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Trenton shooting suspect nabbed in Essex County

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The suspect is charged with shooting 2 people last month

TRENTON -- A man charged with shooting two people in Trenton last month was apprehended in Bloomfield Thursday afternoon, the Mercer County Sheriff's Office announced Friday.

Faustin 2017.jpgFaustin 

Joseph Faustin Jr., 23, was tracked to a house in the first block of Spring Street in the Essex County town.

Faustin was wanted on attempted murder and related charges accusing him of shooting two people on Camden Street in Trenton on Sept. 10.

The Trenton police's Shooting Response Team charged Faustin and issued warrants for his arrest. The U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force assisted the sheriff's office in the arrest.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Brendan Tevlin killing suspect planned travel for 'jihad,' documents say

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The documents were filed in connection with a motion to admit Ali Muhammad Brown's statement to investigators as evidence.

NEWARK -- In a journal seized during his July 18, 2014 arrest in Brendan Tevlin's slaying, prosecutors say, Ali Muhammad Brown wrote he was looking for affluent victims to fund his terrorist ambitions.

"Save all monies for hijra," one page said, using an Islamic term for emigration to Muslim countries that has come to be associated with foreign fighters joining the Islamic State, a terrorist organization also known as ISIS. "No wasting time or money."

"Find luxury apartments surrounded by forest," other pages said. "Make sure to take everything including watches, rings, necklaces, jewelry, cash, etc."

The alleged plans recorded in the journal are among new details of Brown's arrest contained in court documents filed in connection with a pending motion by prosecutors. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is seeking to admit his past statements as evidence at his upcoming trial. The briefs were released to NJ Advance Media on Friday by the court presiding over his murder and terrorism case.

Authorities said Tevlin, 19, of Livingston, was shot multiple times shortly before midnight on June 25, 2014, after he stopped the Jeep Liberty he was driving at a traffic light at Walker Road and Northfield Avenue in West Orange. Tevlin's body was later found inside the SUV, which had been abandoned at a nearby apartment building.

Brown, 32, of Seattle -- a convicted felon who was on a federal watchlist at the time of Tevlin's killing -- is the first person to be charged with terrorism under state law in connection with a homicide. In addition to the terrorism and murder charges, he is also accused of robbery, carjacking and weapons offenses in Tevlin's killing.

In previous court appearances, Assistant Prosecutor Jamel Semper said the journal, which speaks of learning "proper ways of jihadi training," contained explicit references to the Islamic State.

Investigators have said Brown -- who is also charged with an armed robbery in Point Pleasant Beach and three homicides in Washington state -- confessed to his involvement in the killings, calling Tevlin's June 25, 2014 slaying an act of vengeance for lives lost in the Middle East.

Four days after the killing, Semper wrote in his brief, crime scene experts from the prosecutor's office had recovered video footage from a McDonald's a half mile from the intersection, depicting Brown alone in the restaurant less than two hours prior to Tevlin's shooting.

After West Orange police arrested him at a makeshift campsite in the township -- where investigators also found the murder weapon, a camouflage jacket, zip-ties and a copy of the Quran, among other items -- Brown, who identified himself as "Muhammad Ali Abdullah Allah," signed a form acknowledging he understood his Miranda writes, Semper wrote.

In his brief opposing the motion, Brown's attorney, Albert Kapin, argued investigators from New Jersey and Washington state proceeded to question Brown three additional times following his initial interview, after Brown had already asked for a lawyer and Kapin had requested the prosecutor's office keep law enforcement officials from his client.

In interviews, Kapin wrote, Brown talked about his "belief in jihad, his possible use of the same weapon from the Seattle shootings and the repeated references to the commission of terrorist acts in support of Islam."

Semper has argued two of the four interviews conducted with Brown -- which the defense maintains are "fruit of the poisonous tree" and should be excluded -- were both voluntarily given after Brown had waived his rights. Brown requested to meet with investigators for one of the statements, the prosecutor wrote.

Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler is expected to hear oral arguments on the motion Nov. 9, according to the prosecutor's office. The case is scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 22, 2018.

Tevlin family perseveres 3 years after killing

Tevlin, a graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory School, had just finished his freshman year at the University of Richmond in Virginia, and was returning home from a friend's house at the time of his death. As authorities launched a manhunt for his killer, more than 3,500 people attended his wake in West Orange.

In addition to Tevlin's slaying, Brown faces aggravated murder charges in Washington state in connection with the fatal shootings of Leroy Henderson, 30, Ahmed Said, 27, and Dwone Anderson-Young, 23, all of whom were killed prior to Tevlin.

The Seattle Times reported in December that prosecutors had decided not to pursue the death penalty in those cases.

Investigators said shell casings found at the scenes of the Washington killings and Tevlin's matched the 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun recovered during his arrest. The weapon had been stolen from Brown's wife, according to a complaint filed in federal court in Washington. A loaded magazine for the gun was found at the scene of the robbery in Point Pleasant Beach with which Brown is also charged, authorities said.

Brown has a 2005 federal conviction for bank fraud in Washington state, stemming from an investigation by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported resulted in the arrests of 14 mostly Muslim men throughout the city.

Of the motives for the fraud scheme, Brown's co-defendants told government cooperators "you can't go to war broke" and that the funds were needed for "the cause," court records state.

The Associated Press reported Brown was on a federal watchlist at the time of the killings. He also has a conviction for "communicating with a minor for immoral purposes," for which he was required to register as a sex offender.

Despite what Kapin has argued is erractic and unresponsive behavior by his client, Wigler in July found Brown fit to stand trial in Tevlin's death, ruling he was likely feigning mental illness.

Records show Brown is currently incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, where he is serving a 36-year sentence for another armed robbery in West Orange on July 10, 2014. He refused to attend his own trial in that case.

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

 

Halloween event in Newark cancelled for lack of permits

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NEWARK-- A Halloween party featuring a prominent deejay scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled because the requisite permits were not obtained, police said. The Alok Halloween event was originally scheduled to begin Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Newark Waterfront Center, 1098-1100 McCarter Highway. It was scheduled to last until early Sunday morning. Police are asking members of the...

NEWARK-- A Halloween party featuring a prominent deejay scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled because the requisite permits were not obtained, police said.

The Alok Halloween event was originally scheduled to begin Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Newark Waterfront Center, 1098-1100 McCarter Highway. It was scheduled to last until early Sunday morning.

Police are asking members of the public to spread word of the cancellation among ticket holders they may know. 

 

How a $65M public works complex got tangled in controversy

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City officials say they plan to move forward with the project

Week 8 football hot takes: New records, playoff pushes, big performances and more

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Catching up on some of the highlights from Week 8.

The investigation into the killing of Brendan Tevlin: a timeline

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More than three years ago, Brendan Tevlin, home for the summer following his first year away at college, was gunned down at a West Orange intersection.

Police investigate Newark shooting that left 1 dead

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Two people were shot Friday night in the city's South Ward and one sustained fatal injuries, authorities said.

NEWARK - A 30-year-year old man was killed and another injured during a Friday night shooting on Voorhees Street, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. 

Robert Morgan, of East Orange, was fatally shot around 11:30 p.m. near the intersection of Fabyan Place and Voorhees Street. An unidentified 22-year-man was also injured, but is in stable condition, said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office. 

Carter said no arrests have been made and no motive for the shooting has been established. 

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

 

3 charged, loaded guns seized after detectives search apartments, cops say

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Police also recovered various drugs after receiving tip, according to authorities.

NEWARK -- Detectives recovered three loaded handguns, arrested three people and seized various drugs after searching several apartments at a Newark housing complex late Friday, police said.

Members of the city police division Special Enforcement Bureau received a tip through Crime Stoppers about "criminal activity" at several residences at the Bradley Court public housing complex, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Using a search warrant, detectives found a loaded .9mm handgun that was reported stolen from West Virginia in an unoccupied apartment, 70 glassine envelopes of heroin, 27 grams of marijuana and $162, Ambrose said in a statement. Police were seeking an arrest warrant for the lease-holder of that apartment, the public safety director added.

As part of the investigation, police arrested Richard Gary and Fatima Kearny, both 37, and from Newark, for weapons and drug offenses, authorities said. Detectives recovered another loaded .9mm handgun, along with 33 grams of cocaine, four grams of marijuana and $2,572 in suspected drug money.

Ron Drayton, 31, of Newark, was also arrested and charged with drug distribution and weapons offenses in the operation, police said. He allegedly had a .40 caliber handgun.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

 

Which are the hottest counties in N.J. for new business?

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More than 2,000 small businesses in New Jersey received a record $869 million in SBA-guaranteed loans this year. It was the first time in nearly 10 years that the Small Business Administration approved over 2,000 loans.

Prosecutor's Office investigates 3 homicides in Newark after weekend crimes

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Shootings on Saturday night mark three homicides for Newark this weekend.

NEWARK -- The prosecutor's office is investigating three homicides after a string of crimes left three people dead over the weekend.

On Saturday, two men were fatally shot in separate crimes, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said.

Artemio Arce, 33, of Newark, was fatally shot Saturday at about 8:48 p.m. around 34 North 12th Street.

Emary Holland, 33, of Newark was fatally shot near 17th Street and 15th Avenue, said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.

The two killings are in addition to a fatal shooting on Friday night that left Robert Morgan, 30 of East Orange, dead. A 22-year-old man from East Orange was also shot in the incident and remains hospitalized in stable condition, Carter said.

She said no arrests have been made and the investigations are ongoing.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips

 

Monday commute looks ugly after flooding and heavy winds

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The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory in parts of southern New Jersey, which will cause difficult conditions for people driving trucks and buses.

Forecasters are advising drivers to avoid standing water left on roads Monday after a coastal storm making its way up the East Coast unleashed heavy rainfall in New Jersey. 

The National Weather Service issued flood warnings in numerous counties Sunday as heavy rain fell throughout the Garden State. More than 20 cities and towns could experience flooding, the weather service said, and drivers should turn around when encountering flooded roads. 

While the heavy rain is expected to end by the Monday morning commute, the weather service issued a high wind warning in Bergen and Hudson counties, effective through 6 a.m. Monday, and a wind advisory in parts of southern New Jersey, including Camden and Atlantic City, through noon Monday. The winds will cause difficult conditions for people driving trucks and buses, forecasters said. 

Keep track of power outages with live tracker

Those strong winds will quickly increase overnight and will peak during the mid-morning hours Monday as winds head west at 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph. The winds could be powerful enough to damage trees and power lines, and power outages are expected, the weather service said. 

Commuters should use extra caution when driving over elevated roads and bridges, the weather service said.

 

At home, people should secure light-weight outdoor objects, such as patio furniture and garbage cans, the service said. 

Early rainfall totals

As of 8 p.m. Sunday, weather radar indicated that up to 3 inches of rain had already fallen across parts of the state, and the weather service received a report of 4.5 inches of rain in Waretown. Another inch or two could fall in some locations before midnight, forecasters said.

Here are some of the highest rainfall totals reported across New Jersey as of 9:45 p.m. Sunday. The reports came from the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network, based at Rutgers University, and the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly.

  • 4.50 inches in Waretown (Ocean County)
  • 4.37 inches in Berkeley Twp. (Ocean County)
  • 4.20 inches in Howell (Monmouth County)
  • 4.19 inches in Holmdel (Monmouth County)
  • 4.01 inches in Lakewood (Ocean County)
  • 3.87 inches in Toms River (Ocean County)
  • 3.53 inches in Ramsey (Bergen County)
  • 3.50 inches in Wall (Monmouth County)
  • 3.43 inches in Jackson (Ocean County)
  • 3.42 inches in Harvey Cedars (Ocean County)
  • 3.40 inches in Parsippany (Morris County)
  • 3.33 inches in Point Pleasant (Ocean County) 
  • 3.32 inches in Hawthorne (Passaic County)
  • 3.08 inches in Morris Plains (Morris County)
  • 3.01 inches in Chatsworth (Burlington County)
  • 2.97 inches in Moorestown (Burlington County)
  • 2.95 inches in Cedar Bridge (Ocean County)
  • 2.94 inches in Harrison (Hudson County)
  • 2.93 inches in Nutley (Essex County)
  • 2.88 inches in Charlotteburg (Passaic County)
  • 2.86 inches in Chatham Twp. (Morris County)
  • 2.85 inches in Mansfield (Burlington County)
  • 2.85 inches in Wayne (Passaic County)                        

NJ Advance Media staff writer Len Melisurgo contributed to this report. Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Jarring allegation by actor prompts Kevin Spacey's apology, admission

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An actor in the television series "Star Trek Discovery" has accused actor and producer Kevin Spacey of making sexual advances on him when he was just 14.

SOUTH ORANGE -- A fellow actor on Sunday accused Kevin Spacey of making sexual advances on him when he was a teenager, prompting the Academy Award winner to apologize and address long-standing rumors about his own sexuality.

Anthony Rapp, who stars in the television series "Star Trek Discovery," told BuzzFeed News that Spacey, a South Orange native who stars in the political drama series "House of Cards," invited him to a party at his Manhattan apartment in 1986. 

Spacey, who was 26 at the time, picked up Rapp, then 14, at the end of the night, placed him on his bed and made a sexual advance by climbing on top of him, Rapp told the news organization. 

"He was trying to seduce me," Rapp told BuzzFeed News. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."

While not confirming the incident, Spacey responded late Sunday by apologizing to Rapp and announcing he was now living his life as a gay man. 

"If I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior," Spacey said.

Rapp said he did not talk with anyone about the experience at the time. The news organization reported that Rapp said he felt compelled to publicly disclose the alleged act after dozens of women made allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein. 

Here is the full text of Spacey's statement from late Sunday:

"I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I'm beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.

"This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life. I know that there are stories out there about me and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective about my privacy. As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I chose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with me examining my own behavior."

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka.

Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Major water main break floods Newark homes, disrupts light rail

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The water main ruptured in Newark and rescuers brought out boats to assist stranded residents

NEWARK -- A major water main break in Newark early Monday has flooded homes, stranded cars and forced the suspension of light rail service.

Rescuers brought out inflatable boats to assist residents stuck in homes on the flooded streets.

The water main break in the area of North 5th Street and Park Avenue has halted the light rail between in both directions between Orange Street and Bloomfield Avenue just before 6 a.m, NJ Transit said. 

In addition, several trains on the Morris & Essex and Main/Bergen/Port Jervis lines were canceled this morning due to mechanical problems, the agency said. 

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Off-duty Jersey City cop shoots, kills 2 robbers in Newark, police say

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The attempted robbery took place on South Sixth Street in Newark just before midnight

NEWARK -- An off-duty Jersey City police officer shot and killed two men during an attempted robbery in Newark late Sunday night, authorities said. 

The incident unfolded on South Sixth Street just before midnight.

A spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed the shooting, but didn't disclose any additional details. The Jersey City police officer has not been named.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: Oct. 30, 2017

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Halloween is a time of family fun ... but it's best not to have the four-legged members of the family TOO involved. Some simple tips from petmd.com:

*  Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets

*  Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween

*  Keep pets confined and away from the door

*  Keep glow sticks away from pets

*  Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach

*  Don't keep lit pumpkins around pets

*  Keep electric and battery-powered Halloween decorations out of reach

*  Don't dress your pet in a costume without trying it out first; if they hate it, don't use it

 


Surge in N.J., N.Y. port traffic boosts jobs by 20% in 2 years

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A bi-annual report by a regional transportation panel found rapid growth in cargo volume and jobs the East Coast's busiest port, accompanied by increased income and revenues

Student forced to attend prom in wheelchair awarded $1.2M in malpractice case

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Samantha Alpert's attorney said she still has lingering side effects from an 'unnecessary' biopsy surgery on her leg.

NEWARK -- A Livingston High School student who suffered nerve damage during a biopsy to her leg and was forced to attend her prom in a wheelchair has been awarded a $1.2 million by a jury in her medical malpractice lawsuit, her lawyer said.

Samantha Alpert, now 22, had been an all-star tennis player at Livingston High School before seeing orthopedic surgen Dr. Steven Robbins about a benign bone growth, known as osteochondroma, in her left leg, said her lawyer Bruce Nagel said.

Alpert-headshot.jpgAlpert, now 22. (Submitted photo)
 

During a surgical biopsy of the growth on June 5, 2013, Robbins cut a nerve in Alpert's leg, Nagel said. The damage forced her to use a wheelchair and undergo months of physical therapy to regain the ability to walk, Nagel said. She attended both her senior prom and high school graduation ceremony in the wheelchair, he said.

Alpert has since had the growth removed by another doctor, but continues to have numbness and pain in her leg that is expected to continue throughout her life, Nagel said. She can no longer play tennis.

Nagel called the biopsy an "unnecessary surgery," that he argued could have been combined with the removal as the growth, not done as a separate procedure.

A jury awarded the $1.2 million verdict and found that Robbins did not fully inform Alpert's parents of the other treatment options, Nagel said.

Messages left Friday and Monday for the attorney representing Robbins were not returned, and one to his medical practice was not answered.

Nagel said Alpert graduated from the University of Southern California this spring with a degree in fine arts, and is now working in New York as an assistant at a modeling agency.

"What Dr. Robbins did was inexcusable and he permanently injured Samantha," Nagel said. "We are grateful the jury held him accountable for his substandard medical care."

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

Gusty winds to continue blasting N.J. as rain relents Monday

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Winds could gust as high as 50 mph before diminishing around mid-day

Football Top 20 for Oct. 28: 2 new teams burst in with playoffs looming

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The playoff field will be set in one week.

Water main break causes boil advisory in Montclair, at MSU

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Authorities say the break may have contaminated the water supply. Watch video

MONTCLAIR -- Adding to a growing list of issues plaguing New Jersey Monday morning due to heavy rain and strong winds, officials in Montclair issued a boil water advisory for a portion of the township, including Montclair State University.

A water main break Sunday night at the intersection of North Mountain Avenue and Van Vleck Street caused town officials to announce a boil water alert to residents and businesses located:

  • From North Mountain Avenue to the Verona border
  • From South Mountain Avenue to the Verona and West Orange borders
  • From Upper Mountain Avenue to the Cedar Grove border, including Montclair State University

The township is working to repair the break and will then test the water, a process that will take at least 24 hours, officials said in a release. Until test results show the water is safe to ingest, those in the area are asked to boil all tap water before drinking it or cooking with it, and to not swallow any water while bathing.

Montclair State officials said the school shared the advisory message with students via numerous methods, and will be delivering water to residential students until the situation is resolved.

More information is available at the Montclair township website and by calling the Montclair Water Bureau at 973-744-4600.

The water advisory is one of many weather-related issues across the state Monday morning, including a water main break and serious flooding in nearby Newark.

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

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