Abbijial Sloan is serving an 85-year prison sentence for the 2007 killing of his wife in Newark
Abbijial Sloan NEWARK -- A state appeals court on Friday affirmed the conviction of a man who killed his wife in front of their young son in 2007 by stabbing her at least 16 times at their Newark home.
Abbijial Sloan, 48, had argued in his appeal that his trial attorney was ineffective for not exploring a defense based on his mental health in connection with the Aug. 23, 2007, killing of 37-year-old Nicole Sloan.
But the appellate panel upheld the 2014 decision of Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin, who rejected Sloan's argument in denying his petition for post-conviction relief.
In that ruling, Ravin noted that Sloan "failed to provide any evidence regarding his mental health to show prejudice caused by counsel's alleged deficiency," according to the appellate decision.
"Judge Ravin cited the lack of evidence to show that the result of the trial would have been different absent the other alleged deficiencies in counsel's performance," the decision states.
Sloan was convicted by a jury on Nov. 18, 2010, of murder, endangering the welfare of a child and two weapons offenses. On Jan. 18, 2011, Ravin sentenced Sloan to 85 years in state prison.
The incident occurred at the family's home at 230 Alexander Street in Newark, where Sloan beat his wife and stabbed her at least 16 times with a large kitchen knife in the presence of their then-3-year-old son, authorities said.
Authorities have said the killing was captured on a 911 call that Sloan's wife made before being fatally stabbed.
On the call, she begs for help and the son can be heard in the background crying as Sloan repeatedly stabbed his wife, authorities said.
When police officers later arrived at the scene, Sloan confessed to them that "he stabbed his wife because she was cheating on him and 'deserved' it," according to the appellate decision.
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.