– Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
that a Camden man was sentenced to state prison
today after being convicted of attempted murder
for firing a handgun at three New Jersey State
Police detectives during a foot chase in Camden
in 2007.
According
to Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni,
John Thomas-El, 30, of Camden, was ordered
by Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Holden
to serve 60 years in state prison, with 47
and a half years of parole ineligibility.
Thomas-El was convicted on June 30 of attempted
murder, aggravated assault with a weapon,
possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose,
possession of a weapon by a convicted felon,
and resisting arrest using violence.
The
conviction followed a month-long trial before
Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Holden in
Camden. The jury deliberated for approximately
14 hours before reaching its verdict. The
case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General
James Ruberton of the Division of Criminal
Justice.
In
convicting Thomas-El, the jury found that
he fired a semi-automatic handgun at three
State Police detectives during a foot chase
on July 24, 2007 in Camden. Detective Sergeant
Mark Cunard, Detective William Stolinski and
Detective Joseph Loschiavo were detailed at
about 10 p.m. to a call of reported shots
fired near the intersection of 8th and Tulip
streets. The detectives were assigned, as
members of a strategic investigations unit,
to identify high crime areas involving illegal
firearms and shootings affecting the quality
of life in Camden.
As
the detectives approached the intersection
in an unmarked SUV, Thomas-El discharged several
rounds into the air from a handgun. Thomas-El
fled as the detectives got out of the SUV
and approached him, wearing State Police vests
and other police identifiers. The detectives
chased Thomas-El on foot, but he repeatedly
disobeyed their commands to stop. As Thomas-El
continued to flee, he pointed the handgun
at the detectives and fired one round at them.
Detective Sergeant Cunard fired his service
weapon three times at the suspect, striking
him once in the upper right arm. Thomas-El
fell to the sidewalk, and was placed under
arrest.
The
case was investigated by the Attorney General’s
Shooting Response Team, made up of detectives
of the Division of Criminal Justice and the
State Police Major Crime Unit, assisted by
the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
Deputy Attorney General Ruberton was assisted
at trial by Detective Brian Graybill, lead
detective for the Division of Criminal Justice,
Detective Sgt. Geoffrey D. Noble, lead detective
for the State Police, and Trial Investigator
Anne Hayes.
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