Kimberly Cintron, 26, of Jersey City, is charged with stabbing the victim inside a Communipaw Avenue apartment with a kitchen knife.

JERSEY CITY -- An  instructor at a Newark arts school has been charged with stabbing a man multiple times in the head and neck on Christmas, authorities said.

Kimberly Cintron, 26, of Jersey City, is charged with stabbing the victim inside a Communipaw Avenue apartment with a kitchen knife. Cintron is an instructor at the Newark School of the Arts, a private school where lessons are offered in an array of performing arts.

Just after midnight Thursday, police arrived at the building and Cintron was downstairs crying with the victim's blood on her pants, according to a police report. 

Officers asked Cintron if she was injured and she said "no, but the other guy is upstairs," the report states. 

When officers went up to the apartment, they found the victim with multiple stab wounds to his neck and head next to a large pool of blood and kitchen knife with a black handle, police said. 

The victim told police he and Cintron had a argument when she struck him in the face with a closed fist. The man grabbed the woman's hands to stop her from hitting him, when she broke free and grabbed the knife, the report stated.

He was treated at Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health with nonlife-threatening injuries, police said. 

Yesterday afternoon, Cintron appeared in Central Judicial Procession court via video link from Hudson County jail. During the hearing, it was revealed Cintron is an instructor at Newark School of the Arts.

According to the school's website, Cintron works "with inner city children as an assistant art teacher/mentor for the Rutgers Future Scholars Program as well as an independently contracted after-school arts enrichment teacher for elementary school children in the Essex County area." 

Representatives from the school could not be reached for comment.

She is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon with unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. 

Judge Margaret Marley set bail at $30,000 with a 10 percent cash option. 

 

The city is pursuing a motion to dismiss the complaint filed by former city Corporation Counsel Karen Brown

NEWARK -- As Newark officials see it, former city Corporation Counsel Karen Brown is no whistleblower.

In her lawsuit against the city and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Brown alleges she was fired earlier this year for engaging in whistleblowing activities, including reporting certain matters to state officials and refusing to approve a shared services agreement that she claims was forged and based on false information.

But city officials are calling on a Superior Court judge to throw out the lawsuit, because they argue Brown has failed to "connect the dots" between her allegations and the standards for pursuing a whisteblower claim under the state's Conscientious Employee Protection Act, or CEPA.

The city asserts that Brown's complaint does not meet those standards, because the lawsuit does not include allegations that demonstrate she was retaliated against for disclosing or objecting to actions of the city that she reasonably believed were in violation of a law, rule, regulation or public policy.

"The Complaint contains various incidental and inchoate allegations in an attempt to state a CEPA claim, but falls short in that it fails to identify a single act of whistle blowing," according to a brief filed by the city in support of its motion to dismiss the complaint. "Nor does the Complaint connect the dots to relate the incidents identified in the Complaint to an act of retaliation."

"There are no allegations to suggest that plaintiff engaged in whistle-blowing activity protected by statute," the brief states. "There are no allegations as to what law, rule, regulation or public policy that defendants violated."

Citing "the well-established legal authority of the Mayor of the City of Newark to select its own professionals," the brief claims Brown "simply was let go when the Mayor lost his trust in her as legal advisor."

Brown's attorney, Charles Sciarra, however, said "the motion is frivolous" and that Brown is "a classic whistleblower."

"She protested and reported violations of the law and she was fired," Sciarra said on Wednesday in a phone interview.

Referring to Baraka, Sciarra later added: "He lost trust in her because she wouldn't play along with his corrupt practices."

City spokeswoman Marjorie Harris said on Wednesday the city would not comment on the matter. "The City will not comment on pending litigation nor respond to the comments from the litigant's attorney," Harris said in an email.

The law firm representing the city in the litigation, Teaneck-based DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole, LLP, also declined to comment, saying on Wednesday in a statement: "The City cannot provide any additional information on this matter since it involves pending litigation."

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Jan. 22 before Judge Garry Furnari.

Brown's complaint represents at least the third lawsuit filed against Baraka this year by former city officials challenging their terminations.

The other two lawsuits have been filed by Keith Isaac, the city's former emergency management coordinator, and Victor Emenuga, the former CEO of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation.

Brown was hired as the city's Corporation Counsel when Baraka took office on July 1, 2014, and she was terminated on Feb. 23, 2015, according to the city's brief.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Sept. 15 in Essex County Superior Court, claims Brown was fired, in part because city officials accused her of using her cell phone as a recording device in a meeting with Baraka. Brown denies that accusation.

Around the time of her termination, Baraka's brother and chief of staff Amiri "Middy" Baraka indicated the alleged cell phone incident and Brown's communications with state officials were "serious problems," the lawsuit states.

But the lawsuit asserts that Baraka terminated Brown in retaliation for refusing to follow the mayor's orders and other whistleblowing activities.

Among the examples outlined in the lawsuit are the circumstances surrounding a shared services agreement between Newark and Irvington for the services of a health officer, and issues involving Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) for municipal prosecutors.

According to the lawsuit, Baraka pressured Brown in December 2014 to approve the agreement. She refused to do so, because someone else had signed the agreement in the section that required her signature as corporation counsel and since the agreement was based on false information that Newark was laying off employees, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states that a resolution approved by Irvington to authorize the agreement said it was necessary because both municipalities were laying off employees, but Brown said that claim about layoffs in Newark was false.

Brown also claims Amiri Baraka pressured her in late January to reissue the RFQs for municipal prosecutors, because an attorney had complained she was not awarded a contract for 2015. The brother indicated the attorney was "a big help to the Mayor's campaign," the lawsuit states.

Brown told him the attorney had nearly three weeks to respond, but her response did not comply with the requirements of the RFQ, the lawsuit states.

As an act of retaliation for her whistleblowing activities, Brown claims city officials indicated her recent hire of a paralegal specialist was not approved, even though she said all of the proper paperwork had been executed, the lawsuit states.

Brown reported to state officials about that matter and provided information to them about the request to reissue the RFQs for prosecutors, the shared services agreement and "copies of invitations to political fundraising events," according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges city workers were pressured to make political donations to Mayor Ras Baraka.

But referring to those issues, the city contends in its brief: "It is unclear, however, how those incidents support an actionable CEPA claim.

"Further, there are no allegations in the Complaint that tie those incidents to the Mayor's decision to terminate plaintiff," the brief states.

The brief states Brown advised the state monitor overseeing Newark's finances that she believed she had been subject to retaliation, but "what retaliation had been taken against her as of that point is unclear from the Complaint as plaintiff was still employed by the City at the time she met with the State Auditor."

"When stripped to its essence, the Complaint makes clear that plaintiff's tenure as Corporation Counsel ended as a result of the Mayor losing trust in her counsel," according to the brief. "This is an insufficient basis to state a claim under CEPA."

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

As the final hours of 2015 tick off the clock, here are a handful of restaurants around the Garden State offering special menus and plenty of bubbly to toast the occasion Watch video

The farewell bash for 2015 is just days away, but those not hosting or attending a party still have time to make reservation for dinner and a midnight toast. Here is a sampling of 10 places around New Jersey in which the food offerings will set the table for a memorable final night of the year.  

RYLAND INN

Seekers of an elegant, classic country evening (8 p.m. to 1 a.m.) will find it here with Aubry Champagne cocktails, followed by a four-course seated dinner, DJ, dancing, plus a Champagne toast at midnight. $90 per person (exclusive tax and gratuities). 115 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse Station, 908-534-4011.  

THE SHANNON ROSE IRISH PUB  

For those who do not feel like waiting until midnight, this popular family-friendly spot is hosting a Midnight in Dublin celebration from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring a regular menu of scratch-made Irish pub classics and new tavern favorites. When the clock strikes midnight in Dublin (7 p.m. here), guests will partake in a celebratory toast complete with bagpipers. Reservations are required. 98 Kingsland Road, Clifton, 973-284-0200; 1200 Route 17, Ramsey, 201-962-7602.  

PIG & PRINCE 

How does five hours of live music, a raw bar, light buffet and live music on New Year's Eve sound? The Pig & Prince will be welcoming guests from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. for an all-inclusive "Re-Envision Prohibition" bash. Admission is $99 per person plus tax and gratuity. For tickets, call 973-233-1006 or e-mail tickets@pigandprince.com. The Historic Lackawanna Railroad Station, 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair.  

ANTHONY DAVID'S

Chef Anthony Pino and chef de cuisine Justin Antioro (a "Hell's Kitchen" runner-up) are crafting a very special menu in which guests will enjoy a three-course dinner at 5 p.m. ($60), four-course dinner at 7 p.m. ($90) or four-course dinner and toast and party favors at 9:30 p.m. ($110). 953 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, 201-222-8399. 

THE ORANGE SQUIRREL

Chef/owner Francesco Palmieri has big plans for New Year's Eve: a four-course dinner for $60 person ($20 extra for filet mignon) that includes a glass of sparkling wine, peach bellini or prickly pear royale. There will be four seatings starting at 5 p.m. 412 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield, 973-337-6421. 

THE PLAYGROUND AT CAESARS 

This one, in what was formerly known as the Pier Shops, is being billed as "the biggest NYE event on the East Coast with six parties under one roof and room for 3,500 people." Each attendee will receive a bottle of sparkling wine, with the goal of breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for the most corks popped at midnight (the current record stands at 2,778). Tickets start at $50. VIP passes start at $80 and include five hours of open bar, express entry, upgraded liquor brands and a buffet. 1 Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City, 609-225-9593.

The retro-swanky Continental at the Playground at Caesars is hosting a special New Year's Eve celebration. Anthony Venutolo | Star-Ledger file photo 

THE CONTINENTAL

For those seeking a smaller scale celebration, this popular restaurant on The Playground's dining level is hosting a separate event from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring an a la carte menu, a DJ throughout and toast at midnight. As an added bonus, guests will have a clear view of the fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean. 1 Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City, 609-674-8300.  

VIDALIA RESTAURANT

Salvatore Scarlata, the chef/owner of this intimate and cozy cucina, is rolling out a special prix fixe menu featuring appetizers and entrees inspired by his northern and southern Italian roots. There will be desserts and some wine as well, with seatings taking place from 4:30 to 10 p.m. 21 Phillips Ave., Lawrenceville, 609-896-4444. 

AVENUE 

This French brasserie located steps from the Atlantic Ocean will pair the scenic setting of dining by the sea with a four-course feast featuring multiple selections paired with a toast, live music and party favors starting at 8:30 p.m. The cost is $110 for the second seating (exclusive of tax and gratuity). The 6 p.m. seating is $55 per person. 23 Ocean Ave., Long Branch, 732-759-2900.

CARLUCCI'S WATERFRONT

The team at this Burlington County restaurant is changing things up with a special a la carte holiday menu featuring steaks, seafood and Italian classics, with all dinner entrees served with a choice of soup or salad. The children's menu also includes a choice of soup or salad and ice cream for dessert. 876 Centerton Road, Mount Laurel. 856-235-5737. 

Contact Bill Gelman at bkgelman@hotmail.com. 

Superior Court Judge James S. Rothschild, Jr. has ruled a security company may receive some of the tax returns it was seeking for Dustin Friedland, who was killed in the Dec. 15, 2013 shooting at the upscale mall in Millburn Watch video

NEWARK -- In a lawsuit over a fatal carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills, a Superior Court judge has granted a security company access to additional tax returns of the victim.

Judge James S. Rothschild, Jr. on Dec. 18 ordered that California-based Universal Protection Service may receive some of the tax returns it was seeking for 30-year-old Hoboken attorney Dustin Friedland, who was killed in the Dec. 15, 2013 shooting at the upscale mall in Millburn.

Universal Protection Service, which has provided security services at the mall, is among the defendants being sued by Friedland's widow, Jamie Schare Friedland. The other defendants in the lawsuit include the mall's owners, Michigan-based Taubman Centers, Inc.

Dustin Friedland and his wife, Jamie Schare Friedland. She is pursuing a lawsuit over the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of her husband at The Mall at Short Hills. (Facebook)

Jamie Schare Friedland's attorneys provided Universal Protection Service with Dustin Friedland's tax returns for 2009 through 2013, according to a brief filed by her attorney, Bruce Nagel.

Through a subpoena issued to Dustin Friedland's accountant, the security company then sought his tax returns for 2003 through 2008, the brief states. During those years, Friedland was attending college and law school, the brief states.

Nagel filed a motion to quash the subpoena and prohibit the company's access to the additional tax returns, saying the request is "invasive, burdensome and not likely to lead to relevant evidence," according to the brief.

In the judge's ruling on the motion, Rothschild said Universal Protection Service could receive the tax returns for the years Dustin Friedland was attending law school, but not for the years he was in college.

Rothschild wrote in his order that a teenager's record is not likely to be a predictor of future earning potential, but that when a person goes to law school, he or she should have developed work habits and job abilities that "might be relevant to his or her future earning capabilities."

Vincent Reilly, an attorney representing Universal Protection Service, has declined to comment on the case.

In his brief asking the judge to quash the subpoena, Nagel argued Dustin Friedland, "who attended law school immediately after college, did not graduate law school until 2009 and did not have a full-time job until graduation."

"As such, any income or financial information sought prior to Mr. Friedland's graduation is irrelevant and would not lead to any relevant information," the brief states.

"Despite Mr. Friedland's death, he and Ms. Friedland, are still entitled to have their privacy safeguarded and the courts must still require UPS to prove 'good cause' for the disclosure of such tax information," the brief states. "Due to the fact that Plaintiffs have already produced Mr. Friedland's relevant tax returns, UPS cannot point to any reason why any tax return from prior to 2009 is necessary."

In the lawsuit, Nagel has alleged the security company and Taubman Centers provided inadequate security at the mall and could have prevented Dustin Friedland's death.

Stanley Fishman, an attorney for Taubman Centers, said at a July 31 hearing that the killing was a "random act of violence," and that the shopping center could not have prevented it.

Four criminal defendants - Karif Ford, Basim Henry, Hanif Thompson, and Kevin Roberts - have been charged with murder, carjacking and related offenses in Friedland's killing. 

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The man's two brothers were killed in 2011 and 2012, respectively, authorities confirmed.

NEWARK -- Tyquan Rogers, the 20-year-old man who was gunned down on South 11th Street Monday night, is the last of three brothers to have been killed by gun violence in the city in the last five years, officials have confirmed.

Rogers was the brother of two men - Anthony Rogers and Antoine Rogers - who were shot and killed in Newark in 2011 and 2012, respectively, Essex County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly confirmed Tuesday.

Anthony's death, authorities said at the time, was attributed to gang violence. He was 21 when he died in June of 2011 from gunshot wounds he sustained a month earlier, authorities said. Antoine was also 21 when he was shot and killed on Bedford Street on Feb. 24, 2012.

Drug trade turf disputes at center of spiking Newark homicide rate, officials say

In an address to the city council Tuesday, Mayor Ras Baraka called the latest death "heartbreaking."

"This morning...I had to go to a resident's home who I've known for a very, very long time as she cried on the floor," he told the council.

"She lost the third of her sons...all to gun violence in the city."

Attempts to reach the Rogers family were unsuccessful.

In a GoFundMe post raising money for Tyquan's funeral expenses, family members said "this mother...has been as strong as she could possibly be still never getting over the death of her first born and second born son, now she faces it again with her third born and last son."

At the council meeting, Baraka used the death as an example of what he said was a "desperate" need to do something different, pointing to his recent creation of a public safety department that will restructure the leadership of the police and fire departments in Newark.

"(We have to) make sure that our residents don't have to experience what this mother experienced," he said.

Authorities have released few details about Tyquan's shooting death, which was the 104th homicide logged in Newark so far this year. According to police reports, he was shot multiple times Monday night before being transported to University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Staff reporter Dan Ivers contributed to this report.

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

 

The Hillsdale resident suffered a broken femur after being stopped for no reason, according to his lawsuit

Newark police settled their part of an excessive force lawsuit for $21,000. Star-Ledger file photo 

A Bergen County man allegedly beaten by police officers in Newark during a traffic stop settled his lawsuit for $112,500 earlier this year.

Marcelle Higgs of Hillsdale said UMDNJ police and Newark cops broke his femur when they assaulted him in 2008. The suit also alleges police racially profiled and falsely arrested the then-30-year-old.

The news was first reported by NJ Civil Settlements, which provides a partial list of settlements paid by New Jersey government agencies and their insurers to those who have sued them.

Higgs alleged UMDNJ police pulled him over near the intersection of South Orange Avenue and Bergen Street because he is black. UMDNJ police checked his driver's license, registration and insurance, all of which were valid, according to the lawsuit.

Though Higgs repeatedly asked why he was stopped and why he wasn't allowed to leave, he was given no answer to either question, his lawsuit says.

Once Newark police and additional UMDNJ officers arrived for backup, Higgs alleges he was ordered out of his car and attacked.

Authorities later fabricated a story to justify the illegal stop, Higgs' suit states.

Years later, Higgs said he still walks with a limp and that the leg injury limits his activity. A metal rod placed in his leg during surgery will remain there for the rest of his life.

UMDNJ's share of the settlement is $91,000 with Newark police responsible for the remaining $21,000.

UMDNJ was absorbed by Rutgers and Rowan universities in 2013.

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

High school students from the congregation have already started going to Elizabeth to tutor the immigrant children Watch video

Muslim and Jewish children play games together during the Christmas dinner at Bnai Keshet Synagogue in Montclair. (Courtesy of Bnai Keshet) 

MONTCLAIR -- A Christmas dinner involving Syrian Muslim refugees and their Jewish hosts went "really well," organizers said, and more events are in the works.

Bnai Keshet Synagogue in Montclair hosted 10 refugee families living in Elizabeth for a "traditional" Jewish Christmas dinner of Chinese food.

"It went really, really well," reported Rabbi Elliott Tepperman, the leader of Bnai Keshet. "It was lovely. Everybody was so warm and excited to be together."

"People were really absorbed. Everybody was interacting," added congregation member Kate McCaffrey. About 130 people attended, organizers said.

The two groups have already formed an ongoing relationship, with high school students from the Reconstructionist congregation going to the Elizabeth Public Library to tutor the refugees, McCaffrey said.

More Muslim-Jewish get-togethers are in the planning stages, McCaffrey said, including a bowling outing and a party celebrating the Jewish festival of Purim in March.

Tepperman and McCaffrey both reported that it was an emotional night for both the Jews and the Muslims, as they bonded over their common experiences as refugees.

When Tepperman spoke about the experiences of his refugee grandfather,  "he made it clear that this (event) was a representation of Jewish values," McCaffrey said.

He reminded the Muslims that in past decades, " 'we were you,' " she said. "People said horrible things about Jewish immigrants."

"They were crying and we were crying," McCaffrey said, adding that the interpreter, one of three Arabic-speaking translators on hand for the event, was also in tears as she spoke.

About 130 people attended the event in Montclair, including 10 Muslim Syrian refugee families living in Elizabeth. (Courtesy of Bnai Keshet) 

One of the interpreters, a native of Syria, spoke "eloquently" about how she came to the United States in 1969 and said the dinner represents an example of "American freedom," McCaffrey said.

Among those in attendance at the event were two Columbia Journalism School students, Sneha Antony and Maria Chiu, who created the video seen here.

The women, who are interested in documenting the experiences of Syrian refugees, are specializing in documentary filmmaking at Columbia and working as freelance journalists in the New York area, Antony said.

Tepperman and McCaffrey both reported there was no discussion of the political tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the Middle East.

At one point, McCaffrey reported, a Syrian man said, "America, good" and "Syria, Assad, bad," referring to the leader of the Syrian government as he made a weapons-like sound. 

"I don't know if they perceived us as Jews or as Americans," she added. "They were just happy to be welcome."

Many of the conversations between the American and Syrian adults concerned their jobs, Tepperman reported.

The Syrians "spoke about their eagerness to find work," Tepperman said, noting that one man who is a tailor is looking for a place to use his skills.

Meanwhile, "The kids were all playing together," Tepperman added. 

The children brought board games and the children enjoyed their time together, McCaffrey said.

The catered meal consisted of Kosher vegetarian Asian food.

Although the Syrians initially studied the unfamiliar food carefully, "The egg rolls were a big hit," McCaffrey said, adding that ice cream for dessert, with toppings, also proved particularly popular.

After the Bnai Keshet congregants drove the immigrants back to Elizabeth, one family "invited us for coffee at their apartment," McCaffrey said. "It was nice."

Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

 

A disturbance broke out on the steps of City Hall Wednesday. Watch video

NEWARK -- A skirmish broke out between rival activists on the steps of City Hall Wednesday during what had been intended as a demonstration against violence in Newark.

Police were called to the scene after a small crowd began arguing over escalating violence and the city's attempts to curb it.

The noon press conference was called by a group of activists led by Salaam Ismial, co-chair of the New Jersey Study Commission on Violence, and Abdul Muhammad, a longtime Newark anti-violence activist. In a release announcing the event, the two said they planned to ask Mayor Ras Baraka to "unleash his quality of life plan in addressing ongoing violence facing Newark residents."

As the group spoke to reporters, however, a group of Baraka supporters including activist Donna Jackson and Tyrone "Street Counsel" Barnes began heckling and shouting from the base of the steps.

It soon evolved into an intense face-off between Jackson and Muhammad, which then erupted into a skirmish between members of the two camps. At one point, Barnes put his hands around Muhammad's neck and pushed him to the ground.

Organizers and other participants said the skirmish lasted only a few minutes, and there were no serious injuries. 

In an interview after the event, Ismail said he hoped his group's message would not be lost due to the physical altercation. He stressed that they were not protesting Baraka - who often took part in rallies to protest city violence during Mayor Cory Booker's term - but merely urging him to outline plans to combat the surge of bloodshed that has catapulted the homicide total for 2015 to 104.

"The mayor was one of them. He's part of that community. He understands it, he understands the frustration," he said.

"For all intents and purposes, this hurt the possibility that Newark can have in addressing this problem once and for all. Until there's some sense of a unified front among the leaders, there's never going to be an impact on the people at large."

Though the rally took place outside City Hall, Newark spokeswoman Marjorie Harris said the city was not directly involved in the rally or the disturbance.

"It was simply a community coalition," she said. "None of the city's employees...were involved with it."

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Baraka said the scuffle is being investigated by the Newark Police Department, and that the rally was held without a city permit.

Baraka said that the rally should not have been held in Newark at all, noting that Ismial is from Elizabeth.

"While we appreciate their concern for the citizens of Newark, it would have been more appropriate for Mr. Salaam Ismial, the coordinator of this event, to bring to light the issue of violence in their town, by doing so in their town," he said in the statement.

A Newark police spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident. Attempts to reach both Jackson and Barnes were not immediately successful.

In his statement, Baraka also noted that Muhammad once worked for the city.

"It was also disheartening to learn that a former Newark municipal employee, Mr. Abdul Muhammad, was the instigator in a confrontation with another well-known Newark community activist and was allegedly pivotal in the ensuing melee," he said.

"The actions of this Elizabeth-based group discredit the efforts of so many who are committed to speaking out against violence in the neighborhoods and streets of both cities."

A spokeswoman for the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, a prominent community organization, confirmed that about 12 members of the group attended the rally. But, the spokeswoman, who identified herself only as Tasha, said the group did not organize the rally or take part in the fight.

Murder victim was 3rd brother killed by Newark gun violence

The disturbance comes as Newark leaders are in the midst of implementing a "public safety" department that will oversee police, fire, and emergency services in Newark. The new department, which will be headed by Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose, was created in part to combat spiking levels of violence in the city, officials said.

Minister Thomas Ellis, who heads the Newark "Enough is Enough Coalition" and had joined Ismail and Muhammad at the press conference, said he was disappointed that what he characterized as an simple stand against violence had devolved into a political feud.

"People were speaking out two years ago or whatever, but now there's not a lot of people speaking out. Everybody knows the reason," he said.

"Today we stood on the steps of City Hall to show that black lives matter in Newark, and it turned out ugly."  

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

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Thousands upon thousands of superb snapshots are sitting in photo albums throughout the state just waiting for their chance to be in a gallery; send them in!

In the past year, we've posted 51 galleries of vintage photos from New Jersey.

Over the past few years, we've collected more than 10,000 photos on topics like these, all taken in New Jersey before 1986. But there's something missing. We'd like to see photos you've taken.

There's no doubt that some of the very best photos we've posted in these galleries have come from Instamatics, Poloroids and Canons held and aimed by our readers. Over the years, readers have submitted never-before-published photos of John F. Kennedy, Rin Tin Tin and Frankie Valli as well as wonderful pictures of everyday slices of life.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here's a gallery of the photos from this past year's galleries that we, in our humble opinions, felt were the cream of the crop. I'm certain that thousands upon thousands of equally superb snapshots are sitting in photo albums throughout the state just waiting for their chance to be in a gallery. You know the topics we do; in 2016, continue to show us what you've got!

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

Despite several searches, the name and address of the shop in Newark remain unknown.

NEWARK -- This photo shows the interior of Nicola Scalera's barber shop in Newark. Scalera's grandson Nicholas Scalera, who submitted the photo, is able to estimate that it was taken in the 1920s or 1930s, but beyond that is looking to readers for assistance.

"Despite several searches," said Scalera, "I've been unable to identify the name and address of the shop. Family stories say it may have been on or near Branford Place."

He went on to note that his grandfather owned and operated a restaurant above the shop.

If you have any information on the name and location of the barber shop and/or restaurant, please reply to ghatala@starledger.com.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

A Newark man has been charged with credit card fraud and possession of four forged legal documents, according to a criminal complaint.

JERSEY CITY -- A Newark man has been charged with credit card fraud and possession of four forged legal documents, according to a criminal complaint. 

Lance Thomas, 24, of Broadway, was arrested on Tuesday and made his first court appearance yesterday via video link from Hudson County jail.

According to the complaint, Thomas was in possession of a birth certificate and three social security belonging to three different individuals. During the hearing, Judge Margaret Marley said the birth certificate was a forged document. 

Thomas was also found in possession of three credits cards that did not belong to him, the complaint states. 

Bail was set at $2,500 with a 10 percent cash option. Thomas has two outstanding warrants from Roselle and Secaucus totaling $2,129. 

 

A Newark bound United Airlines flight from England had to land in Canada Thursday due to a cracked windshield.

A United Airlines flight from Scotland to Newark Liberty airport was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada, an airline official said.

Flight 162 from Glasgow, to New Jersey, landed safely Thursday morning at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, said Sarah Mack, a United spokeswoman. The Boeing 757 was diverted after the crew reported a crack in the windshield, she said.

None of the 164 people aboard were injured.

"We are working to get customers of United flight 162 to Newark and their final destinations," Mack said. "The flight landed safely and we accommodated customers on a new aircraft to Newark."

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Abdul Muhammad said he filed a criminal complaint alleging he was assaulted by Tyrone "Street Counsel" Barnes on the steps of City Hall Wednesday

NEWARK - One of the combatants in a skirmish during an anti-violence press conference on the steps of City Hall says he is pressing charges over the incident.

Abdul Muhammad said he filed a criminal complaint at Newark Municipal Court Thursday morning alleging that he was assaulted by Tyrone "Street Counselor" Barnes.

Barnes was one of several people involved in a brief fight that derailed a Wednesday press conference held by Muhammad and Salaam Ismial, the co-chair of the New Jersey Study Commission on Violence. Before a handful of reporters, the two began challenging Mayor Ras Baraka to present a plan to handle escalating violence in Newark, which has driven the city's homicide count for the year to 104.

PLUS: Murder victim was 3rd brother killed by Newark gun violence

Video of the incident posted online shows Muhammad passionately calling for the community to speak out against the bloodshed, saying "disunity" and "disrespect" between activists and other members.

"We have to, as black people in the state of New Jersey, speak out against this violence," he said.

The speech is eventually interrupted by fellow activist Donna Jackson, who accuses him of abandoning his efforts to combat violence. The confrontation quickly escalates into a screaming match, and other members of both groups close in before eventually resorting to pushing and shoving.

Photos of the skirmish show Barnes holding Muhammad down by his neck on the steps outside of City Hall.

Muhammad said he suffered a sprained knee, injured wrist and a profound sense of regret following the incident.

"I'm not hurt, just upset," he said. "I apologize that it turned out that way. That wasn't the intent," he said. "We just hope going forward that all parties are more mature about it."

Municipal court officials could not immediately confirm the complaint or provide a copy Thursday afternoon. Muhammad said he hoped it might be moved up to Essex County Superior Court due to Barnes' involvement on the Newark Community Street Team, a city-backed program aimed at promoting community outreach to help prevent violence.

Barnes is named as the initiative's program manager on its website. A call to the its Hawthorne Avenue office Thursday afternoon went unanswered.

On Wednesday, city spokeswoman Marjorie Harris said Wednesday that no city employees were involved in the altercation.

After the incident, Baraka issued a statement calling Muhammad the instigator of the confrontation, and characterizing he and Ismial as an "Elizabeth-based group." Ismial is a resident of the Union County city.

The mayor also called the rally an unsanctioned event that served to "discredit the efforts of so many who are committed to speaking out against violence in the neighborhoods and streets of both cities."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A body found in the Hudson River in November has now officially been identified, according to the spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. Watch video

WEST NEW YORK -- A body found in the Hudson River in November has now officially been identified, according to the spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office.

Body pulled from Hudson River in West New York

The body, which was pulled from a section of the river in West New York on Nov. 12, has been identified as Maurice Lavette Dunn, 38, of Hackensack, according to Acting Chief of Investigations Gene Rubino. 

The final findings of the medical examiner are still pending, Rubino said, "however there is no apparent trauma from foul play."

Rubino has not yet responded to an inquiry on when and where he went missing.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Year's Eve accident in Nutley only caused minor injuries, officials said.

NUTLEY -- A 71-year-old Hamburg man escaped with only minor injuries after his car plowed through a parking barrier and fence, and plummeted 10 feet into a New Jersey river on New Year's Eve, police announced.

The man said that his foot may have slipped off of the brake of his Honda CRV at about 10:15 a.m. Thursday while he was driving at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Harrison Street, Nutley police said in a release.

The car jumped a cement parking barrier, drove through a five-foot-tall fence, flipped upside down, and fell more than 10 feet into the Third River, police said. People and business owners near the crash jumped in the waist-deep water to help the man out of the car, authorities said.

Emergency responders at the scene in Nutley. (Courtesy Nutley Police)
 

The man was treated by emergency responders for minor injuries, police said. The car was removed from the river by a crane, they said.

"This man is lucky he wasn't submerged or injured more than he was," Mayor and Police Director Alphonse Petracco said in a release.

"The plunge upside down was enough to seriously hurt an occupant, let alone becoming trapped under water."

Nutley officials also commended emergency responders and passersby who helped the man after the accident.

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

 

City sees its latest homicide of the year on New Year's Eve Watch video

NEWARK -- Just hours before the end of the year, another person was killed in the city Thursday, officials confirmed.

Little information was immediately available about the male victim, who was fatally shot near Camden Street and 13th Avenue, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. The shooting was reported around 5:30 p.m. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly later identified him as a 26-year-old city resident but withheld his name pending notification of next of kin.

The shooting occurred as nearby houses of worship were preparing for New Year's Eve services in the neighborhood near University Hospital. 

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

The Rev. M. William Howard Jr., pastor of Newark's Bethany Baptist Church, steps down as its leader -- leaving a legacy of social justice and community outreach.

The pictures that filled a wall in his office at Newark's Bethany Baptist Church were already gone by the time he delivered his last Sunday sermon.

Those who visited the Rev. M. William Howard Jr. there saw images of him with many famous figures, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and Wyatt Tee Walker, chief of staff for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Howard worked with them all - in the kind of civically-minded life you read about in history books.

He was a civil rights activist, leading voter registration drives in 1961 in his home state of Georgia.  Years later, he went on to do humanitarian work all over the world - in Guatemala, Syria, Iran and South Africa, a country that denied his visas until Mandela was released from prison in 1990.

But on Sunday, congregants stopped by Howard's office to wish their 69-year-old leader well. Some lingered near the sanctuary. "I didn't want to leave the church,'' said Mildred Crump, Newark City Council president. "I just wanted to hang around.''

Howard's official pastoral duties with Bethany ended just hours ago, during the church's New Year's Eve Watch Night Service. The observance, in part, pays homage to slaves and free blacks, who gathered in churches and homes at midnight to celebrate the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Since his arrival in 2000, Howard and the congregation have enjoyed a spiritual and intimate fellowship, wrapped around social justice issues and community outreach.

"I feel I have given what I came to bring to Bethany,'' said Howard, who was the church's 12^th pastor. "This is the hardest job that I ever had to lead. I couldn't achieve one thing without the commitment of the lay people who shared the vision.''

Together, Howard and the church's 700 members covered a lot of ground on a sojourn that reconnected Bethany to Newark. His ministry touched thousands from the circular-shaped church he led on Market Street.

Richard Roper, chairman of the deacon board, said Howard showed the congregation what it meant to be Christians, who have a responsibility to address social conditions in the community.

For instance, Bethany was involved in New Jersey drug and bail reform. The church also hosted the Fugitive Safe Surrender program, allowing more than 4,000 people facing arrest warrants for nonviolent crimes to turn themselves in. For young offenders, Bethany started Uth Turn, a program that helped them straighten out their lives.

"He had the ability to touch us spiritually and help us open our eyes in the areas of social justice,'' Roper said.

There's so much they did together. The church's University Heights Charter School is flourishing, so is its literacy program for adults. Howard, a former chairman of the Rutgers Board of Governors, also was chair of the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission. His work in this area helped to lead to the abolition of the death penalty.

Inside the church, Bethany ordained women to the diaconate, a board of deaconesses. On the first Saturday of each month, Howard was responsible for the start of Jazz Vespers, a popular worship service that illustrates how the genre is connected to the black church. 

Howard and Bethany seemed destined to meet, even though their paths were different. He had a national and international profile of ecumenical service that included diplomacy missions to Syria and Iran in the 1970s and 1980s. He held Christmas services for American hostages in Tehran, Iran, in 1979 and traveled with the Rev. Jesse Jackson to Syria in 1984 to negotiate the release of a captured U.S. Navy pilot.

A graduate of Morehouse College and the Princeton Theological Seminary, Howard was president of the New York Theological Seminary for eight years. He presided over the National Council of Churches and was executive director of the African-American Council in the Reformed Church of America for 20 years.

"He's been operating at the highest level over the course of his life,'' said Larry Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress, a grass-roots group in Newark.  "People don't know. They just think, Bill Howard, Bethany, nice guy.''

But something was missing for Howard before he came to Bethany.

"I had been at national organizations, I been at a theological seminary, but I had not been ingrained in the every day life of people and their struggle," Howard said.

Though he knew of the worldwide struggle for human rights, working with the World Council of Churches' program to Combat Racism, and he was also president of the board of directors for the American Committee on Africa, Howard said: "Getting into the weeds of human life is richer than all of that.''

He got his chance when Bethany had an opening. At the time, the church was doing missionary work overseas, which some members said caused them to lose touch with the Newark community.

Howard and Bethany were a natural fit. They needed each other.

With that, he came to Newark with his wife, Barbara. Married 45 years, they have three adult children - two sons and a daughter - and a 6-year-old granddaughter.

"He's been good spouse, a good father, a good community person. I'm blessed,'' Barbara Howard said.

The church will miss him for his spiritual stewardship and humility, his timely humor and the common-sense wisdom he learned from his grandmother, Minnie Howard, who raised him in Americus, Ga.

"Buy what you need before you buy what you want,'' Howard recalled her saying.

A dapper gentleman, known for his stylish bow ties, Howard used her philosophy to make points during sermons. Among his many attributes, including scholarship, church member Bill Lee said Howard had no problems relating to people.

You could be a world leader, a Newark parent struggling to keep the lights on, or 10-year-old Malcolm Hayes, who said goodbye to Howard on Sunday.

It's time for new leadership and Howard knows it. The church has narrowed its search to one candidate, who should be announced soon.

Until then, where did 15 years go?

"A voice came to me and said 'Bill Howard, you've done what you came to do,' '' Howard said.

He sure did. And now he can see what it's like to be just Bill.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

Chelsea is a lap cat who is friendly with every other feline she meets.

Chelsea 

BLOOMFIELD -- Chelsea is a 6-month-old cat in the care of A Purrfect World Rescue.

Rescued as a stray from a feral colony, she has been described by volunteers as a lap cat who is friendly with every other feline she meets.

Chelsea has been spayed and microchipped and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information Chelsea, call Kristina at 201-965-9586, email info@apurrfectworld.org or go to apurrfectworld.org. A Purrfect World is a nonprofit group in Bloomfield that places stray and abandoned cats in permanent homes and is currently caring for 100 cats.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

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

 

Between the sentencing of Rutgers-Newark Professor Anna Stubblefield, the Short Hills mall carjacking cases and other matters, 2016 is shaping up to be a busy year for the court system in Essex County

NEWARK -- A Rutgers-Newark professor will be sent to state prison for sexually assaulting a disabled man, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka will be fighting lawsuits from former city workers and prosecutors will be pursuing cases against an alleged terrorist in a teenager's killing and four men charged in a fatal carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills.

In other words, 2016 is shaping up to be a busy year for the court system in Essex County.

Those cases are among the civil and criminal matters expected to receive widespread attention over the coming year in both the Essex County Superior Court and the federal courthouse in Newark.

Scroll through the photo gallery above for an overview of the county's top 10 court cases and decisions to watch out for in 2016.

Here's a closer look at those cases:

10. Newark Watershed cases

On both the criminal and civil fronts, there will be cases dealing with the now-defunct Newark Watershed Conservation Development Corporation.

The corporation's trustees are pursuing a federal lawsuit against U.S. Sen. and former Newark mayor Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and other defendants, alleging they failed to provide proper oversight of the agency.

Meanwhile, the agency's former director, Linda Watkins-Brashear, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5 after pleading guilty on Dec. 21 to soliciting nearly $1 million in bribes from businesses in return for overinflated and no-work contracts.

A former consultant who was hired by Watkins-Brashear, Donald Bernard Sr., also is facing charges in the alleged kickback scheme.

9. Ras Baraka Lawsuits

In the New Year, Baraka will be facing three separate lawsuits from former city officials challenging their terminations.

The complaints were filed last year by former city Corporation Counsel Karen Brown; Keith Isaac, the city's former emergency management coordinator, and Victor Emenuga, the former CEO of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation.

In Brown's lawsuit, a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 for the mayor's motion to dismiss her complaint.

8. Bloomfield cops dash-cam case

Bloomfield police officers Sean Courter and Orlando Trinidad are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11 after being convicted on Nov. 5 of official misconduct and related charges stemming from the 2012 arrest of township resident Marcus Jeter.

The jury determined the cops made false statements in police reports when they claimed Jeter tried to grab Courter's gun while Courter was removing him from a vehicle on the Garden State Parkway, and that Jeter struck Trinidad.

Courter and Trinidad are each facing a minimum of five years in state prison without parole on the official misconduct charge.

Jeter also is pursuing a federal lawsuit over the incident, alleging he was the victim of "racial profiling."

7. Orange teacher's lawsuit over firing for cop killer letters

Former Orange teacher Marylin Zuniga is suing the Orange Board of Education for firing her in May, because she allowed her third-grade students to write "get well" letters to a convicted cop killer.

Zuniga is alleging school board members discussed her case privately in violation of the state's Open Public Meetings. An attorney for the school board has said no such private meeting occurred.

The school district has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

6. Nanny-cam trial

Shawn Custis is scheduled to go on trial in January on charges of beating a Millburn woman in a 2013 home invasion robbery caught on a "nanny-cam."

Shawn Custis, 44, of Newark, appears in Superior Court for a hearing where stated that he wanted to proceed to trial on charges of beating a Millburn woman in a 2013 home invasion attack caught on a "nanny-cam." Newark, NJ 10/16/15 (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Authorities allege Custis kicked, punched and threw the woman down the basement stairs as her daughter sat on the living-room couch, and her 18-month-old son was asleep in an upstairs bedroom.

Custis is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, robbery, burglary, criminal restraint and theft in connection with the June 21, 2013 incident.

The trial comes after Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler ruled in May that Custis is competent to stand trial.

5. Mother's murder trial in daughter's death

A trial is scheduled to begin in January for Krisla Rezireksyon on charges of murdering her eight-year-old daughter, Christiana Glenn, and abusing and neglecting her two other children in 2011 in their Irvington apartment.

Her roommate and co-defendant, Myriam Janvier, is expected to be tried separately at a later date.

The trial will be based in large part on the women's religious practices and how their Christian faith affected how they cared for the children.

The two women -- both of whom reported speaking with "Christ" -- have indicated their faith guided how they fed and disciplined the children. As forms of discipline, Janvier has said they would tie the children to radiators, make them kneel on salt, and sometimes delay feeding them.

After she found Glenn not breathing, Rezireksyon has said she, her two younger children and Janvier prayed over the girl's body for an hour to 90 minutes before she called 911.

Rezireksyon's attorney, Adrien Moncur, has argued she was under "delusional spells" due to her pastor's teachings. At the trial, he is expected to present a "diminished capacity" defense, meaning she was suffering from a "mental defect or deficiency" at the time of Glenn's death.

4. Maplewood teacher sex assault case

Maplewood teacher Nicole Dufault is facing charges of sexually assaulting six male students at Columbia High School.

The alleged sex acts occurred in Dufault's classroom and in her car - including an incident when one student recorded a cell phone video of her performing oral sex on another student in her car, court documents state.

Her attorney, Timothy Smith, has said Dufault suffers from frontal lobe syndrome, which he claims left her vulnerable to the students' "over-aggressive behavior." Dufault developed the syndrome after brain surgery she underwent following complications due to her first pregnancy, Smith said.

Last month, Dufault lost a bid to dismiss her charges over claims that prosecutors improperly presented her case to the grand jury that issued a 40-count indictment charging her with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

3. Rutgers-Newark professor heading to prison

Rutgers-Newark professor Anna Stubblefield is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15 after being convicted on Oct. 2 of two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault for abusing a disabled man in her Newark office in 2011. She is facing a potential state prison term of between 10 and 20 years on each count for a maximum possible sentence of 40 years.

Anna Stubblefield, a Rutgers-Newark professor of West Orange, appears in a Newark courtroom on Sept. 9 for the start of her trial on two counts of aggravated sexual assault for allegedly abusing a disabled man in 2011. She was convicted on Oct. 2. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

The victim, known as D.J., has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak beyond making noises, but Stubblefield has said they fell in love and communicated through a controversial typing technique known as "facilitated communication."

Under that method, Stubblefield claimed she provided physical support to D.J. as he typed messages on a keyboard.

But during her trial, prosecutors presented evidence from psychologists who have determined D.J. is mentally incompetent and cannot consent to sexual activity.

Stubblefield lost a motion last month to set aside the jury's guilty verdict and either grant her a judgment of acquittal or a new trial.

2. Ali Brown robbery and murder cases

Ali Muhammad Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 20 after being convicted on Nov. 17 of an armed robbery, but he continues to face charges in a separate case of fatally shooting Livingston resident Brendan Tevlin on June 25, 2014.

Brown, who has been indicted on terrorism, murder and related charges in Tevlin's killing, has told investigators he gunned down Tevlin as an act of "vengeance" for innocent lives lost in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Iran. He also is charged with killing three men in Washington State.

In the robbery case, Brown was convicted of robbing a man at gunpoint at on July 10, 2014 in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 200 Mount Pleasant Avenue in West Orange. The state is seeking a 20-year prison sentence for Brown in that case.

Brown also is charged with robbing a man on June 29, 2014 at a coffee shop in Point Pleasant Beach.

1. Short Hills mall carjacking cases

A criminal case and a lawsuit are moving forward over the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of Dustin Friedland during a carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills in Millburn.

His widow, Jamie Schare Friedland, is pursuing a lawsuit over the incident against the mall's owners and other defendants. She alleges the defendants failed to provide adequate security at the upscale shopping center and could have prevented her husband's death.

In the criminal case, four defendants - Karif Ford, Basim Henry, Hanif Thompson and Kevin Roberts - are each facing murder, felony murder, carjacking and weapons charges in Dustin Friedland's killing.

Over the last few months, the four men have lost motions to gather more information from prosecutors and prevent certain evidence from being used against them at their trial.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

More than a quarter of those slayings took place in Newark Watch video

Despite positive signs in many of the state's historical centers of violence, homicides spiked slightly across New Jersey in 2015.

According to a NJ Advance Media survey of prosecutor's offices in the state's 21 counties, at least 375 people died under violent circumstances over the last 12 months -- a roughly 4 percent increase over last year's total of 361.

More than a quarter of those slayings took place in Newark, where a bloody finish to the year, which included 25 homicides over November and December, drove the city's total to 105*, according to police department statistics -- an uptick of 12 over 2014.

The late surge drove Mayor Ras Baraka to lobby for a shake-up of the city's police department, pushing for the hiring of Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose to take over a new public safety director position, while eliminating the traditional police and fire director jobs. The City Council is expected to approve those appointments early next month.

Drug trade turf disputes at center of spiking Newark homicide rate, officials say

"We desperately need to do something different," Baraka said in a Tuesday address at City Hall. "Obviously, what has been going on has not been acceptable. We need to be able to go forward and address what's happening in our city in a very quick and definite way."

The bloodshed in the state's largest city was also evident in many of its neighboring communities, which continue to battle their own waves of violence.

East Orange saw 11 slayings this year, nine more than 2014 and its highest total since 2009. Irvington's total dropped from 18 to 12, but Orange -- which went without a single homicide in 2014 -- recorded 5 cases.

As a whole, Essex County accounted for 143 homicides in 2015 -- far and away the most of any county, and nearly 40 percent of all cases.

Positive signs for cities

Essex represented something of an anomaly around the state, however, as other metropolises managed to either flatten their homicide rates or make measurable progress on their troubled streets.

Trenton, just two years removed from an all-time record of 37 homicides in 2013, cut its rate by roughly half to just 17.

Police spokesman Lt. Stephen Varn attributed the decline to increased collaboration with state and federal agencies in the area, as well as the work of a newly formed unit dedicated solely to investigating and preventing shootings.

"What we found was that individuals involved in non-fatal shootings were also the ones being involved in homicides," he said. "We felt that if we could put more resources into solving the non-fatal shootings and getting those offenders off the street, it was just a matter of time before they ended up into a fatal shooting."

View 2015 Homicide in N.J. Counties in a full screen map

Positive trends were also evident in Paterson, where the city cut killings by eight after a troubling 2014 that saw 26 homicides, and Elizabeth, where slayings fell from 13 to 10.

In Camden, police recorded 32 homicides, one fewer than its total for 2014. The two statistics reflect a marked improvement from 2013, when the city of just 77,000 piled up 59 murders, spurring the state to send in a new regional police force that put nearly 200 more officers on the street.

Violent deaths in Jersey City also remained flat at 25. Mayor Steven Fulop said that despite the addition of 55 new officers -- all of whom were assigned to the city's more troubled southern and western districts -- officials continued to battle a pervasive gun culture.

"Relatively speaking, versus most cities of our size, we're doing very well," he said. "But access to guns, and particularly access to guns among young people, continues to be a challenging situation for Jersey City and every city in the country."

Homicides at home

In June, Philip Seidle began tailing Tamara Seidle, through the streets of Asbury Park.

The veteran Neptune police sergeant fired several shots from his .40-caliber service handgun into his ex-wife's Volkswagen Jetta, killing her as their 7-year-old daughter looked on from her passenger seat, officials have said.

What emerged in police reports and court documents in the weeks to come, including allegations of physical and emotional abuse dating back years, painted a picture many advocates say is fueling much of the homicides in sleepy bedroom communities known more for farmers' markets than open-air drug sales.

In October, 48-year-old Suzanne Bardzell was killed with a machete outside her Midland Park home. The alleged perpetrator Arthur J. Lomando, was her ex-boyfriend and a former New York City cop who threw himself in front of a subway train in Harlem hours after the slaying. He survived.

In other incidents, all of the parties died, including a Christmas night tragedy in which a distraught husband killed his wife and 8-year-old daughter in their Edgewater apartment before turning a gun on himself.

The stories cut across all of the state's racial, gender and socioeconomic divides.

Latrena May, a 27-year-old teacher in East Orange, was gunned down by the father of her young daughter in May. The following month, Cindy Fortino fatally shot her husband Dean in their Vernon home before killing herself.

Nicole Morella, Director of Policy and Communications for the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, said problems with domestic violence turning deadly are far from a new phenomenon, though cases like those involving Seidle and Bardzell are receiving far more media scrutiny than in the past.

"I think what we're seeing in New Jersey is unfortunately just tried and true of what's happening nationally," she said.

"(The coverage is greater) not just in the reporting of homicides, but with more information in some of the history in these cases and some of the challenges. When we just read the headlines of the death, we kind of miss the boat."

Morella said her organization is lobbying the state to allow courts to better track and assess domestic offenders who might be at high risk of reoffending, or escalating their level of violence.

Results thus far have been mixed, however, and she said problems can often go undiscovered for years due to the emotional attachments between abusers and their victims, and the fears both are forced to battle when weighing how to confront the issue.

Murder-suicides add up in NJ: Domestic violence builds slowly, experts say

"Sometimes there is a stigma around actually asking for help. For men, it shows their vulnerability, which they may not be supported in doing," she said.

That sentiment was shared by many tasked with preventing untimely deaths around the state, whether on a city corner or suburban cul-de-sac.

Fulop said authorities in Jersey City often struggle to convince witnesses to come forward or testify, leaving some of its worst offenders to roam free and trap some residents in a seemingly endless cycle of violence.

"We need the community to be a part of it," he said. "Sadly in a lot of urban communities, there's a culture of 'snitches get stitches', which is really hard for us."

*Note: The overall homicide count in Newark stands at 105, according to the Newark PD, and 104 according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Correction: An earlier version of this article provided an incorrect total of homicide for Camden in 2015.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.