A jury found a Newark man not guilty in the fatal shooting of a taxi cab driver, but convicted the defendant in two robberies.
NEWARK -- A Superior Court jury found a Newark man not guilty in the 2012 fatal shooting of a taxi cab driver, but convicted him in two robberies that occurred in the hours prior to the shooting.
Alchane Mayes, 22, was acquitted of the June 7, 2012 killing of cabbie Rochenel Guerrier, 49, of Irvington, a veteran taxi driver and father of five, who was shot during a robbery.
In the June 28 verdict, the jury found Mayes not guilty, despite hearing from a co-defendant, Deshon Johnson, 23, who testified during the trial and said that both he and Mayes had fired at Guerrier.
Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated manslaughter as part of a plea-agreement in which prosecutors will recommend that he receive a 28-year sentence.
At Mayes' trial, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Margarita Rivera presented evidence that Guerrier was wounded by bullets fired from two separate guns.
Mayes attorney, Kevin Barry, countered that the prosecution built its case around Johnson, and that Johnson had lied to get his plea-agreement.
Mayes was convicted of three counts of robbery and multiple weapons offenses for two separate robberies.
Authorities said Mayes and Johnson committed two robberies prior getting in Guerrier's taxi cab. Mayes and Johnson robbed two men in Newark on the afternoon of June 6, 2012, and robbed another man before they called for the taxi cab, officials said.
At about 3:30 a.m. on June 7, 2012, Guerrier drove Johnson and Mayes to Mount Prospect and Delavan Avenue where they got out and tried to rob the driver, authorities said.
Guerrier tried to drive away from the robbers, but was shot and crashed into several parked cars.
Both were teenagers when the shooting occurred.
Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.