Newark Police Officer GUILTY Of All Charges - Is This Good Or Bad

Newark Police Officer Jovany Crespo was found guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault, Weapons Offenses, and Official Misconduct.Show more

The verdict came this afternoon after several days of deliberation following a lengthy trial.

The gist of the case centered around if Jovanny Crespo was justified in firing shots -at times- at a moving vehicle on that night.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Alexander Albu, who handled the case, on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Crespo shot Griffin, 46, and Andrew J. Dixon, 35, both of Newark, when the car driven by Griffin fled during a traffic stop.

Both were shot in the head. Dixon sustained serious injuries. Griffin died from his injuries at University Hospital the next day, Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Crespo was not the original officer to make the traffic stop. A female Newark police officer made the initial stop in the area of Clinton Avenue and Thomas Street.

When Griffin fled during the stop, she radioed that he was fleeing and that she saw a gun.

That led to a pursuit involving several police cars.

Crespo fired shots at the fleeing car at three separate locations. The vehicle finally stopped in the area of 54 Irvine Turner Boulevard, near Kinney Street.

No police officers were injured. No other police officers discharged their weapons.

Consistent with New Jersey Attorney General guidelines that were in place at the time of the shooting, all fatal police-involved shootings are reviewed by the Professional Standards Bureau of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and presented to an Essex County Grand Jury.