The U.S. senator from N.J. introduced a resolution in the Senate to honor Kelly for his year in space expedition, which Booker described a "massive achievement for mankind."

As Scott Kelly geared up for his long voyage home Tuesday, Sen. Cory Booker touted his Jersey pride in honoring a West Orange-native at the end of his record-breaking mission. 

The U.S. senator from New Jersey -- who sits on Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which overseas NASA -- introduced a resolution in the Senate to honor Kelly for his yearlong space expedition, which Booker described a "massive achievement for mankind."

Kelly is scheduled to return to America late Wednesday after landing in Kazakhstan Tuesday night.  

N.J. astronaut returns to Earth

"If you're going to pick someone for a record-breaking mission, pick someone from New Jersey," Booker said in an interview with NJ Advance Media.  

During Kelly's 340 days at the International Space Station, he made history as NASA astronaut and achieved a number of major milestones in long-term space travel, including the first successful harvest of edible plants in zero-gravity. 

"He's like the real like Matt Damon from that movie [The Martian]," Booker said. "The idea of longer missions, to explore our universe and being able to sustain life [in space], it's incredible."

NASA says it plans to man a mission to the Red Planet over the next 25 years, an expedition Kelly hopes to be a part of -- he's already offered to fly the ship. 

Kelly's year in space is a "stepping stone" to being able to put a man on Mars from the advancements in space agriculture to the genetic studies to see how space affects humans -- test unique for Kelly's mission since the 52-year-old astronaut is an identical twin.  

PBS will air series on Wednesday with the New Jersey-born brothers -- Scott and Mark, who is also a former astronaut -- which promises to detail what this mission has meant future long-term stints in space. 

Scientists at NASA will also host a Reddit AMA on Friday to answer questions on how space affects the human body. 

"It's only right and just that the highest governing body in the country should recognize [Kelly's] contribution to not just our country, but to all humanity," Booker said.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

James has been fighting the fines for using $94,000 for legal fees in the fraud case that sent him to federal prison

NEWARK - Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James has once again been ordered to pay a hefty fine for illegally using $94,000 in campaign dollars to pay attorneys in the criminal case that ultimately put him behind bars.

In a Feb. 22 ruling, State Superior Court Judge Thomas Moore largely rejected James' arguments that state law allowed for campaign dollars to be used to respond to federal subpoenas at the time, and that he did so on the advice of his attorneys. He also argued that he spent more than $700,000 on legal counsel out of his private savings after being indicted.

Moore ultimately reduced a previous $30,000 penalty imposed by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission to $25,500.

In an interview Tuesday, James again claimed he had found himself the victim of inconsistencies in campaign finance law, citing ELEC's 2014 decision to allow Gov. Chris Christie's re-election campaign to use its funds to answer subpoenas related to the notorious "Bridgegate" lane closure scandal.

"It's a double standard," he said.

Former Assemblyman ordered to repay N.J. town $268K in wages

The argument has been a familiar one for the 80-year-old former mayor and state senator since the ELEC initially sued him over the violations in 2011, one year after he returned from 18 months in a Virginia federal prison on fraud charges related to his steering city land deals to a former mistress.

When a judge initially ordered him to repay the $94,004 in campaign funds the following year, he called it the result of a political witch hunt designed to "embarrass and bankrupt the James family spiritually and fiscally."

Four years later, the case's long and tortured history lives on.

Last week's hearing came more than a year after an appellate court rejected his Bridgegate argument, but ordered a reexamination of the original $30,000 fine. That court also upheld an order to have James and his former chief of staff and campaign treasurer, Cheryl Johnson, repay the $94,004 in attorney fees to his campaign account.

An attempt to challenge the latter decision before the state's Supreme Court also failed last year.

James' attorney, Angelo Genova, said he was "disappointed" in Moore's ruling and was evaluating whether or not to appeal the decision based on what he claims are clear inconsistencies by the state's campaign finance agency.

"I do believe there are disturbing differences between how this matter was addressed by the ELEC when contrasted with how it has treated others in like circumstances," he said.

Attempts to reach ELEC officials were not immediately successful Tuesday afternoon.

East Orange General Hospital filed for bankruptcy in November.

TRENTON -- The bankrupt East Orange General Hospital was bought by a for-profit hospital chain in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the new owner announced. The acquisition lends some stability to the volatile health care market in Essex County.

Prospect Medical Holdings of Los Angeles agreed to maintain the facility as a hospital for at least five years, keep "substantially all" 870 employees and existing services, and invest $52 million in capital improvements within by 2021, according to the deal approved by the Christie administration in October. 

East Orange General Hospital files for bankruptcy amid sale

Acting Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett said she approved the acquisition because it "will preserve access to health care services for the community, including those in need of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services and the medical indigent and medically underserved population."

Bennett approved the sale despite the recommendation from Navigant, a national hospital consultant, that East Orange and Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark should close to reduce the glut of hospital beds in the Newark area. Navigant recommended the two hospitals be converted into same-day care and surgery centers. 

Prospect operates 13 hospitals in Texas, California, and Rhode Island. It has been waiting for two years to buy East Orange hospital. Prospect also unsuccessfully bid on the bankrupt Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark and Raritan Bay Medical Centers in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge. 

How much Prospect paid for East Orange was unclear Tuesday. 

A company spokesman could not answer the question immediately. In May 2014, Prospect announced it had signed an $84 million deal to buy the 211-bed independent community hospital. But Prospect's announcement Tuesday mentioned only that the company had committed more than $50 million to make capital and infrastructure improvements. 

Otis L. Story, Sr. was named the hospital's permanent President and CEO, according to Prospect's announcement.

Prospect's "commitment also includes the establishment of a community health improvement initiative allowing the Hospital's Foundation to work directly with patients, families, physicians and community leaders to promote wellness," according to the announcement.

In November, East Orange filed for bankruptcy protection, saying it was too cash-poor to complete the transaction with Prospect. In November 2014, ithe hospital was losing about $1.1 million a month, although about a year later monthly losses had diminished to about $200,000. according to court records. A judge approved the bankruptcy claim in January. 

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Verona's Joe Vivona becomes the third singer from New Jersey to make it through the blind auditions of 'The Voice'

A New Jersey amusement park heir, a country-singing El Salvadoran immigrant and a 16-year-old singer-songwriter who mesmerized with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" all made it through the second night of blind auditions on "The Voice."

Here they are: 

Joe Vivona, a Verona native whose family runs the New Jersey-based Amusements of America, showed off an appealing huskiness on "Dreaming with a Broken Heart," the John Mayer ballad, although the relative newbie was a bit unnerved and had, as Christina Aguilera noted, some pitch problems. Adam Levine turned around almost immediately, followed by Blake Shelton, with Pharrell Williams buzzing in at the very end. Adam praised his storytelling abilities, and Blake said he electrified the room. But he picked Pharrell because he's his 95-year-old grandfather's favorite judge. 

Adam Wakefield is a New Hampshire native who now lives in Nashville and whose brother and bandmate died from overdose. He got out about one line of George Jones' "Tennessee Whiskey" -- warm as a glass of brandy, indeed -- when Adam slammed his buzzer, followed by Blake. "I heard things other than country in your voice," Adam says. "I heard Southern rock. I heard the blues." Blake insisted Adam Wakefield is country -- the future of country. The two judges engaged in a somewhat nuanced argument about the universality vs. specificity of country music, but in the end Adam (the contestant) chose Blake.  

 Shalyah Fearing is a 15-year-old from Hudson, Fla., and one of eight kids who performs in their family band. She performed a gutsy "What Is Love" from Veronika Bozeman that earned a quick turn around from Christina. 

Caroline Burns, a 15-year-old from Hollis, N.H., who tried out for season 9, was back for redemption. She sang "So Far Away," the Carole King classic, with a lilting sweetness, and gave it a nice kick on the end. Adam hit his buzzer quickly, and Blake turned around at the very last moment. She went with Adam.  

Emily Keener, a 16-year-old singer-songwriter from rural Wakeman, Ohio, performed a stripped-down but theatrical "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John that made Blake to turn around almost immediately, followed in short order by Christina, Adam and Pharrell. She showed great range and interesting instincts.

"Your voice, it's like nothing I've ever heard before," Blake said. "It's a completely new sound. Unbelievable." Adam called her voice magnetic, Pharrell said she was breathtaking and "super fresh" and Christina loved her control and honesty, and said she could speak to a new generation. She picked Pharrell. 

Laith Al-Saadi, a 38-year-old singer and guitarist from Ann Arbor, Mich., who has opened for B.B. King and Gregg Allman, delivered a growly, gritty version of The Box Tops's "The Letter." Blake and Adam hit their buzzers. Blake appreciated his well-developed sound, and Adam loved his control -- and his shredding. Laith obliged with an incredible guitar solo before choosing Adam. 

TV HANGOVER SHOW: Ep. 23: Is the new 'Fuller House' a show for 'Full House' fans?

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Angie Keilhauer, whose family moved from El Salvador's due to the country's unrest to Marietta, Ga., when she was 11, is a country cruise ship singer. She performed an unbridled "I Hold On" by Dierks Bentley, and Adam, Blake and Pharrell all turned around. Adam: "You kept better and better as the performance went on and on, and I kept believing you more and more." Blake liked the wild way she performed, unusual for a girl, he said, "and about damn time." She picked Blake. 

Kata Hay, a country singer from Skiatook, Okla., who lives in Nashville (and has an adorable father), sang Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman," and absolutely delivered, but it wasn't until the end notes that Adam, Christina and Pharrell buzzed in. (They all got big hugs from Kata -- in fact, she tried to climb Adam.) She chose Christina.  

Several other singers make it through -- Lacy Mandigo (Christina), Jonathan Bach (Pharrell), and Katherine Ho (Adam). 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here. 

Krisla Rezireksyon Kris is claiming she suffered from "diminished capacity" as her defense to charges of killing her 8-year-old daughter and abusing her two younger children

NEWARK -- During an evaluation inside the Essex County jail, where she was being held on charges of killing her 8-year-old daughter and abusing her two younger children, Krisla Rezireksyon Kris indicated in October 2011 that she had become "extremely religious" and adopted a strict lifestyle to "become more godly, more spiritual," the examining psychologist testified Tuesday.

Called to the witness stand for the defense at Rezireksyon Kris' trial, Joel Morgan, a clinical neuropsychologist, said she told him in the jail that she followed a strict diet and fasted. Rezireksyon Kris said she believed in "home remedies" and considered doctors, hospitals and traditional medicines to be "the work of the devil," Morgan said.

"She felt that she was a sinner and that she wanted to get redemption," Morgan said. "She held these very strong beliefs, and changed her lifestyle in order to become more spiritual, more pure and more godly."

Based on his examination of Rezireksyon Kris, Morgan testified that her "religious zeal" and mental disorders indicate that, at the time of the alleged offenses, she did not act knowingly and purposely to harm her children - which represent the mental states needed for her to be convicted of the crimes.

Morgan said he determined Rezireksyon Kris suffered from "diminished capacity," meaning she had a mental defect that "impairs her capacity to form normal, appropriate judgments."

"I think what happened in this very, very sad case is a result of her limited abilities and her adherence to very strict ways of living, of diet, of religion, of her views of hospitals and doctors and medical care," said Morgan, adding that "she was, because of her disabilities, unable to have normal comprehension of the risks involved."

Rezireksyon Kris, 34, is charged with murder and related offenses in the death of 8-year-old Christiana Glenn, who was found dead in the family's Irvington apartment on May 22, 2011. A medical examiner has determined the girl died from severe malnutrition and an untreated broken femur.

Rezireksyon Kris also is accused of abusing and neglecting her two other children, then-7-year-old Christina and then-6-year-old Solomon. Authorities have said they were starved and sustained fractures that went untreated. The three children also were tied to a radiator, authorities said.

Myriam Janvier, 27, who lived with Rezireksyon Kris and the three children, also has been charged in the case, but she is expected to be tried separately at a later date.

During the trial, Rezireksyon Kris's attorney, Adrien Moncur, has argued she suffered from "diminished capacity," and he has stressed the role of her pastor and his influence on the two women as members of his Christian ministry.

Before the trial began, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin ruled Morgan could not testify Rezireksyon Kris belonged to a religious cult and had been brainwashed by her pastor, because those findings are not supported by factual evidence.

But during his testimony on Tuesday, Morgan said the pastor "had a tremendous effect on her," and he also said Rezireksyon Kris's mental conditions made her "easily exploitable."

"She adopted his way of life. She became a zealot and empowered him with having judgment over her and her children in terms of daily activities, prayer, diet, medical health, everything," said Morgan, adding that Rezireksyon Kris's money went to the pastor.

Following a series of tests he conducted with Rezireksyon Kris, Morgan testified he determined her overall IQ score was 67, which is an "extremely low score." That score is shared by 2.2 percent of people, Morgan said.

Based on her IQ score, Morgan said Rezireksyon Kris suffered from "mild mental retardation." Her other disorders include "dependent personality disorder," he said. Morgan also said she showed "delusional thinking," because she claimed she saw and heard her children.

On cross-examination, however, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Simonetti challenged Morgan's findings in light of how he only spent about five to six hours with Rezireksyon Kris and did not review various records in the criminal case, including her video-taped statement to the police.

Simonetti questioned his diagnosis of "mild mental retardation" in light of Rezireksyon Kris's educational and employment backgrounds.

For instance, Simonetti noted how Rezireksyon Kris previously worked at a daycare center in Irvington, where she became certified in CPR and basic first aid and she received training in child development.

Simonetti also pointed out how Rezireksyon Kris had attended the now-defunct, Elizabeth-based Drake College of Business, where she received a mix of A's, B's and C's. Simonetti highlighted that, as a Drake student, Rezireksyon Kris completed 289 hours of service and training during an externship at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

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

Police arrested a city man Tuesday in connection with a February 25 shooting that left one man shot in the leg and robbed.

(File photo)

NEWARK -- Police arrested a city man Tuesday in connection with a February 25 shooting that left on man shot in the leg and robbed, officials said.

Wali Muhammad was taken into custody by city and New Jersey State Police without incident at his home near the intersection of Pennsylvania and Gillette Street, announced Acting Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Muhammad now stands charged with aggravated assault,  unlawful possession of a weapon and other gun-related charges, officials said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/03/two_arrested_in_newark_drug_bust.html

Muhammad was later transferred into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he remains on bail of $300,000, police officials said.

Muhammad was allegedly part of a group that participated in the shooting, which police say occurred in the 40's block of Hill Street, officials said. Police officers responding to a call of a person shot found a 43-year-old male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the leg, officials said. 

The victim reported that while in the area of Hill Street he was surrounded by a group of males who robbed and then shot him, officials said. 

An investigation into the the incident is ongoing, officials said.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Two people were arrested for separate offenses after a tractor-trailer crashed into a bridge in Holmdel.

HOLMDEL — Two people were arrested Tuesday after a tractor-trailer crashed into a bridge and then another driver almost hit a police officer who was directing traffic around that accident scene.

Shortly before 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Holmdel police responded to the NJ Transit train bridge on Laurel Avenue in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

A tractor-trailer — being operated by Radisha Jones, 31, of East Orange — was traveling east on Laurel Avenue when it struck the train bridge and became wedged underneath it.

The tractor-trailer sustained extensive damage, including its roof being "peeled back" and the front and sides of the trailer detaching, police said.

Debris from the crash spread across the entire road and Laurel Avenue was closed in both directions for approximately three hours as a result, police said.

Jones was issued multiple summonses and was later placed under arrest after she was found to have an outstanding criminal warrant out of Newark.

Meanwhile, a Holmdel police officer was almost struck by a vehicle traveling on Laurel Avenue near Boxwood Terrace while directing traffic due to the tractor-trailer crash, police said.

The operator of that vehicle — identified as Neehat Bhatnagar, 29, of Holmdel - was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated.

Patrolman Rocco Quaglia of the Holmdel Township Police Department handled the accident investigation.

NJ Transit police and Middletown police assisted at the scene.

Head-on collision kills South Jersey man

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Newark woman allegedly hit her foe over the head with a glass coffee pot

NEW YORK -- A 26-year-old New Jersey woman is facing a felony assault charge after being involved in a wild early-morning brawl at a New York City diner over the weekend.

Fatimah Ogunjobi and another woman are seen on video throwing plates at one another inside the Chelsea Square Restaurant around 5 a.m. Sunday. 

A report on Gothamist.com said the altercation began when a woman threw Ogunjobi's pocketbook on the ground in a bathroom. A witness told the website a group of women called the Newark woman "all kinds of derogatory names."

Caution, the video below contains profanity.

Ogunjobi, who allegedly hit her foe over the head with a glass coffee pot, was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. The victim suffered a serious head injury during the scrum at the West 23rd Street eatery, the report said.

The video begins with the sounds of plates breaking and an agitated woman shouting before multiple women begin wrestling and swinging at one another. The fight continued next to what appears to be a bakery display case and on a table as others tried to play peacemaker.

A police officer eventually used pepper spay as the fight moved behind the counter.

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

Anthony Smith, 21, of Newark, pleaded guilty in connection with a July 5, 2013 carjacking outside a convenience store in the city

Anthony SmithEssex County Correctional Facility 

NEWARK -- A Newark man on Tuesday admitted to participating in the carjacking of a vehicle at gunpoint in 2013 outside a convenience store in the city.

Anthony Smith, 21, pleaded guilty to a carjacking charge in connection with the July 5, 2013 incident. His two co-defendants, DeAndre Weathers, 19, and Justin Smith, 26, both of Newark, also pleaded guilty in recent weeks.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a 17-year state prison sentence for Anthony Smith. He would have to serve nearly 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.

His sentencing is scheduled for April 25 before Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin.

When Smith pleaded guilty, he admitted being with the other two men in the area of Lehigh Avenue and Clinton Place in Newark. After the victim parked his Camaro and walked into the store, Smith said he and Weathers followed the man inside.

After the victim left the store, Smith said he and Weathers approached the man and robbed him of his belongings. Smith said he stole the man's wallet and phone, and Weathers took the man's car keys.

"I pulled out a gun and put it to his rib cage," Smith told Ravin during Tuesday's hearing. "I said, 'Give me everything you got.'"

Smith said he walked away and Weathers and Justin Smith drove off in the vehicle. Anthony Smith and Justin Smith are brothers.

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Jamel Semper has been handling the case, and Dennis Cleary is representing Anthony Smith.

Justin Smith pleaded guilty on Jan. 29 to the charge of conspiracy to commit carjacking. Under a plea deal, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a three-year prison sentence for him. He would have to serve more than two and a half years before becoming eligible for parole.

In pleading guilty, Justin Smith admitted he was across the street at the time of the carjacking and acting as a lookout, according to an audio recording of the hearing. After the other two men carjacked the vehicle, Smith said he got behind the wheel of the car and drove off.

Weathers pleaded guilty on Feb. 5 to a carjacking charge in exchange for a recommended 17-year prison sentence. He would have to serve nearly 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.

During his plea hearing, Weathers said he and Anthony Smith approached the victim with handguns and placed them against the man, according to an audio recording of the hearing. At that point, Justin Smith was down the street, Weathers said.

Weathers said they stole the man's wallet and car keys, and then Weathers signaled to Justin Smith to come to the vehicle. Justin Smith entered the vehicle and drove off with Weathers in the front passenger seat, Weathers said.

Justin Smith and Weathers are scheduled to be sentenced by Ravin on March 21 and 28, respectively.

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

Police say 93 bags of crack cocaine seized after traffic stop

LYNDHURST -- Two Newark residents face charges after township police seized crack cocaine and more than $13,000 during a traffic stop Tuesday, authorities said.

Lyndhurst Police Officer Chris Cuneo stopped a Ford Explorer on Kingsland Avenue for having a cracked taillight and inoperable third brake light, Capt. John J. Valente said in a statement. During the stop, Cuneo noticed a large amount of cash strewn around inside the SUV.

Officers found crack in the vehicle and on the passenger, Edda Vasquez, 35, according to police. Vasquez was arrested on charges, including financial facilitation of criminal activity and possession with the intent to distribute narcotics.

Police seek woman in charity box theft

The driver, Shawn Beachum, 37, of Newark, was charged in connection with the money and drug offenses, police said. He was also charged with having brass knuckles.

In total, police seized 93 bags of crack cocaine and $13,372, Valente said. 

Beachum was held at the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $25,000 full bail, according to police. His passenger was held on $20,000 full bail.

Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Rob Mantone and his K-9 partner Mike helped police search the SUV.

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

Gamil Haidara was charged with multiple weapons offenses after a dispute at his Clinton Avenue home, according to police

NEWARK - A veteran city firefighter was arrested after a fight with a co-worker ended in gunfire late Tuesday night, according to authorities.

Gamil Haidara, 42, has been suspended without pay after being charged with multiple weapons offenses, including discharging a firearm, following the dispute at the Clifton Avenue home.

According to Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, police were called to the home around 10:30 p.m.

After they arrived, the 42-year-old victim, also a Newark firefighter who lives in the same building, told them the two were arguing when Haidara pulled a gun and threatened him. He ran downstairs into his own home, while Haidara gave chase and allegedly fired a single shot through the victim's door.

Newark firefighter may seek to withdraw guilty plea in theft case, attorney says

Minutes later, two officers were riding through the area when they spotted Haidara running down the street, the gun still in his hand, according to Ambrose. He complied with orders to stop and drop the gun, and was taken to University Hospital with what authorities called "unspecified symptoms."

In a statement, Ambrose said Haidara was immediately suspended after the allegations came to light.

"I will not tolerate wrongdoing on the part of any member of the Department of Public Safety," he said. "When one of my employees acts improperly, they can expect swift disciplinary actions to be taken."

According to state pension records, Haidara joined the fire department in 2008, and earns an annual salary of $103,592.

Newark Firefighters Union President Chuck West said he had yet to be apprised of the charges against Haidara and declined comment.

The fire department's Arson Unit has opened an investigation into potential violations of department standards, Ambrose said. A criminal probe into the incident also remains active.

Anyone with information about this or any other crime is asked to contact the Newark Police Department's 24-hour confidential tip line at (877) NWK-TIPS (877-695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877-695-4867).

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

NYC woman's body was found on Feb. 8, officials said.

Carrasco. (Courtesy Essex County Prosecutor's Office)
 

NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested a woman who they say dumped a dead body in a city driveway.

Hellen Carrasco, 23, of Jersey City, has been charged in connection with the death of Francine Vincent, 25, of NYC, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced in a release Wednesday.

According to officials, the two women met shortly before Vincent's death on Feb. 8. Vincent, who worked in a restaurant-bar, left work after the Super Bowl and went to several other establishments that night, authorities said. She was last seen leaving a bar at about 4 a.m., they said.

Her body was found wrapped in a blue tarp in the driveway of a home in the 300 block of South 20th Street in Newark at about 9:10 p.m. on Feb. 8, authorities said. 

Vincent had no links to Newark, Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter confirmed.

"She was not at any bars in Newark and no one has any connection to the location where the body was left," Carter said. According to a PIX 11 report, the home where the body was found was abandoned and boarded up.

The cause and manner of Vincent's death have yet to be determined, officials said.

Man arrested in February shooting

Carrasco was charged with improper disposal of human remains, authorities said. She is being held on $75,000 bail.

"Essex County will not tolerate the transporting and disposing of a body in this county," Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Quovella Spruill said in a statement.

"This is a serious offense and it will be treated as such. The victim and her family deserved the respect of proper notification and burial."

The investigation into Vincent's death is active and ongoing, authorities said.

Christina Steffner will stay in her role as superintendent at Hunterdon Central Regional High School through June.

FLEMINGTON -- Hunterdon Central Regional High School Superintendent Christina Steffner is leaving at the end of this school year to lead Livington Public Schools. Her selection was announced on the Livingston district's website Wednesday morning.

Christina Steffner

Steffner, reached at her office at Hunterdon Central on Wednesday, said the decision to leave "is very difficult.

"It's an amazing school district with extraordinary students and very talented staff and a supportive community," she said.

She's dealt with some controversy in the nine years she's been there -- four as principal and the last five as district superintendent. Issues have included oversight of the school newspaper "The Lamp," observation of religious holidays in the school calendar, and most recently, a Muslim teacher sued the district alleging discrimination.

Steffner said none of that spurred her to leave the district.

"My contract is up June 30, and I must say the salary cap has had some bearing on my decision," she said. "I started to see what other opportunities are out there."

Muslim teacher claims discrimination at Central

Livingston Public School district has nine schools with 5,714 students as of the 2011-12 school year. Hunterdon Central Regional High School serves students from Delaware, East Amwell, Raritan and Readington townships and Flemington. Enrollment in 2013-14 is was 3,042 students.

Steffner replaces Jim O'Neill, the former interim superintendent in Livingston who retired last year.

O'Neill guided board members in their superintendent search. Emerging as the top candidate, Steffner met with Livingston staff, administrators and parents last month in an informal series of meetings.

"Livingston is a good fit," Steffner said. "I'm excited about it."

Central wrestles with religious holidays

Livingston officials welcome her experience. Steffner "exhibited an honesty and openness to discussing a wide range of issues, and in her answers highlighted a track record for continuously moving forward in areas that would be beneficial to Livingston," school board President Ron Spring in announcing her appointment.

Livingston officials pointed to Steffner's experience as a principal, saying, "In that role, she was instrumental in infusing instructional technology in the classroom and creating a professional development model based on 21st century skills.

That experience with technology and teacher training will be significant as Livingston prepares for its own one-to-one computing initiative, Spring said.

Central to review student newspaper policy

Steffner said she'll continue at Central until the end of her contract in June.

"Hunterdon Central will always have a special place in my heart," she said. "But I've been here nine years. Maybe it's time for a change."

Sallie Graziano may be reached at sgraziano@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SallieGraziano. Find The Hunterdon County Democrat on Facebook.

Newark man was found shot to death on Feb. 14, authorities said.

Moses. (Courtesy Essex County Prosecutor's Office) 

NEWARK -- A city man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 31-year-old man on Valentine's Day.

Fateem Moses, 35, has been charged with murder and weapons offenses in connection with the Feb. 14 shooting death of Omar Faines, of Newark, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced in a release Wednesday.

Faines was shot and killed on Rose Terrace, alongside Woodland Cemetery, authorities said.

Moses is being held at the Essex County jail on $750,000 bail. An investigation into the murder is continuing, authorities said.

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

John Towey, 63, of Nutley, has lost a motion to dismiss his indictment on attempted murder and related charges

NEWARK -- A Superior Court judge has denied a motion from a retired Belleville police officer to dismiss attempted murder and related charges against him for allegedly shooting his brother last year at the former cop's Nutley home.

In a Feb. 22 written decision, Judge Peter Ryan rejected the claims by John Towey that prosecutors improperly presented the case to the grand jury that handed down the charges in connection with the Feb. 28, 2015 incident.

"The evidence presented to the grand jury was adequate for the purpose of returning a true bill for the crimes charged," the decision states.

Towey, 63, was indicted in August on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, endangering an injured victim, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose for allegedly shooting his brother, Bernard Towey.

Towey retired from the Belleville police force in 2009, public records show.

Towey's attorney, Anthony Iacullo, had argued in a brief that the charges should be thrown out, because prosecutors did not present instructions to the grand jurors on the "justifications/defenses" of intoxication and self-defense.

Iacullo claimed those instructions should have been provided, because evidence was presented to the grand jury that demonstrated the brothers had been drinking alcohol prior to the shooting and that John Towey later told police he thought his brother was a burglar when he shot him.

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Allison Field countered in a response brief that prosecutors were not required to instruct grand jurors on those defenses, because there was "no clearly exculpatory evidence regarding either defense."

When Towey later spoke with police officers, Field said he "did not show an extremely high level of intoxication." As for his self-defense claim, Field said there is evidence that Towey committed "an intentional and purposeful act."

After the brothers rehashed "an old grudge," Towey retrieved a gun and ultimately "shot his brother and left him to bleed just steps away from Defendant's bedroom door," Field said. The brief states that Bernard Towey was shot twice.

In denying Towey's motion, the judge wrote in his decision that "the prosecutor has effectively rebutted the defense contentions and sensibly asserts that the indictment should remain undisturbed."

On the issue of intoxication, Ryan noted how intoxication may be used as a defense when a defendant was either involuntarily or excessively intoxicated, and when the intoxication negates an element of an offense.

But the evidence cited by Iacullo does not meet those standards, according to the judge.

"The facts delineated fall woefully short of demonstrating pathological intoxication which is not 'self-induced' or that intoxication can or should be used to negate an element of an offense, to the degree of 'prostration of the faculties,'" Ryan wrote in his decision.

In regard to the self-defense claim, the judge rejected Iacullo's assertion that Towey's "self-serving statement' about thinking he was shooting a burglar served as grounds to provide a self-defense instruction to the grand jury.

"Such an argument is specious and has no foundation in the evidence or the law," the decision states.

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

U.S. District Judge Esther Salas ruled that Thomas Ambrosio's representation of a cooperating witness caused a conflict of interest.

NEWARK -- A judge in a federal death penalty case involving an alleged Newark gang leader has dismissed his lawyer from the case, ruling that the lawyer had a "serious" conflict of interest.

In an amended opinion issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas ruled that Thomas Ambrosio, the lawyer appointed to represent Farad Roland, had to step down. Salas said Ambrosio's previous representation of a witness who agreed to testify against Roland created the conflict. 

Roland is facing rare federal death penalty charges for racketeering and murders he allegedly was involved in as part of the South Side Cartel, a wing of the Bloods street gang.

Roland was appointed in September to represent Ambrosio.

Over that period of time, Ambrosio said in an interview, they developed "a very trusting and productive relationship." 

The conflict arose in March 21, 2014, when Ambrosio was tapped to represent an unnamed individual facing criminal charges in New Jersey. Ambrosio and the witness met five days later for him to sign an agreement that he would cooperate in upcoming federal cases. It was their only meeting, court records say. 

Begrin sentenced to 6 life sentences in court

Last September, Ambrosio was asked to represent Roland. At the time, government attorneys failed to note that Ambrosio had once represented one of their future trial witnesses, the cooperating witness.

Ambrosio said he couldn't have known at that time who the government would call as witnesses, so he could not have identified a potential conflict. Ambrosio, in any case, denied he had a conflict. 

When prosecutors finally realized Ambrosio's work for the cooperating witness, they objected, saying he "has ethical obligations not to reveal client confidences from his representation of the cooperating witness, but on the other hand, he owes a duty to Roland to represent him vigilantly and zealously," according to Salas' opinion. 

Ambrosio, court records show, submitted a sworn declaration that he had no discussions that crossed ethical lines with either the witness or Roland. 

Roland wanted Ambrosio to remain as his attorney, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that defendants with court-appointed attorneys do not have the right to choose who will represent them, Salas' ruling said.

After several hearings earlier this year, Salas ruled that a conflict existed, and wrote that it occurs "when the attorney's representation of the defendant is impaired by loyalty owed to a prior client." 

The ruling also says her finding at this point cannot be appealed.

Salas appointed a "very experienced" lawyer, Stephen Turano of Newark, to take over for Ambrosio. She also said the court will modify its schedule to give him at least three additional months to prepare for a trial that will begin sometime in 2017. 

"It's a significant amount of information to process in a relatively compressed time," Turano said, adding that the court has been sensitive to the issue of making sure Roland has a fair defense.

Ambrosio said he believes he has an ethical responsibility to share what he has learned about the case with Turano, but is seeking legal guidance to avoid violating any court orders. 

Prosecutors in 2015 told the court they intended to pursue a death penalty case against Roland, 31, for  violations of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act, murder, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, drug conspiracy and other violent acts.

Roland's is the second federal death penalty case to be tried in New Jersey and the first since 2007. 

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday took a first step toward establishing long-lasting civilian oversight of the city police department.

NEWARK — With a unanimous vote, the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday took a first step toward codifying the executive order establishing the city's first civilian complaint review board into law — a move advocates say will ensure lasting public oversight of the city's police force.

Mayor Ras Baraka created the board by executive order in April 2015. By approving the bill on first reading Wednesday, the Municipal Council set the stage for a final vote on March 16, when council members could ensure that the board remains in place beyond Baraka's administration.

Joined at City Hall by members of the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP and other organizations who for years have lobbied for greater police transparency, Mayor Ras Baraka called the establishment of the Citizen's Review Complaint Board a "necessary" step toward repairing a rift between the police department and the city's residents.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/11/decre_authorizing_federal_monitoring_of_newark_pol.html

"The mindset of the police department we have now is one that wants to work with the community," Baraka said. "The objective is to help police solve crime in a constitutional way so that people have faith not just in police but in the apparatus of the legal system itself. It is incredibly important to build faith in people that the legal system works for them and not against them."

Other speakers echoed Baraka, describing the creation of the board as an essential step toward rebuilding community trust.

Udi Ofer, the executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the ACLU, said Newark residents have been pushing for greater civilian oversight of the city's police force since the 1960's.

With the board's creation, Ofer said civilians members can independently review police misconduct allegations and make sure that discipline is administered when misconduct occurs.

Both provisions are key to ensuring that the Newark board is capable of increasing police accountability, power that civilian review boards in some other cities do not have, Ofer said.

Conceived in the wake of a damning report released by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2014, the board is designed to provide additional civilian oversight of a beleaguered police department that federal investigators found routinely engaged in acts of excessive force and violations of resident's constitutional rights.

It would grant citizens the option of directing their complaints to the board or to the police department's internal affairs unit. Board members would then conduct an independent investigation on cases brought before them, and would be able to summon the officers facing the allegations to a formal hearing.

The board will issue a determination as to whether an act of misconduct occurred, which will be forwarded to the city's police chief, who can issue a final decision on punishment using a so-called "discipline matrix" that creates guidelines for certain offenses and their severity.

The board will consist of an inspector general appointed by the mayor, three members of the Municipal Council or their designees, and one chosen each of six community organizations — the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP, Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, People's Organization for Progress, Ironbound Community Corporation, La Casa de Don Pedro and a local clergy member.

"I'm not against the cops doing their job," said Laquan Thomas of the Ironbound Community Corporation. "But the police have got to understand, you could have a good relationship with the community, but it all depends on your attitude. That's why we need this board because we need to all work together."

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said he was supportive of the city's efforts to increase accountability, saying the board is a useful tool for combating police misconduct, but not a solution.

The union that represents the city's rank-and-file police officers maintains that the board as constituted may be a violation of state law.

Stephen Richman, attorney for the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said the union plans to challenge the order in both administrative and state court.

"There are several provisions that may not conform to state law," Richman said. "So, we'll raise the issue and go to court and see what a judge has to say."

An exact timeline for when the board would begin work was not provided, but Mayor Baraka said the board could begin reviewing complaints within the span of a few months.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A state appeals court has overturned Isaiah Greene's 35-year state prison sentence, because of mistakes made by the sentencing judge

Isaiah GreeneNew Jersey Department of Corrections 

NEWARK -- A state appellate panel on Monday overturned the 35-year state prison sentence of a man convicted of carjacking a woman's vehicle in 2011 and then sexually assaulting her inside the car.

The appeals court ordered a new sentence for Isaiah Greene, 26, formerly of Newark, in large part because Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin improperly cited two factors in sentencing Greene in 2014.

The judge's findings related to those "aggravating factors" are "not supported by competent evidence in the record," according to the appellate decision.

The incident began around 2 p.m. on Dec. 10, 2011 in the area of the South Orange train station, authorities said. The victim had got out of her car to go to a diner when Greene approached her and indicated he was carrying a gun, the decision states.

Greene stole the woman's iPhone and cash from her wallet, the decision states. He directed her to get into the car and he got in the passenger seat of the vehicle and ordered her to drive, the decision states.

As the woman was driving, Greene fondled her breast and also put his hand in her pants, the decision states. The victim later "testified that she felt violated and disgusted by defendant's conduct," the decision states.

While behind the wheel, the woman spotted an officer in a sheriff's vehicle, the decision states. In order to get the officer's attention, she crashed her car into the sheriff's vehicle and immediately jumped out, the decision states.

Greene fled the scene, but he was apprehended a few hours later after police traced the victim's cell phone to him, the decision states. The woman later identified Greene as the assailant, the decision states.

At his April 2013 trial, Greene was convicted of carjacking, robbery, criminal restraint and criminal sexual contact. Ravin sentenced Greene on Jan. 24, 2014.

Based on that sentence, Greene would have been eligible for parole in December 2039, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

But in ordering that Greene be resentenced, the appellate panel found errors in how Ravin cited two particular factors when he handed down the sentence.

The first factor deals with an offense being committed in "an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner," and second factor deals with the victim being "particularly vulnerable or incapable of resistance," the decision states.

In sentencing Greene, Ravin applied that first factor to each of the crimes, but "the judge did not make specific findings of fact supporting the application of aggravating factor one to each of the crimes," according to the appellate decision.

"Thus, it is unclear whether the court scrupulously avoided double-counting an element of the charged crime in its application of aggravating factor one," the decision states.

As for the second factor, Ravin initially said there was no evidence to support that factor, the decision states. The judge changed his mind and cited the factor after the assistant prosecutor argued the victim "was unable to speak when she got out of the car that day" and he claimed she suffered "emotional trauma," the decision states.

But the appeals court ruled in its decision: "A statement by counsel at sentencing, however, is not evidence."

"Thus, there was no competent, credible evidence to support the finding of aggravating factor two," the decision states.

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

Kamalkant Shah worked as a laboratory technician for the State Police laboratory in Little Falls.

A lab technician for the State Police allegedly faked results in a drug case, according to a memo from the Public Defender's Office.File photo 

PASSAIC COUNTY -- A lab technician for the State Police allegedly faked results in a drug case, and has drawn into question 7,827 criminal cases on which he worked, according to state officials.

Kamalkant Shah worked as a laboratory technician for the State Police laboratory in Little Falls and was found to have "dry labbed" suspected marijuana, according to a Feb. 29 memo to Public Defender Joseph Krakora from Deputy Public Defender Judy Fallon. Shah's essentially accused of making up data.

"Basically, he was observed writing 'test results' for suspected marijuana that was never tested," Fallon said in the memo.

The memo was released Tuesday on the New Jersey Municipal Court Law Update Service's website.

Shah was removed from lab work on Dec. 10 as soon as the problem was discovered, said Peter Aseltine, spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General. Shah, who received a salary of $101,039, was suspended without pay effective Jan 12, he said.

Shah has not been charged with any crime, and is believed to have retired, Aseltine said.

Ellie Honig, director of the Division of Criminal Justice, said in Feb. 22 letter to county prosecutor's offices that Shah "failed to appropriately conduct laboratory analyses in a drug case." The letter advised prosecutors to disclose this information to defense counsel. The Attorney General's Office released a copy of the letter to NJ Advance Media Wednesday afternoon.

"Mr. Shah was observed in one case spending insufficient time analyzing a substance to determine if it was marijuana and recording an anticipated result without properly conducting the analysis," Honig said.

Aseltine told NJ Advance Media Wednesday there was only one instance in which Shah was observed improperly conducting a test.

"However, in an abundance of caution, we have identified every case that Shah worked on since he began working in the North Regional Lab Drug Unit in 2005, and we have notified the county prosecutors, advising them to alert defense attorneys in those cases," he said. "There are a total of 7,827 cases statewide, with the largest numbers being in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties."

It's unclear what impact the disclosure will have on thousands of drugs convictions, but several attorneys who deal with criminal matters said Wednesday that it wouldn't likely affect the large number of defendants who pleaded guilty to drug possession.

According to Fallon's memo, all of Shah's results have been called into question from his 10-year stint at the Little Falls lab. The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office has not yet "formulated a policy or protocol" to deal with these cases, and is still in the process of identifying cases potentially implicated by Shah's alleged conduct, per the memo.

"In Passaic County alone, the universe of cases possibly implicated in this conduct is 2,100," Fallon said in the memo.

Shah's Linkedin profile says he's worked as a forensic scientist for the past 27 years at various state agencies including the New Jersey State Police's Office of Forensic Science. He worked at the State Police's equine testing laboratory in East Rutherford from Oct. 1989 to March 2005 before heading to the Little Falls lab in April 2005, per his Linkedin profile.

The prosecutor's office's plan, Fallon said, "is to submit for retesting specimens from open cases. The larger, and unanswered, question is how this impacts already resolved cases, especially those where the specimens may have been destroyed."

Aseltine said the State Police are working with prosecutors to address any potential issues in connection with Shah's cases.

Kevin Walker, an assistant public defender, issued a statement on behalf of the Public Defender's Office Wednesday saying the office does not have "a practical mechanism for identifying all the cases involving" Shah.

"The prosecuting attorneys are going to have to do that, by reviewing the records from the Little Falls lab and cross-referencing them with their files," he said. "We assume the prosecutors will do that promptly. Pending that review, we are going to keep all our options on the table, including filing motions to vacate convictions in appropriate cases."

A spokesperson for the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office referred comment to the Attorney General's Office. A person who answered Shah's listed telephone number declined comment.

Staff writer S.P. Sullivan contributed to this report.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The mayor claims rapidly expanding charter enrollment threatens the city's already cash-strapped public schools

NEWARK — Mayor Ras Baraka is coming out strongly against Gov. Chris Christie's decision to clear the way for a new wave of charter school expansion in Newark, calling it "huge step backwards" for their traditional public counterparts.

The governor's decision could lure thousands of students from the city's public schools into charters, which Baraka says would only exacerbate a pressing budget deficit that has forced the sale of properties and other drastic measures.

"Governor Christie's approval of the expansion of Newark charter schools is a terrible decision, unfortunate, irresponsible and damaging to the city's public schools," he said in a statement. "The expansion could not have come at a worse time."

Overall, Christie approved the founding of three new charters and the expansion of 16 others, more than half of which claim residence in Newark.

Newark board OKs sale of 12 former school buildings

A pair of new charters, LEAD Academy and Achieve Community Charter School, will set up shop with authorization to enroll up to 852 students. Others, such as North Star Academy and Great Oaks Charter School, had expansions either approved by application or as part of a five-year renewal process required by the state.

The largest of the renewals, for the KIPP network of charters, will allow for it to expand its rolls to up 7,920 students, more than twice its current enrollment of around 3,200.

In a press release issued Monday, Department of Education Commissioner called the move part of a mission to expand choice for parents seeking the best educational experience for their children, even in the state's struggling urban centers.

"We have a moral and ethical duty to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality school," he said.

Baraka, however, claims those opportunities come at a direct cost to Newark's traditional public schools, which educate more than 60 percent of the city's students despite the rapid growth of charters.

The state will send an additional $27 million to the city for the 2016-17 school year — the first time in four years the district has seen an increase in aid. As more students flee for charters, however, much of the funding follows.

Even after factoring in the new aid, Superintendent of Schools Chris Cerf has estimated that he is facing a budget deficit of approximately $50 million. Baraka contends that gap could lead to the loss of teachers, programs and support staff in a district that remains among the state's lowest academic performers.

"The approval of major charter school expansions will result in a dramatic increase of charter school payments, damaging the NPS budget over the next five years, impairing the ability of NPS to provide all students with a high quality, thorough and efficient education," he said.

Barbara Martinez, a spokeswoman for New York-based Uncommon Schools - which is authorized to add up to 2,000 students in Newark over the next five years - said the organization "respectfully disagreed."

"We think that having more high-quality seats for kids helps all of the children of Newark," she said. "In addition, thousands of Newark families are demanding even more charter school seats.”

Though he campaigned as a fierce opponent of the rise of charters in Newark, Baraka has softened his stance over recent months, following the exit of controversial superintendent Cami Anderson and a deal with Christie to return control over city schools to local officials after more than two decades of state oversight.

Though careful to assure he believes both charters and traditional schools can peacefully coexist, he has urged the state to alter its funding approach to ensure students in the latter do not find themselves left behind.

"The governor's recent decision to add an additional $27 million for Newark schools to his budget was a step forward toward reducing our $72 million public schools deficit," Baraka said. "But his decision to allow the expansion of charter schools at this time is a huge step backwards for our traditional public schools."