'Operation Peddling Misery' focused on activity by the Latin Kings street gang

TRENTON-- More than a dozen people, including some members of the Newark branch of the Latin Kings street gang, have been indicted on racketeering charges in connection with their alleged roles in a ring that dealt heroin and crack cocaine in Newark, state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said.

A law enforcement operation carried out by State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice dubbed "Operation Peddling Misery", which targeted a "violent" ring  accused of distributing drugs in the state's largest city, also resulted in indictments for four other suspects on conspiracy and other charges, Porrino said.

Since the indictment was returned July 13, several of the suspects have been arrested.

Dozens arrested in Operation Snow Bank drug sweep 

Among those indicted are suspected members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, a street gang, who have been charged with promoting organized street crime. The indicted include Japhet Lopez, 33, identified as the ringleader; his alleged top lieutenant, Kiele "King Forty" Lopez, 22, who also served as a "warlord" in charge of security; Christopher "Boxing Chris" Velez, 30; and Luis "King Santo" Maldonado, 38. All four men are from Newark.

Japhet Lopez, Kiele Lopez, along with three more Newark residents -- 24-year-old Justin Rodriguez, 35-year-old Carlos Rodriguez and 21-year-old Christian Padilla -- have also been charged with maintaining or operating a drug production facility.

The investigation, which also involved Newark police, the Essex County Sheriff's Office and the state Parole Board, found that the Latin Kings would violently defend its turf and would routinely use beatings to enforce discipline among its own members, Porrino said.

"These leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings Newark Chapter are charged with dealing large quantities of heroin and crack cocaine and fueling the tragic epidemic of addiction that is claiming so many lives in New Jersey," said Porrino. "Moreover, the turf battle between these gang members and rival Trinitarios in northern Newark allegedly was a major source of gun violence. We've taken decisive action to suppress that violence and stem the flow of deadly drugs from this ring."

Others have also been indicted for offenses committed while battling a rival gang, Triniterios, or 3NL, :Porrino said. Japhet Lopez, Kiele Lopez, Justin Rodriguez, Israel Carreras, 26, of Newark, and Julio Benabe, 29, of Newark are accused of trying to rob a member of 3NL at gunpoint on May 5, 2016, dragging him into a basement in the 200 block of Mt. Prospect Avenue in the North Ward -- the Latin Kings base in the city -- and beating him.

Luis Alequin, another member of the Latin Kings, was shot and killed by suspected associates of the victim while he was being beaten, according to authorities. The victim escaped out a back door when the shots were fired.

When Japhet Lopez was arrested in March, authorities also allege, he and Kiele Lopez threatened to harm a man suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. The man's family was also allegedly threatened.

During the investigation, alleged sales of hundreds of wax folds of heroin by members of the drug ring, as well as sales of crack cocaine, were captured via surveillance at 223 Mount Prospect Ave., authorities said. 

In addition, sales of hundreds of vials of crack cocaine by ring members, as well as sales of heroin, were captured via surveillance at 38 May St., an apartment building where Kiele Lopez lived with his girlfriend, Yaritza Perez, 22. Four handguns, more than 300 wax folds of heroin, over 100 vials of crack cocaine, and copies of the Latin Kings manifesto and other gang literature and paraphernalia were found at the addresses and at the homes of gang members, authorities said. 

Those charged with racketeering and other offenses are: Japhet Lopez, aka "King Japhet," 33, of Newark; Kiele Lopez, aka "King Forty," 22, of Newark; Christopher Velez, aka "Boxing Chris," 30, of Newark; Luis Maldonado, aka "King Santo," 38, of Newark; Justin Rodriguez, aka "King Jay Airy," 24, of Newark; Carlos Rodriguez, aka "King Future," 35, of Newark; Christian Padilla, 21, of Newark; Israel Carreras, aka "King Solle," 26, of Newark; Julio Benabe, aka "King Coco," 29, of East Orange; John J. Ruiz, 20, of Newark; Angelo Rodriguez, aka "Tito," 51, of Newark; ose D. Torres, aka "Wop," 31, of Newark; Edwin Roman III, aka "Chicken Little," 19, of Newark; Luis Diaz, aka "King Stevie," 26, of Newark; and Edgardo Mendez, aka "King Ito," 27, of Belleville.

Indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics are: Yaritza Perez, 22.; Keisha Colon, 22,; Vidalina Torres, 73; and Jadnier Rios, aka "Jadnier Torres," 33. All are from Newark.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Six police officers were recently disciplined in connection with an incident following July 4 fireworks last year

MAPLEWOOD -- The township committee Tuesday night unanimously voted to demand the resignation of Robert J. Cimino, the chief of police, as an investigation into controversial arrests following a July 4 celebration last year continues. 

The committee passed a no-confidence vote regarding the chief, placing him on paid administrative leave for 60 calendar days. The committee planned to discuss an acting replacement for Cimino in a closed session following the public portion of the meeting Tuesday. 

6 cops disciplined over Maplewood fireworks arrests 

In addition, Capt. Joshua J. Cummis was placed on paid administrative leave until Aug. 31. 

Cimino and Cummis join six other members of the department who have already been disciplined over the events of July 5, 2016, when a fight broke out among several youths following the township's fireworks show. Some residents say the youths were racially profiled and that the police improperly used pepper spray during the incident. 

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office started an investigation into the incident, but handed the probe back to Maplewood because of insufficient evidence.

The Maplewood investigation, which began in April, is ongoing. 

The City of Newark and Newark's Department of Public Safety hosted the 34th annual "National Night Out" on Tuesday. The free event aims to build community partnerships between local residents and law enforcement.

NEWARK -- The 34th annual "National Night Out" celebration kicked off at Newark Schools Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. 

The free event ran from 2 to 7 p.m. and featured food, music, bouncy rides, a dunk tank, a classic car show and a face painting booth. Batman & Batgirl and AJ Lego Batman also swooped in to enjoy the day's events. 

"National Night Out" is a campaign that aims to bolster the relationship between local residents and law enforcement. Aug. 1 marks the day when communities throughout the U.S., Canada and at military bases abroad look to create a stronger sense of community for citizen and local peace officers.

The City of Newark and Newark's Department of Public Safety hosted the annual occasion. Newark Police Department showed off its emergency service equipment, offering a free look at the department's helicopter, a HAZMAT vehicle, a rescue boat and its bomb truck.

The Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancers were in full swing at #Newark's 'National Night Out' celebration. pic.twitter.com/8YgOFi3Sk5

-- David J. Del Grande (@SLOSONE) August 2, 2017

The Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancers, a Northern New Jersey social dance company, were also in attendance at the local happening.

Matt Peskin, founder and executive director of National Association of Town Watch, started the annual event in 1984. The first event had about 2.5 million participants in 400 communities across 23 states, according to the official website.

Multiple cities throughout Essex County hosted similar events including: Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, East Orange, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Livingston, Maplewood, Montclair, City of Orange and South Orange. 

David J. Del Grande may be reached at ddelgrande@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SLOSONE. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Scott Phillips is seeking a court order forcing St. Theresa School to let his daughters return there in the fall.

NEWARK -- Lawyers for a 13-year-old girl and the Catholic school that kicked her out both say their case is about bullying.

Now if they only could agree on who the bully is.

To St. Theresa School in Kenilworth, the bully is Scott Phillips, whose daughters the school has refused to let return in the fall, St. Theresa's attorney said Tuesday.

To the Phillips, the bullies are the school and the Archdiocese of Newark, the family's lawyer said in opening arguments at trial. 

The Phillips family seeks a court order requiring St. Theresa to let Sydney Phillips and her sister Kaitlyn return to classes this fall after their father successfully sued last winter to get Sydney onto the boys' basketball team. 

In the spring, the school rejected applications by the girls to come back for the next school year. A lawyer for St. Theresa and the archdiocese, which oversees the school, said Scott Phillips disrupted the school community. 

Susan McCrea, who is representing the Phillips, said Tuesday the school and the archdiocese acted unfairly and without principle by not conducting an investigation before they decided to keep the girls out of school. 

McCrea said St. Theresa chose not to let the girls return because the Phillips family had brought negative publicity to the school by going to the media when St. Theresa initially refused to let Sydney play on the boys' basketball team. The school previously said there was no girls' team that year because not enough students had signed up. 

"This was a retaliatory expulsion of these children," McCrea told Superior Court Judge Donald A. Kessler. 

The school's attorney, Christopher Westrick, said Scott Phillips repeatedly "terrorized" teachers and administrators at St. Theresa. Phillips once called the then-principal of the school, a nun, a "son of a (expletive)" after she told him his son would be the salutatorian, and not the valedictorian, of his eighth-grade class, Westrick said. 

School employees were scared of disciplining the Phillips children or giving them low test grades because they were afraid Scott Phillips would sue or accuse them of retaliation, Westrick said. 

"This case has to do with a couple of parents of Catholic schoolchildren who are, themselves, bullies," he said. 

Phillips' behavior ran counter to St. Theresa's Catholic mission and threatened the school's ability to maintain that mission for other students, Westrick said. He said St. Theresa's decision not to let the girls come back to school was protected by the First Amendment because it was a matter of religious freedom. 

As private institutions, too, the school and the archdiocese have a right to decline business from people who are disruptive, Westrick said. 

Sydney and Kaitlyn Phillips are able to immediately enroll in the Scotch Plains public school system and so would not be irreparably harmed if they could not go to St. Theresa, the only school they have ever attended, Westrick said. 

The trial is expected to continue Wednesday.

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

The victim, according to her son, Iman Mustafa El-Amin, was trying to help Bruce Hay, 59, who has been charged in the attack

NEWARK -- The mother of a prominent Muslim leader in the South Ward has died from her injuries after she was assaulted inside her home last month. 

Annie King, 85, died Monday nearly two weeks after a man she knew attacked and robbed her, leaving her neck bruised and face fractured, her son, Mustafa El-Amin, told NJ Advance Media. 

"This is horrific," El-Amin, Imam of Masjid Ibrahim, said. "Who could even think to do something like this to this wonderful, hardworking woman?"

El-Amin said Bruce Hay, who was arrested and charged with assaulting her on the 200 block of Keer Avenue, was someone his mother was trying to help.

"My mother is like this, to any and everybody she gives," El-Amin, 59, said. "We would see him sometimes, she had him cutting the grass, stuff like that ... it was somebody she was trying to help."

A spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, which is now handling the case said charges for Hay, 59, had not been upgraded as of Tuesday. Hay was previously charged with attempted murder and is expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

King was a retired Newark public schools teacher who spent her days walking the streets of her Weequahic community, offering to help those in need, her family said. She'd visit patients at the nearby hospital, drop off gifts at her son's mosque and go to church at the Gethsemane Church of God in Christ. 

"She's just so generous and so giving," El-Amin said. He said his son, who was renting the second floor apartment from King, found his grandma lying on the floor on July 19 when he realized she hadn't picked up her mail in two days. 

The bedroom had been ransacked and King was lying on the floor, El-Amin said. He said authorities told the family that King had been lying there at least 24 hours because the blood on her was already dry. 

King was bleeding internally and placed in the intensive care unit but her condition deteriorated over the weekend, El-Amin said. 

"She fought, she fought," El-Amin said but on Monday, her children said their goodbyes.

"We said, 'Mom, we good, it's OK, it's OK ma, you can relax,'" El-Amin said. "It's hard on us."

A woman of 'a million hats'

His family, he says, will remember King as someone who always told people to "speak their mind" and "see themselves in an honorable way." 

Before her teaching career, King worked as a housemaid when the Weequahic section of Newark was predominantly Jewish, El-Amin said. She scrubbed the floors of the house on Keer Avenue for a family that was not hers. She later went on to buy that house for her family and would live there until her death. 

El-Amin said Sharon Elghanayan, former Gov. Jon Corzine's wife, grew up in that house and King worked for her family. He said Corzine and Elghanayan came to visit the home around 2010. Attempts to reach the Corzine family Tuesday afternoon were unsuccessful.

"'I used to scrub the floors and now I'm the owner,'" El-Amin recalled his mother saying. 

King was the kind of person who would give you money on her birthday, her family said. And, she was often spotted wearing one of her many hats. There were ones covered in tule and ribbon. One rimmed purple and gold. Another cross-stitched black-and-white.

"She had a million hats," El-Amin said, as he laughed. He said his brothers were trying to figure out what to do with them. 

"She was very smart, very strong, loving mother, who was very, very proud of her children," he said. King leaves behind four children and 10 grandchildren.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. 

The national organization contributed to 14 Democratic county groups in New Jersey this year.

TRENTON --The Democratic Governors Association spread $415,000 around New Jersey's Democratic county organizations, maxing out the contribution limits in 10 counties, according to an analysis of campaign finance records.

Phil Murphy tops the Democratic ticket for governor this fall and is leading his Republican rival, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. The Assembly and Senate are also on the ballot.

In contrast, the Republican Governors Association has not dropped any funds into the county party structures, the nonpartisan Election Law Enforcement Commission said in its report Tuesday.

Income from the DGA helped push county party fundraising to $3.6 million in the first six months of the year. In 2013, the last time voters elected a governor and both houses of the Legislature, the Republican and Democratic party organizations raised $2.6 million.

Political parties have been losing their financial influence as more and more money flows to less-regulated political action committees and other special interest groups.

How much is Guadagno trailing in fundraising?

"While county party fundraising has been surprisingly robust this year, it still was much lower than earlier years when there were no restrictions on contributions by public contractors and independent groups weren't competing for donor dollars," said Jeff Brindle, executive director of ELEC. "Fundraising remains a challenge for party officials."

But the DGA helped fundraising along, as it has in previous Garden State gubernatorial election years. It contributed $592,000 in 2005 and $669,000 in 2009, according to ELEC.

Through the end of June, the group contributed a total of $415,000 to 14 county parties, which included cutting 10 checks for $37,000.

Led by Essex County, the Democratic county organizations raised nearly $2.2 million in the first six months of 2017. Essex County collected $251,000 and Bergen County raked in $239,000.

On the Republican side, Burlington County topped the fundraising list, with $492,000 flowing in through the end of June. Salem County received $259,000.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Three vehicles with key fobs left inside were stolen in Sparta in the past two weeks

SPARTA -- Car thieves who might be part of a theft ring operating out of Essex County are using an app to target vehicles with the key fob left inside, Sparta police said.

Three cars were stolen out of driveways in Lake Mohawk in the past two weeks, police said. All three vehicles were left unlocked with the key fob left inside.

Police said three thefts are unusual because there were just two car thefts in 2016, according to an ABC report. The thieves targeted the exburb because residents feel safe enough to leave their keys in their vehicles, Sparta Lt. John Lamont told the station.

Sparta police said they believe a theft ring operating out of the Newark area may be responsible because those thieves use an app to locate key fobs in vehicles, which they use to start the cars and drive away. This ring is responsible for stolen cars elsewhere in New Jersey, police said.

To find the thieves, Sparta Police are working with the Stolen Vehicle Task Force in Newark.

Until they're caught, police have increased night-time patrols in Sparta. They say the thieves steal cars between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. 

The latest theft in Sparta, reported on Saturday, involved a 2016 Mercedes Benz GLA 350 that was last seen in the driveway at 8 p.m. Friday. 

The resident told police the key fob was left inside the vehicle, along with her pocketbook -- and that she was notified by her credit card company after someone unsuccessfully tried to use her card in Edison.

Key fobs are used to lock and unlock a vehicle without a key, but serve other purposes -- from opening the trunk and remotely starting the vehicle, to activating panic alarms and controlling automatic windows.

They bring an added layer of security -- unless, of course, left inside an unlocked vehicle.

A phone call to Newark police was not immediately returned.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Of course you'll find legends like Star Tavern, Pete & Elda's and Benny Tudino's but your local favorite might have made the list as well

The state Education Commissioner will recommend the state board return control of Newark public schools to the local board.

NEWARK -- The state Education Commissioner has signaled to the Newark school district it's finally ready to take full control of its schools. 

The move is a pivotal step toward giving the Newark School Advisory Board the power to hire and fire its own schools chief.  

In a letter to the district on Tuesday, Commissioner Kimberley Harrington said she was recommending the state Board of Education return local control after a performance review showed significant progress.

The district earned top scores in two key areas -- more than enough to trigger the transition -- according to state results released this week.

"There is substantial evidence that the district has the adequate programs, policies, and personnel to ensure that demonstrated progress is sustained," Harrington wrote in a letter Tuesday to Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf. 

Harrington said the state would work with the district to develop a transition plan by the end of the year. That plan would set a date for the local board to resume its full authority. Since 1995, the state has appointed the district's superintendent who has veto power over decisions by the board.  

TIMELINE: What's next for Newark schools as local control looms?

"As the transition to local control begins, it is important that those of us entrusted by the public remember that with power comes responsibility," Harrington wrote. "The people of Newark are entitled to an orderly and collaborative transition that is solely focused on the interests of its 50,000 children. It is my hope that the leaders of Newark will fully embrace this commitment." 

The state board Wednesday voted to certify the QSAC scores, which Harrington called a monumental step in the district's progress.

A vote to return local control is expected as early as the board's September meeting, President Arcelio Aponte said.

"It's a particularly proud moment for me, as a son of the city of Newark and the public school system of Newark, to be in a position that returns local control," said Aponte, who graduated from Eastside High School.

How does a state take over a school district?

The Quality Single Accountability System (QSAC), which is the state's way of monitoring schools, gives the state the power to take over a district. It measures a district's performance in five areas: instruction and program; personnel; fiscal management; operations; and governance.

The state took over the district more than 20 years ago, striving to fix a system it said was mired by corruption, crumbling facilities and low-performing students.

How does a district regain control?

Over time the state has returned control of fiscal management, personnel and operations to the board. The district must earn above an 80 percent in its QSAC review in each area to regain control of it.

This May, the state reviewed the areas of governance (which allows the board to hire a superintendent) and instruction and program. The district earned a 92 percent in instruction and program and a 100 percent in governance, according to results released by the state this week.

Cerf said he was "delighted" the district had exceeded the QSAC threshold in all areas. "We look forward to working with the State Board of Education, the Commissioner and our local school board to continue this momentum, and to meet the necessary benchmarks to officially secure full local control for the Newark community," he said in a statement. 

The state board formally accepted the scores on Wednesday, and a vote to return local control is expected as early as the board's September meeting, President Arcelio Aponte said.

"It's a particularly proud moment for me, as a son of the city of Newark and the public school system of Newark, to be in position to sign the resolution that returns local control," said Aponte, who graduated from Eastside High School.

What is the timeline for picking a new superintendent?

After the state board vote, the commissioner will work in collaboration with the district to compile a transition plan by the end of 2017. The commissioner will then present the plan to the local school board.

At that point, the school board will shed is "advisory" title and receive official control of its 36,000-student district.

It's not clear what the transition plan will say but it will likely outline the process for selecting a new superintendent and expectations for the local board.

"I can guarantee that will be a community decision, that it will not a board decision, not a mayor decision on how we want to select the next superintendent of Newark public schools," School Advisory Board Chair Marques-Aquil Lewis previously told NJ Advance Media.

Cerf's $255,500 three-year contract expires June 30, 2018 but allows for changes during the transition to local control. 

What will happen to the school board?

The district will have to schedule a referendum to decide how to structure its board. The public will vote on whether they want to elect their board or have the mayor appoint every member. 

"I can say I have been impressed with the seriousness of purpose that this new board has shown in continuing the work and improving on and refining the work," Cerf previously told NJ Advance Media of the nine-member board. "I anticipate a smooth transition and continued progress."

He said over the last few years the district has improved its scores on the state standardized exam known as PARCC, increased its retention rate of effective and highly effective teachers to 96 percent, submitted a balanced budget and sold closed school buildings to plug the deficit.

But Cerf cautioned that local control does not mean the board will be in charge of the day-to-day management of the schools, such as hiring principals. The district's success, he said, also depends on "having [the] board understand the role of a board: That is not to run a district" but rather set its goals. 

"The future success of the work is going to assume a certain level of continuity," Cerf said. 

Editor's Note: This post has been updated to reflect a state board vote Wednesday.

Staff reporter Adam Clark contributed to this report.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. 

Video and audio clips show Maplewood police officers' response to a July 5, 2016 incident. Watch video

MAPLEWOOD -- After a year of residents questioning what happened during a melee after the township July 4th fireworks display last year, video, audio, and police reports have started to paint a picture of the events of that night.

The township committee unanimously voted Tuesday night to demand the resignation of Police Chief Robert J. Cimino as an investigation into controversial arrests following an Independence Day celebration last year continues.

The committee passed a no-confidence vote regarding the chief, placing him on paid administrative leave for 60 calendar days. In addition, Capt. Joshua J. Cummis was placed on paid administrative leave until Aug. 31.

In the video, officers appear to be kicking and punching one of the four juveniles arrested during the incident. The audio of police radio exchanges describes police attempts to subdue the crowd, with commands like "maintain our border," after the teens dispersed, partly into Irvington.

Police declined to comment further on the incident and ongoing investigation. 

According to newly released police reports, about 150 to 200 teenagers and young adults were congregating near the Maplewood-Irvington border after the fireworks show on July 5, 2016. In police incident reports obtained by NJ Advance Media, officers describe the following responses to the rowdy crowds:

• "As officers were attempting to separate two females that were engaged in a physical altercation...a group of 10 to 15 people began to rush at officers...The officer began yelling multiple orders for the group to back up, but they did not comply. ... This officer...deployed (pepper) spray in a horizontal sweeping motion on the group...It was at this time the group dispersed."
• One officer said he "observed one black male...spit on the abdomen of (an Irvington) officer." The officer said the teenager pulled away from arresting officers, which "forced" them to place him in a "compliance hold, specifically by holding his left arm with pressure behind his back." The teen continued kicking his legs until officers were able to take him to the ground and put handcuffs on him, the report says.
• "Patrols were dispersing and moving a very large and disorderly crowd...multiple subjects from the crowd became extremely irate and refused to comply with orders to get out of the roadway." When an officer attempted to "guide" one girl away from the crowd, a teen boy grabbed the officer to try to pull him away, a report says. During an ensuing scuffle between the teen and officers, the teen tried to "over take an officer," the report says. "I attempted to place (the teen) in a pain compliance hold by bending his wrist and arm, and guide him to the ground, which he began to resist, while hanging on to another officer's body. I then struck (the teen) approximately three times in the abdomen/side of his body with a closed fist," and was able to arrest him.
• "It should be noted that (the teen) had sustained minor cuts and scrapes to his face and arms as a result of wrestling with officers while on the ground," but refused medical attention, another report of the arrest said.
• "While walking along Elmwood Avenue, a male in the crowd spit on an (Irvington) officer...While placing the male in handcuffs, another male...jumped on (a patrolman's) back." While trying to arrest that teen, "he began to try and break free by jerking his body out of my grasp, causing us both to fall. I landed on top of (him)...When we hit the ground, his head hit the pavement, causing him to sustain a scrape to the left side of his face and a small lump on his forehead."

In addition to the council's actions against Cimino and Cummis, Tuesday night, police said last week six officers had been disciplined for violating rules and regulations while responding to the incident, including one who was reprimanded for use of force.

After the Essex County Prosecutor's Office returned an investigation of police response to the incident back to Maplewood Internal Affairs in April, the investigation is still underway, authorities said last week.

Residents who previously questioned the department's use of pepper spray amplified their concerns over the weekend.

Several groups held a rally near Maplewood police headquarters Tuesday night, coinciding with the department's National Night Out event.

One of the protest organizers, Thomas "T.J." Whitaker, a teacher at Columbia High School, said the goal of the march was to demand for the firing of Cimino and the six officers involved in the incident. He said residents were troubled by how authorities handled the incident and how long it took for officials to release the video.

Mayor Vic DeLuca has said the town council continues to monitor the development of the police investigation, and has even hired a private firm to conduct an outside investigation, which is also ongoing. It was at the council's order that the police department released the videos and other clips.

The council "felt the release of the audio and video tapes could wait no longer, even though the Maplewood police have not closed the internal investigation," DeLuca told NJ Advance Media.

Cimino has declined to comment. The names of the people arrested in the initial incident were not released because they are juveniles.

Staff reporters Noah Cohen and Luke Nozicka contributed to this report.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Buybacks in Newark, Trenton and Camden brought in historic haul, authorities said.

NEWARK -- A statewide gun buyback in three major New Jersey cities brought in 4,775 firearms over two days, authorities said.

The program, which offered between $100 and $200 per firearm, no questions asked, was the largest of its kind in state history, according to state Attorney General Christopher Porrino.

The buybacks were held last weekend at Antioch Baptist Church in Camden, the Friendship Baptist Church in Trenton and the Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark. 

The haul included 1,973 handguns, 1,142 shotguns, 1,025 rifles and a range of other firearms including 129 police described as "assault weapons."

"Those are weapons of war," acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick said, referring to the semi-automatic and automatic weapons collected during the event. "Those are weapons that were designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Those weapons are no longer on the streets of New Jersey."

Porrino and Fitzpatrick announced the results of the program during an afternoon press conference at the Newark Police Communication Center, where thousands of individually tagged guns sat stacked high on tables and clustered in large garbage cans. 

The weapons will be melted down this week, authorities said. 

Buybacks have become increasingly popular in recent years, though experts doubt their effectiveness at curbing gun violence. Researchers say they mostly draw "attic guns" -- firearms turned in by people who simply had them stored in their homes and wanted to get rid of them. 

Porrino said that was fine by him.

"A gun that has been melted down can never be used to kill somebody, it can never be used to rob or threaten someone, and it can never end up, tragically, as the instrument of a curious child's accidental death," Porrino said.

AG: Why I want to buy your guns

Authorities said the buyback is also part of a broader effort to stem gun violence in the Garden State.

In May, Porrino and Fitzpatrick announced they would share cases through a program known as Triggerlock, which allows local and state authorities to hand prosecution for gun crimes to the U.S. Attorney's office. Penalties are stiffer for gun crimes under federal law. 

To date, 19 state cases have been referred to federal law enforcement through the program, authorities said. 

At the state level, Porrino earlier this year directed prosectors across the state to automatically request detention for people accused of serious gun crimes under New Jersey's new bail system, which took effect in January. 

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The prosecutor's office said the charges have yet to be upgraded from attempted murder.

NEWARK -- Investigators were able to link a 49-year-old city man to the fatal attack on Annie King, 85, by tracking her cellphone taken from the home after the assault, an Essex County assistant prosecutor said Wednesday.

Bruce Hay has been charged in the attack on 85-year-old Annie King, who police say he knew. (Essex County Correctional Facility)
 

During a hearing in state Superior Court seeking pre-trial detention for Bruce Hay, Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Giordano told a judge that investigators believe King, who suffered multiple skull fractures, had been "left for dead" for 12 to 24 hours before she was discovered by her grandson on July 19.

Authorities have not specified exactly how Hay was assaulted, but her son told NJ Advance Media she suffered from internal bleeding in addition to the skull fractures the prosecutor noted.

Giordano said that after investigators determined King's stolen phone had subsequently called Hay's girlfriend, they were able to obtain a court order to track its call history and location.

Investigators attempted to reach out to Hay through his girlfriend, but she relayed that he was "in no hurry" to turn himself in, the prosecutor said, citing that lack of cooperation as evidence he posed a flight risk if released pending trial.

Hay, of Newark, was later arrested with the help of a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force on charges of attempted murder, robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property, city police said Friday.

King died of her injuries Monday, but the attempted murder charge had not been upgraded as of Wednesday morning, according to the prosecutor's office.

Hay's attorney, Donna Scocozza, told Judge Ramona Santiago that her client has a substance abuse problem and "doesn't recall much of what transpired." Santiago ordered Hay detained pending further proceedings.

Authorities have said King, a retired public school teacher, knew Hay, who her son told NJ Advance Media she had been trying to help.

Mustafa El-Amin, the imam of the Masjid Ibrahim mosque in Newark, said after court on Wednesday it was "really unimaginable" his mother's life would end at the hands of someone she was trying to help.

"She was very, very religious," he said, a single tear rolling down one cheek. "Very spiritual."

Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalized, he said, but "we're getting a lotta love from all over."

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

The 16-year-old reported the incident to a flight attendant, but the man accused was allowed to leave after landing.

NEWARK - A New York City doctor has been charged with groping a teen girl on a Newark-bound United Airlines flight last month, according to federal court documents.

The girl's family has also filed a complaint against United Airlines for the way the incident was handled after the teen reported the groping to a flight attendant, but allowed the man to leave the airport after the flight landed, according to a report in the Washington Post.

Vijakumar Krishnappa, 28, of New York City, was charged July 24 in federal court in Newark, a day after the flight that originated in Seattle, according to court records filed by the FBI charging him with criminal sexual contact.

Krishnappa was sitting next to the girl, who was traveling alone, authorities said. The girl fell asleep and awoke to find Krishnappa's hand on her thigh, authorities said. He quickly removed his hand, the girl told authorities.

11 ways United Airlines continued to make news in ways it probably regrets

After the teen fell asleep again, Krishnappa groped her a second time and tried to put his hands in her pants, but she was startled awake, authorities said. She flagged down a flight attendant to report the incident and was moved to another seat, authorities said.

But when the flight landed, Krishnappa was not detained, the attorney for the 16-year-old's parents told the Washington Post. Krishnappa as a doctor in the United States on a months-long fellowship, the report said.

Authorities tracked Krishnappa by using a flight manifest and showing the girl a photo lineup, the report said.

An attorney for Krishnappa told the Washington Post that his client denies the charges.

A spokesman from the Federal Aviation Administration told the Washington Post airlines typically notify law enforcement about incidents before landing.

Cindy Capitani may be reached at ccapitani@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @cindycap. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

One offers views of the Manhattan skyline, while the other restaurant is located on the Barnegat Bay.

It is one thing to enjoy a meal in a traditional dining setting. But when you can incorporate a dynamic scenery into the equation, the entire dining experience can rise to a whole new level. 

And according to Open Table, the online restaurant-reservation service company, New Jersey has two of the most scenic restaurants in the United States.

Based on an analysis of more than 10 million reviews of more than 25,000 restaurants across the country, Open Table ranked Highlawn Pavilion in West Orange and Panini Bay Waterfront Restaurant in Tuckerton as two of the top-100 most scenic restaurants in the country.

Located on the Eagle Rock Reservation, Highlawn Pavilion is an upscale new-American restaurant and event venue that offers "sweeping panoramic views of the New York City skyline and the surrounding landscape in-between," while you enjoy a meal or an event at the West Orange establishment.

View of The Freedom Tower from Highlawn Pavilion. #FreedomTower #HighlawnPavillion #WestOrange #View #Skyline

A post shared by Josh Taffet, LCSW (@joshtaffet) on Jul 30, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

#views #NYC

A post shared by Lindsay (@thisislindsayg) on May 24, 2017 at 2:59pm PDT

In Tuckerton, the Panini Bay Waterfront Restaurant overlooks the Barnegat Bay and specializes in Italian cuisine. The restaurant opened in December 2011, shortly before Hurricane Sandy, and while the old building was nearly destroyed after the storm, the owners have since created an open and bright dining room with large windows that highlights the views and the daily sunsets over the bay.

Dinner at Panini Bay at sunset

A post shared by Art (@artsro) on Oct 16, 2015 at 3:16pm PDT

Just outside the Open Table's top-100 ranking for most scenic restaurants was Chart House in Weehawken and the Chart House in Atlantic City. What are some of your favorite scenic restaurants in New Jersey? Leave a comment below to let us know.

Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jatmonavageNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The annual list is focused on return on investment and based on factors including alumni salary, graduation rate and student satisfaction.

Some members of the Newark City Council gave a vote of no confidence to Business Administrator Jack Kelly

NEWARK -- Frustrations flared at Wednesday's City Council meeting over the Newark's botched handling of transitioning retirees to a new health benefits plan. 

In January the council moved to transition all employees to the state's health plan as a way to cut $14 million -- assured by the administration that employee benefits would remain the same or better. 

But in recent weeks, complaints have flooded in to council members and City Hall from retirees who said they were not informed of the changes and were being denied medical care. The council said they were "embarrassed" and "disappointed" in roll-out and some moved to issue a vote of no confidence in Business Administrator Jack Kelly for his role in the transition. 

Kelly said the city followed the procedures given to them by the state, and that the state, not the city, was responsible for mailing the notices to retirees informing them of the changes and what actions to take to sign up for their new benefits. He said letters were sent out late by the state and they did not have accurate addresses for all retirees.

The no-confidence motion, proposed by South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James, did not earn enough votes to pass.

"The city of Newark on its own should have sent a notice out to our retirees to update their information," he said. "You can't stand here before me and blame the state, they're our employees. They're receiving medication, they're receiving treatment, they're in hospitals. We should have done more on our end instead of sitting here, blaming the state."

Members of the police and fire unions packed the chambers, expressing their displeasure with the roll-out. 

Kecia Daniels, the city's personnel director, said her office had been "inundated" with requests for information. She said she did not have an estimate of how many retirees were not properly informed of the change.

"This is so sad and disrespectful on so many levels, it's more than embarrassing," Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins said, after peppering city officials with questions about what went wrong. 

Councilmen Anibal Ramos and Luis Quintana abstained from the no confidence motion; Councilman Carlos Gonzalez and Councilwoman Mildred Crump voted no. 

A spokeswoman for Mayor Ras Baraka declined to comment on the vote of no confidence. 

"We don't take this lightly at all, this is a precious benefit and we are doing everything possible to assist retirees," Kelly said. 

West Ward Councilman Joseph McCallum said he was embarrassed by the situation. 

"We have bad information. We did it too fast is one thing," he said. 

Chaneyfield-Jenkins railed against the administration for providing what the council said was misleading information when the council voted on the measure.

"I have a very, very low comfort level with the information we're being given as legislators at the last minute, quickly done," she said. "No one ever said that the state was going to be doing this process."

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to include additional comments.]

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. 

City administration officials re-introduced a measure that would mandate affordable housing in new residential development projects.

NEWARK -- Mayor Ras Baraka once again urged the Newark City Council to move legislation mandating residential developers set aside low- and moderate-income housing in new projects. 

Baraka has proposed different versions of the law but it's failed to garner enough support amid concerns from City Council and calls to strengthen the law from housing advocates. He proposed a new version during Wednesday's City Council meeting after a procedural hiccup last month forced the administration to start the process over.

The council agreed to move the measure to first reading after Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins -- who has continuously questioned the effectiveness of the ordinance -- and Baraka sparred over the impact of the law.  

"At the end of the day, the importance of all this is that we have a comprehensive strategy for the development of the city," Baraka said. "We can't allow the developers to get off the hook. We're not letting them."

The measure would require developers to provide at least 20 percent affordable units or to contribute money to help build those affordable units elsewhere. Of the 20 percent:

• 5 percent of the units would be for people who earn 40 percent of the area median income
• 5 percent of the units for those making 60 percent of the area median income
• 10 percent for those earning 80 percent of the area median income

"Principally, we need to pass this," Baraka said.

"And principally we need to understand and make sure we're passing the right kind of legislation," Chaneyfield-Jenkins shot back. She said the city needed to be clear about the definition of affordability to ensure the poorest residents had access to such homes. 

"Who does that include, who is going to profit from that?" she asked. "When we talk about affordable housing, let us be specific." She questioned that only 5 percent of affordable housing would be set aside for those in the lower income bracket. 

"Raise it," Baraka said. "I'm introducing the ordinance, if you think 5 percent is too low, raise it to 10 percent," he said to applause from housing advocates in the audience.

Chaneyfield-Jenkins abstained from moving the measure to first reading saying she did not like to vote on items she did not fully understand and before she finished her research.

She said the city had been working on the legislation for months without including the council.

"It's never been an argument about whether it should or could. It's how you implement it," she said. 

Earlier in the meeting the council expressed frustration with the roll-out of the new health benefits plan and called for immediate fixes after retirees were left confused and little information about their coverage. 

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. 

From hall of famers to one-hit wonders, pop music has a rich history in New Jersey.

A little New Jersey music trivia to go with our gallery about Garden State acts large and small.

* Frankie Avalon was not given his name as a play on the New Jersey shore town. Actually, he was born Francis Thomas Avallone in Philadelphia in 1939.

* Ella Fitzgerald had her version of Benny Goodman's "Jersey Bounce" on two of her albums, "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!" and "All That Jazz."

* "The Diamond Church Street Choir" by Gaslight Anthem is an ode to the New Brunswick bar at which the band played its first show.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

* "Everything's Going to Be All Right" by Naughty by Nature is a version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" reworked to detail life growing up in New Jersey.

* Country and western superstar Clint Black was born in Long Branch. And that's his given name.

And as you go through the gallery, here's a little game you can play along; see how many of the songs you can hum or sing.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

The Montclair man was seen taking another man's dog out of his car and throwing it onto the sidewalk.

MONTCLAIR -- A township man will be in court next month on animal cruelty charges after allegedly hurling a dog from a car during a road rage incident.

Marc Dione, 22, of Montclair, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of abuse of a living animal and one count of causing bodily injury to a living animal, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Wednesday. He is set to appear in court again Sept. 8, in front of Judge Richard Sules, the spokeswoman said.

Dione was charged last month by the New Jersey SPCA police after he was allegedly caught on video in a road rage fight with another man.

During the fight, authorities say Dione reached into the backseat of the other man's car, picked up his 12-year-old miniature pinscher, Daphne, and threw the dog onto the sidewalk. 

The dog did not suffer serious injury. According to a NorthJersey.com report, police reports say Dione told cops he thought the other man was getting a weapon from his car, so he grabbed the dog as a way to get the man to leave him alone.

Dione, who was a Lyft driver, was let go by the ridesharing company after the video surfaced. He could not immediately be reached for comment, but has applied for a public defender in the case, the spokeswoman said.

Township police said they did not charge either man in connection with the incident, but said both could file complaints against each other in municipal court. It was not immediately clear if either man had.

WARNING: This video contains profanity and violence.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Is a coach or athlete from your town on the 2017 High School Juice List?