Fashions from the '70s: tube tops and overalls, tank tops and cutoffs, sizzler skirts and ponchos, flannel shirts and cords.

When I was a little kid, men wore hats.

I made it look GOOD.Courtesy of Sacred Heart High School 

It's my understanding that President Kennedy, who rarely -- if ever -- wore a hat, was instrumental in getting men to doff their chapeaus permanently. I can't forgive him for that because I've always thought hats were classy. And, they serve a far more useful purpose than, say, neckties ever have.

Keeping up with fashion was never "a thing" for me. I grew up among neighbors and friends who weren't terribly wealthy, so what we wore was never an all-out competition. And, fortunately when I was a kid, "must have" sneakers didn't cost $250 a pair; a pair of Chucks did just fine.

That doesn't mean, however, that I don't recall the trends of my youth.

In no particular order, I remember a mixture of male and female trends that seemed to come and go almost as fast as the one-hit wonders on the radio. There were tube tops and overalls, tank tops and cutoffs, sizzler skirts and ponchos, flannel shirts and cords (you know, corduroys), platform shoes and earth shoes, flares and ridiculously wide bell bottoms, horizontal and vertical stripes.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Instyle.com says that '70s fashions are making a comeback. Floral dresses (a la Ali McGraw in "Love Story") and flared pants (a la any of Charlie's Angels), peasant blouses and lace-up sandals seem to be showing up again on runways. Hopefully, men's clothing won't take a turn back to that era; take a look at this collection of fashion ads for men's clothing from the '70s and I think you'll agree

That being said, every era had its own style, tasteful and functional or otherwise. Here's a gallery of what folks wore New Jersey through the years. Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

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

The brothers and their roommate were arrested after officers witnessed a drug deal Tuesday, authorities said.

The Purnell brothers. (Courtesy Essex County Corrections)
 

NEWARK -- Three Newarkers were arraigned on drug and weapons charges Wednesday after authorities say they were caught selling drugs out of their North Ward home.

Essex County sheriff's officers who set up surveillance on Highland Avenue Tuesday saw two people knock on the home's door and make a purchase, Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced in a release Wednesday.

Inside the home, officers found 195 decks of heroin, six grams of crack cocaine, 24 Xanax tablets, two bottles of promethazine syrup (prescription cough medicine), a loaded, German-made .38 caliber handgun, a loaded .38 caliber Taurus revolver, a Sig Sauer SoftAir pistol, and ammunition, Fontoura said.

Woman dumped dead body in Newark driveway

The three people inside the home - brothers Gregory and Lamar Purnell, 31 and 33 respectively, and Gregory's girlfriend Larentte Luckett, 35 - were all arrested on various drug and weapons charges, authorities said.

The two people seen buying drugs, Crystal Algor, 34, and Cesar Cordero, 47, both of Newark, were found with envelopes of heroin, officials said. They were charged with possession and released with an upcoming court date.

The Purnell brothers are being held on $250,000 cash bond, and Luckett on $150,000, authorities said.

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

The businesses were temporarily shut down, officials said.

Businesses were selling tobacco and alcohol with expired licenses, authorities said. (Getty Images) 

NEWARK -- Six businesses along Clinton Avenue have been temporarily shut down after a team of city investigators found they were operating with expired liquor and tobacco licenses, authorities announced in a release this week.

The businesses, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said, were shut down pending a public hearing.

No one was arrested as a result of the sweep, but seven summonses were issued and the following businesses were temporarily shuttered, officials said:

• The Dog Variety - 307 Clinton Avenue
• 99 Cent Store - 303 Clinton Avenue
• Clinton Mini Market - 285 Clinton Avenue
• Chicken Holiday & Pizza - 283 Clinton Avenue
• Clinton Liquors - 281 Clinton Avenue
• Sing Hing Chinese Food - 279 Clinton Avenue

"This is the first of many operations," Ambrose said in a statement. "We will continue to respond and abate criminal activity and quality of life issues."

The sweep of stores that officials said had been deemed "chronic problems in the community" was carried out by a team of members from the police department, fire department, code enforcement office, health department, and the New Jersey State Police, authorities said.

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

West Orange residents welcomed Scott Kelly home after he spent a record-breaking 340 days in space.

WEST ORANGE -- For the past year, old friends from astronaut Scott Kelly's New Jersey hometown have watched as he made history in space. Kelly landed in Kazakhstan Tuesday after a nearly yearlong mission in space. Now that Kelly has returned to the U.S., West Orange residents are welcoming him back with open arms.

"We remember Scott as an incredibly hardworking and dedicated person," township Mayor Robert Parisi said in a statement about Kelly's return.

"We're not surprised he's made history...and we're extremely proud of him. He serves as a role model who inspires generations of West Orange children to set goals and dream big."

Kelly's mission, which included gathering data to compare him to his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly, to determine subtle changes space has on the human body, is considered an important step toward the exploration of Mars.

West Orange Police Deputy Chief Matt Fuela attended elementary, middle, and Mountain High School together, and both graduated in 1982, township officials said.

"I think it's incredible and I'm glad he's home safely," Fuela said. "We had a lot in common. We both played in the Mountain Top league and our fathers were cops."

Kelly and NASA have a long line of tests and follow-up events to evaluate the outcomes of the trip, during which Kelly broke the record for the most time any American has spent in space. During his 340 days on board the International Space Station with two Russian cosmonauts, Kelly became known for sharing hundreds of images from space, including one of his hometown.

Though Kelly no longer lives in New Jersey, he has maintained close ties to the Garden State. Sen. Cory Booker even introduced a resolution to honor his trip.

Robin Alampi, a resident who was traveling to Texas Wednesday to welcome Kelly home in person, called him "very genuine," and ironically a "down to earth guy."

"I think it's wonderful he hasn't forgotten his home town," Alampi said.

"I am so proud of all that Scott has accomplished. And, very happy and thankful he has returned from his mission safely."

Back to #Earth last night. Today I head back home! Stretching my space legs on my first refuel stop. #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/pCJea2LfeR

-- Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) March 2, 2016

Fashions of the day included plaids and patterns contrasted with solids.

EAST ORANGE -- Members of the East Orange High School Student Council in 1973, from left, Vicki Calhoun, Derek East, Shelby Keaton, Barry Snell and Viki Lee Jones.

The students' clothes reflect the fashion of the day, with plaids and patterns contrasted with solids.

Retrowaste.com notes that "early-1970s fashion was a fun era. It culminated some of the best elements of the '60s and perfected and/or exaggerated them. Some of the best clothing produced in the 1970s perfectly blended the mods with the hippies."

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.

 

The international food delivery service will lease a 352,000-square foot facility in the city's Ironbound section

The future HelloFresh facility at 60 Lister Ave. in Newark. (CBRE Group Inc.)

NEWARK - Food delivery service HelloFresh will soon put down stakes for a new distribution facility in the city's Ironbound district.

The Germany-based company will occupy a 352,000-square foot space at 60 Lister Avenue, close to Port Newark and the New Jersey Turnpike, according to real estate brokerage firm CBRE Group Inc.

The company expects to hire a total of 321 employees to staff the facility, and retain 89 other New Jersey-based workers.

MORE: Essex County News

HelloFresh opened a 44,000-square foot warehouse and storage facility in Linden in February 2015. The company was later awarded a 10-year, $25.1 million tax credit from the state to expand its operations in New Jersey rather than Pennsylvania.

According to its website, the company ships more than one million meals per month across the continental U.S. and much of the world.

A lab tech who was caught faking results in drug case has thrown 7,827 criminal cases into question.

Nearly 8,000 criminal cases are under review after a State Police lab tech was allegedly caught making up results in one drug case, authorities said.NJAM File photo 

PASSAIC COUNTY -- People who are currently in prison based on tests performed by a State Police lab tech allegedly caught faking results in a drug case may need to be let out until investigators can determine if those test results were legitimate, according to the assignment judge in charge of Passaic County.

Kamalkant Shah worked as a laboratory technician for the State Police laboratory in Little Falls and was found on Dec. 10 to have "dry labbed" suspected marijuana -- which, as a result, has cast a shadow over 7,827 criminal cases on which he worked.

"Basically, he was observed writing 'test results' for suspected marijuana that was never tested," Deputy Public Defender Judy Fallon said in a memo to Public Defender Joseph Krakora on Feb. 29.

Ernest M. Caposela, the assignment judge of Passaic County, told NJ Advance Media Thursday he's never before encountered a breach such as this in Passaic County but he was focused on performing "triage" on the most pressing cases first.

"The cases I'm most concerned about are individuals who are serving a sentence after a conviction after a trial (in which Shah's results were utilized)," Caposela said.

"If somebody was convicted based on one of these tests, until we know more, I think you've got to let them out," he said. "At least until we can determine whether these certifications have any integrity."

About 2,100 cases in Passaic County are now up for review due to the fallout of Shah's alleged breach. Before defendants in those cases can be notified, Caposela said, the county prosecutor's office first needs to identify them.

"We've always had issues with lab reports, but it's mostly with chain of custody," Caposela said. Cases where the lab tests themselves are subject to such scrutiny have been far more rare.

"I would imagine that once this gets around to people in prison, they're going to be calling their lawyers to find out if their cases were affected," he said.

About 2,000 cases have also been impacted in Essex County by the disclosure of the alleged breach, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Most of those cases are marijuana cases and municipal court offenses, only nine of which are presently active, she said.

"All the evidence for these nine cases has been gathered and will be brought to the State Police tomorrow where it will be re-analyzed and new reports will be issued," Carter said on Thursday. "Of the 2,000, we will be reaching out to the Public Defender's Office or private attorneys."

Sussex County, according to First Assistant Prosecutor Greg Mueller, has about 263 cases dating back to 2005 which have been impacted by the alleged breach. Some notifications have already been made to attorneys representing the impacted defendants, Mueller said, and the majority of notifications will have been made by the end of the week. Any pending cases which have test results from Shah will be resubmitted immediately, he said.

Cases have also been identified in Bergen and Morris but authorities in those counties haven't yet disclosed how many were now up for review.

The Attorney General's Office provided serial numbers to prosecutor's offices last week that prosecutor's offices had to cross-reference with criminal cases in their counties. In Passaic County, 10 staff people were assigned to do this cross-referencing and had identified about 25 percent of the cases as of Wednesday.

"Step 2, notify all these folks," Caposela said. "We need to be completely transparent. (The defendants) can decide on what course of action to take, whether it's filing for post-conviction relief or an appeal. Some will probably do nothing."

Post-conviction relief is a process through which defendants can challenge their conviction or sentence.

Several attorneys who deal with criminal matters said Wednesday that Shah's alleged breach likely wouldn't affect the large number of defendants who pleaded guilty to drug possession.

Caposela agreed that a large number of drug cases -- many of which were adjudicated by municipal courts -- likely wouldn't be overturned if defendants accepted a plea early on in the process.

"One of the gaps is I don't really know the nature of the breach in the lab," he said. "The AG (attorney general) is really going to have to enlighten us on that."

Cases where defendants were convicted and didn't plead guilty are what concern Caposela the most -- especially if they've been convicted or are in county jail awaiting trial. The next highest priority are those defendants who are out on bail pending trial and those who were convicted and already served their sentences.

Defendants who were convicted and already served their sentence may also seek to file for post-conviction relief or appeal their sentences -- as it could challenge their status as a convicted felon or impact post-incarceration stipulations of their sentence.

According to Fallon's memo, the prosecutor's office's plan "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."

Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said Wednesday there was only one instance in which Shah was observed improperly conducting a test, but that 7,827 cases statewide would be reviewed.

Calls placed to Morris County Assignment Judge Stuart Minkowitz and Bergen County Assignment Judge Bonnie Mizdol have not yet been returned. Essex County Assignment Judge Sallyanne Floria deferred comment to the State Judiciary. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office deferred comment to Attorney General's Office.

Messages placed to the prosecutor's offices in Bergen and Passaic Thursday have not yet been returned.

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

The Mall at Short Hills says it is the first mall to launch an app of this kind.

File photo of Shot Hills mall. (Courtesy the Mall at Short Hills)
 

MILLBURN -- Take a right at the food court, and continue straight on until morning.

For all of the directionally-challenged shoppers who are too short on time to glance at the in-mall directories, there's now an answer. The Mall at Short Hills announced Thursday its rollout of an app with indoor-navigation technology that can help guide shoppers around the 1.3 million square foot center. The app is the first of its kind in the industry, the mall said.

"Today's shoppers are all about convenience and personalization," said Janet Cesario, the mall's marketing and sponsorship director.

"We are combining tech-savvy amenities with premium retail offers to provide an unmatched, easy shopping and dining experience."

The free app, which can be downloaded on Android and iPhone devices, also allows users to plan shopping trips in advance and get information about upcoming sales and merchandise, the mall said.

The app might clear up confusion for shoppers, who have taken to social media in the past to express frustration at getting lost among the upscale shopping center's 150 stores and restaurants.

@saraholiver22 and I are seriously lost in the short hills mall [?]

-- gabby turck (@gabbyturck) April 17, 2015

I've gotten lost the last 3 times that I've gone into the short hills mall

-- Joe Sokolowski (@supergrover16) April 11, 2015

The saddest thing about being lost at short hills mall right now is that I REALLY tried to avoid this situation and it still happened

-- girl fieri (@xYungHotPocket) November 26, 2014

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

Detainees will now remain bound while at University Hospital unless their shackles interfere with treatment, officials say.

University Hospital-Newark (file photo)

NEWARK -- As the investigation into the latest attempt by a jail detainee to escape custody at University Hospital continues, a city official says changes are being made to how inmates are supervised while receiving treatment at the facility.

Following the February 25 escape, which left one officer severely beaten, all detainees transported to the hospital for treatment will be supervised by two Newark police officers at all times, said Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose on Tuesday.

Ambrose said he gave the order immediately following the incident, during which Jose Rodriguez, 44, allegedly attacked his lone police officer escort and then fled the facility. Rutgers police officers apprehended Rodriguez minutes later near a parking lot on South Orange Avenue, officials said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/02/inmate_escaped_handcuffs_prior_to_alleged_beating.html

The injured officer, whose name has not been disclosed, was "briefly separated" from her partner when the attack began, officials said. The exact reason for the separation is under investigation, Ambrose said. Also under investigation is whether another officer was called in to replace the absent police guard as per protocol, he added.

Following the escape attempt, all prisoners transported to the hospital are to remain bound unless their shackles interfere with their treatment, Ambrose said. Officers will also conduct a risk assessment of each detainee before they are taken to the hospital for treatment, he added.

Rodriguez' brief escape is fourth such incident since March 2015. Elijah Shabazz, 46, evaded police capture for more than a month after walking out of a guarded room at University Hospital in March of that year.

Three months later, Martin Sanchez, 34, walked out of the hospital undetected after receiving treatment.

In August 2015, Michael Majette, 40, of East Orange ducked his police guards while receiving treatment at the hospital, escaping through a bathroom door. Both men were apprehended a short time after their respective escapes.

In the wake of Sanchez' escape, University Hospital and police authorities met to address "common concerns" and changes to prisoner custody procedures. The exact details of changes in protocol made as a result of those meetings were not disclosed.

Police and hospital officials met on Monday to again address detainee supervision protocols, Ambrose confirmed. A joint-discussion of the protocols is ongoing, he said.

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

At Krisla Rezireksyon Kris's murder trial, two expert witnesses have offered conflicting testimonies about her mental state at the time of the alleged offenses Watch video

NEWARK -- In a rebuttal to a defense witness, a psychiatrist testifying for the state Thursday said a mother had no psychiatric illnesses and could act knowingly in 2011, when she is accused of killing her 8-year-old daughter and abusing her two younger children.

As the last witness at Krisla Rezireksyon Kris's murder trial, Azariah Eshkenazi said he made those findings after reviewing documents in the case and meeting with Rezireksyon Kris at the Essex County jail last summer.

"I found her mental status within the normal limits," said Eshkenazi, adding that, at the time of the alleged offenses, Rezireksyon Kris's "ability to formulate an intent" was not impaired.

Prosecutors presented Eshkenazi as a rebuttal witness to counter the testimony on Tuesday by Joel Morgan, a clinical neuropsychologist who evaluated Rezireksyon Kris and testified for the defense.

Morgan said Rezireksyon Kris has various mental disorders and, at the time of the alleged offenses, she suffered from "diminished capacity," meaning she had a mental defect that "impairs her capacity to form normal, appropriate judgments." Morgan said she did not act knowingly and purposely to harm her children.

The issue of Rezireksyon Kris's mental state represents a critical element in the case, because prosecutors must prove she acted with "knowing" and "purposeful" conduct to convict her of the most serious offenses.

The attorneys are expected to deliver their closing statements next week.

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. She is expected to be tried separately at a later date.

On the witness stand Thursday, Eshkenazi said Rezireksyon Kris was depressed during their meeting in June 2015 when she talked about her daughter's death.

"But beyond that depression, I found nothing else that would impair her thinking," said Eshkenazi, who also said Rezireksyon Kris indicated she had never been treated for any psychiatric illnesses.

On cross-examination, however, Rezireksyon Kris's attorney, Adrien Moncur, challenged Eshkenazi about a topic the defense has stressed throughout the trial: the role of her pastor and his influence on the two women as members of his Christian ministry.

Moncur has argued Rezireksyon Kris's mental conditions made her "easily exploitable."

In questioning Eshkenazi, Moncur noted how the pastor was a "major presence" in Rezireksyon Kris's life, and he asked Eshkenazi about whether a person with a low IQ score would be more susceptible to the influence of a religious leader. According to Morgan, Rezireksyon Kris's overall IQ score was 67, which is considered "extremely low."

Eshkenazi acknowledged the pastor influenced Rezireksyon Kris, but he maintained she was not severely mentally impaired.

Moncur also challenged how Eshkenazi reached his conclusions after only meeting with Rezireksyon Kris for an hour to 90 minutes at the jail in June 2015, which Moncur noted was more than four years after the alleged offenses. Moncur also pointed out how Eshkenazi did not perform tests like Morgan had.

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

Sexual predator Shawn Barrett of Jersey City will die behind bars after being sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole today for kidnapping and raping a Bayonne woman in his Stevens Avenue home in 2013.

JERSEY CITY -- Two-time convicted rapist Shawn Barrett of Jersey City will die behind bars after being sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole today for kidnapping and raping a Bayonne woman in his Stevens Avenue home in 2013.

"The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is thankful for the tireless work of the (Prosecutor's Office's) Special Victims Unit detectives and the Jersey City Police Department in apprehending this serial predator," said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Najma Rana, who prosecuted the 47-year-old.

In September, a jury convicted Barrett of the charges of kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault in the Aug. 20, 2013 incident involving the then 26-year-old victim, who escaped after stabbing Barrett multiple times.

At today's sentencing, the victim asked Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young to sentence Barrett to life in prison, saying that she feared that he would continue his life of crime if he was ever released from prison.

During the trial, the state argued that Barrett pretended to be a supervisor for a county department in order to manipulate the victim and get her to his home. At the time Barrett, who had a long criminal history, worked in a county mail room.

The victim said as soon as she entered his apartment on Aug. 28, 2013, he struck her, pulled a knife on her and repeatedly raped her at knife-point. The woman testified that she was tied down and raped repeatedly. She also said that when Barrett fell asleep, she grabbed the knife, stabbed him and fled.

The conviction came during a retrial after the jury during the first trial could not agree on the most serious charges. Barrett was eligible for such a long prison term under New Jersey's Three Strikes Law.

In a trial on different charges, a jury convicted Barrett on Jan. 29 of four counts of sexual assault in a July 27, 2013 incident. In that case, a 28-year-old Newark woman said she was on Mulberry Street near Kinney Street in Newark when Barrett stopped his car and she got in after he offered to smoke marijuana with her.

Barrett is to be sentenced by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Isabella in that case on April 22. He will be eligible for extended prison terms in this case.

According to court records, Barrett, 24 at the time, and two others were charged with the Jan. 9, 1992 murder of Jose Orlando Garcia in Jersey City. As part of a plea deal, Barrett admitted to first degree robbery 11 months later.

Garcia was shot dead while Barrett and the two others robbed him, according to the indictment.

Barrett was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Jan. 15, 1993, but records show he was paroled on May 13, 1997. Details on the murder were not immediately available.

But that was not Barrett's first brush with the law. In 1987, at age 19, he pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, records show. 

Barrett's criminal record also includes guilty pleas for a 1999 simple assault, one count of theft by deception in 2003, and assault and eluding/failure to stop for a law enforcement officer in 2004.

Records show that in Barrett was sentenced in 2007 to six years in prison for the 2004 assault, but he was release on parole in 2008.

An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing, officials say.

(file photo) 

NEWARK -- A 37-year-old Elizabeth man is in critical condition following an overnight wrong-way crash on the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark, state police confirmed Thursday.

Henri Orellana was traveling into oncoming traffic in the northbound section of the highway when his 2003 Saturn collided with a second vehicle at approximately 12:35 a.m., said New Jersey State Police Lt. Brian Polite.

Orellana sustained serious injuries in the crash and was transported to University Hospital, where he remains in critical condition, Polite said.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2016/03/couple_charged_in_fatal_hit_run_of_girl_appear_in.html

The driver of the second vehicle sustained a moderate hand injury and was transported to University Hospital for treatment, Polite said.

A state police investigation into the circumstances of the crash is underway, Polite said. 

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

Mario Gayles, 32, is facing murder and weapons offenses in the July 15 shooting of Icrish Bostic, 33, of Phillipsburg

Mario GaylesEssex County Correctional Facility

NEWARK -- An East Orange man has been indicted on murder and weapons offenses in the fatal shooting of another man in Irvington last summer.

Mario Gayles, 32, was indicted on Friday in connection with the July 15 shooting of Icrish Bostic, 33, of Phillipsburg.

In addition to murder, Gayles was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Gayles remains in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on March 28 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.

Authorities have said the shooting occurred at about 10 p.m. in the 1200 block of Springfield Avenue. Bostic was found unresponsive at the scene by first-responders, and he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later, authorities said.

The indictment comes more than 10 years after Gayles pleaded guilty in another homicide case in Essex County, court records show.

In that case, Gayles, then known as Ameir Connell, and a co-defendant named Omar Gayles were charged with felony murder, aggravated manslaughter and robbery offenses in the May 30, 2003 death of Nicholas Paul in Irvington, authorities said.

Court records indicate Gayles pleaded guilty on June 6, 2005 to reckless manslaughter. As part of a plea deal, Gayles was sentenced on Aug. 8, 2005 to seven years in state prison and he had to serve nearly six years before becoming eligible for parole, court records show.

Gayles also has prior convictions for drug offenses and charges of possession of an electronic communication device while in a correctional facility, court records show.

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

The 17-year-old was arrested after a short pursuit, according to city police

NEWARK -- Police say they've arrested a city teenager on gun charges after he ran from officers.

Just after 11 p.m. Wednesday night, officers patrolling said they saw a group of males wearing ski masks near Fairmont and 12th avenues, according to Acting Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Cops: Pair ran drug operation from Newark home

When the officers approached the group, they allegedly spotted the weapon and the 17-year-old ran away, Ambrose said in a release.

After a short pursuit, officers caught up with the teen, arrested him and recovered the gun, the release said. 

The teenager, whose name was not released, was charged with unlawful possession of a gun and several other gun-related charges, Ambrose said.

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

All this week's questions are based on stories you've seen on NJ.com.

Prove you know New Jersey news by taking NJ.com's weekly news quiz. The seven questions below are based on the top New Jersey stories of the week gone by. Once you're done, share your score in comments to see how you stack up with other NJ.com users. And please, no Googling.

There's a fresh news quiz every Thursday on NJ.com.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, a test on your knowledge about everything Irish.

The Inside Jersey Challenge is posted the first Friday of each month. Created by Greg Hatala, the quiz tests your knowledge of New Jersey people, places and things. This month, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, we're focusing on everything Irish. Answer the 10 questions below, and then share your score in comments to see how you stack up against others. Good luck!

Evie would fit into most any home.

Evie 

MONTCLAIR -- Evie is an 18-month-old Staffordshire terrier/Labrador mix in the care of PAWS Montclair.

Volunteers say she is "wonderful" with young children, plays well with other dogs and isn't fazed by cats.

Described as having a "sweet and calm" demeanor, she loves walks and is completely housebroken.

Evie, who would fit into most any home, has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Evie, call 973-746-5212 or go to pawsmontclair.org. PAWS is a nonprofit rescue group serving the Montclair area, currently caring for more than 100 cats and 10 dogs.

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.

 

A man charged with murder in two separate cases has been quietly allowed to plead guilty to lesser charges for sentences which could result in his release in four years.

Admitted gang member Shawn Hartwell was charge with two separate murders in Roselle, but could be released from prison after serving less than 10 years. (Union County Prosecutor's Office) 

ELIZABETH -- He  faced two counts of murder, for separate fatal shootings occurring three years apart, but now Shawn Hartwell could be released from prison after serving less than 10 years.

Last April, one murder charge against Hartwell was dismissed and he pleaded guilty to weapons charges stemming from the Nov. 9, 2011 killing of Montau "Monty" McCloud, 31, of Linden.

He received a total sentence of 15 years, but could be released after serving less than 10, according to state records.

Last month, after two witnesses - both of them prison inmates -  refused to testify in court, Hartwell quietly pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated manslaughter for the 2008 fatal shooting of Bashon Rose, 22, of Newark, who alleged was a member of a rival street gang.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the Union County Prosecutor's Office will recommend that Hartwell receive a 10-year sentence for the Rose killing. Hartwell must serve 85 percent of that sentence - or about 8 years and 6 months - before he is eligible for parole.

However, Hartwell, 29, who authorities say is an admitted member of the Crips street gang, has been in custody since he was arrested in November 2011. The more than four years that he has been incarcerated will be credited towards his sentence, according to court records.

The prosecutor's office has refused repeated requests for comments about the two cases.

Hartwell's attorney also refused to comment on the case.

On Dec. 26, 2008, the day after Christmas, Roselle police responded to reports of shots fired at about 11 p.m. and found Rose shot multiple times in the area of Drake Avenue and St. Georges Avenue, authorities said.

McCloud, the second victim, was shot nearly three years later, on Nov. 9, 2011 at about 9:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of Warren Street in Roselle.

Two days later, on Nov. 11, police arrested Hartwell and charged him with with McCloud's murder. Authorities said McCloud had no gang affiliation.

Last year, on April 28, Hartwell pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in the McCloud case and was sentenced to five years in prison with the requirement that he serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole, according to court records.

The records also show the murder charge was dismissed as part of the plea bargain. It is unclear why the charged was dropped.

Last month during pre-trial hearings for the trial involving the murder of Rose, two inmates were put on the witness stand and each of them refused to testify.

On Feb. 22, one inmate, Taj Williams, when questioned by Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim, refused to state his name and refused to be sworn-in to testify, according to court records. Williams said he would not answer any questions, according to a audio recording of the hearing.

Union County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Spagnoli asked Williams a series of questions, including his age, if he was a member of the Rollin' 30 Crips gang, did he know Hartwell, and did he give a sworn statement on June 20, 2010.

Each time Williams muttered out a three-word response.

"Decline to answer," he said.

Peim ordered that Williams be formally held in contempt of court and face additional jail time, which the judge said was intended to pressure the witness to answer questions. Williams acknowledged that he will be eligible for parole in August, but Peim said that would be extended if he refused to testify at Hartwell's trial.

At the end of that hearing, with Williams still refusing to answer, Spagnoli told the judge that she had to call another witness who was incarcerated in Essex County.

Later that day, however, the case suddenly ended when Hartwell pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated manslaughter in exchange for the prosecutor recommending the 10-year sentence, the minimum term for that crime.

Peim said in court that the charge is punishable by sentences of 10 year to 30 years. Peim said Williams would have to serve 85 percent or eight years and six months. The judge also said Williams would receive credit for time served since his arrest in November 2011.

Hartwell is scheduled to be sentenced April 8.

MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The AT&T American Cup is being held in Newark at the Prudential Center Saturday afternoon. Watch video

NEWARK -- For the first time in the competition's history, the AT&T American Cup - the first international gymnastics competition of the season in the lead-up to the Olympics - is being held in New Jersey.

U.S. Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas will be one of 18 gymnasts from 11 countries descending on Newark this weekend for the cup.

"It's the first competition of what's going to be a long season leading up to the Olympics (this summer)," said Nastia Liukin, a 2008 Olympic champion and two-time American Cup winner. Liukin and former Olympian Tim Daggett will be commentating at the cup.

"It's very prestigious...about 75 to 80 percent of the gymnasts you'll see Saturday will be in Rio."

The cup, which began in 1976, has boasted many winners that have gone on to clinch medals at the Olympics, like Nadia Comaneci, Dominique Dawes, and Paul Hamm. Since its inception, it has been held in more than a dozen cities across the Unites States.

"The northeast has the most densely populated gymnastics cities in the country," Steve Penny, the CEO and president of USA Gymnastics, said of the choice to hold this year's competition at the Prudential Center in Newark.

"We look for markets and partners where we know we can have a successful event...we are near sell-out (here)."

The cup is one of three gymnastics events being held in the arena over the next two days. The Nastia Liukin Cup at 7 p.m. Friday and the Elite Team Cup at 6 p.m. Saturday, which both feature up-and-coming gymnasts competing.

Though this is The Rock's first year hosting the event, it has already announced that it will be hosting the American Cup again in 2017.

Olympian Shawn Johnson inspires in N.J.

"This is very significant for the history of this building," Prudential Center President Hugh Weber said.

"This event is at a world-class level. It shines a light on New Jersey and on (the Prudential Center)...it puts a spotlight on Newark."

The American Cup will be broadcast live on NBC at 1 p.m. Saturday. Viewers in person and on television can look forward to seeing top U.S. gymnasts Gabby Douglas, Maggie Nichols, Samuel Mikulak, and Donnell Whittenburg, who are all competing for spots on the U.S. Olympic team.

Daggett, who won two Olympic medals in 1984 and the American Cup in 1985, called the competitors a "who's who of gymnastics."

"It's a mini preview of 2016 Rio."

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

An East Orange woman opened a library account under a false name and racked up a $50 fine, leading to her arrest last week.

MOUNT OLIVE -- A $50 library fine landed an East Orange woman behind bars recently, police said. 

Police were called to Eagle Rock Village Apartments in May of 2013 where a woman wanted to report identity theft, according to a press release. 

The woman told police that the Morris County Library contacted her over a $50 fine for unreturned items despite never opening an account at the library. The library informed the woman that they were sending her to collections over the fine. 

Police later determined that the library account was opened by Wykeeyah P. Hawkins of East Orange using the victim's information.

A warrant was issued for Hawkins charging her with theft of identity, theft by deception and forgery. Hawkins was unable to be located at the time. 

This past Saturday, Mount Olive police were informed by Irvington Police that they had 27-year-old Hawkins in custody.

Hawkins was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail. 

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.