XPost: nj.politics, alt.politics.nationalism.black, alt.law-enforcement
XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics
https://nypost.com/2025/03/09/us-news/alleged-teen-cop-killer-cant-be- tried-as-an-adult-in-nj-and-will-likely-serve-less-than-20-years-even-if- convicted-attorney/
He�s accused of killing a Newark cop � but he won�t be tried in public and likely won�t even serve out a 20-year sentence if convicted.
That�s because the suspected triggerman is a 14-year-old boy � and in New Jersey, the courts won�t move kids of that age up to criminal court, no
matter how heinous their crimes.
�The state statute requires somebody to be 15 years old to treat it as an
adult case,� said Laura Sutnick, a criminal defense lawyer and president
of the Bergen County Bar Association, to The Post on Sunday.
�But if you�re 14, you can�t be waived to adult court.�
One year in age may not seem like much, but it will make a world of
difference for the unidentified teen, who�s been charged with murder for allegedly gunning down 26-year-old Detective Joseph Azcona with an
automatic weapon Friday night on a Brick City street corner.
For one thing, a family-court judge will handle the case in secret
proceedings, then decide the verdict � no juries allowed, Sutnick said.
The potential sentence would also be very different.
If the alleged shooter was tried as an adult, a jury could slap him with
30 years to life in prison for killing a cop. But as a juvenile, the most
a suspect could face is 20 years � and he probably wouldn�t even serve the whole thing since there�s no mandatory minimum for minors, the expert
said.
After trial, his case would be sealed, and he wouldn�t have a public
criminal record.
�That�s really the most significant piece of having a juvenile case � your records are sealed,� Sutnick said.
�Practically speaking, his case is in the newspaper, and everybody�s gonna
know he was charged,� she said. �But if somebody says to him at a job interview, �Have you ever been arrested?� � His case is sealed, so the
answer is no.
�It�s really a separate track for the justice system, and it�s designed
that way.�
The situation has left cops throughout the Garden State enraged at what
they feel is a failure of justice.
�He was old enough to acquire a gun, and he was apparently old enough to
engage the police in a shootout, but now you�re going to say he�s not old enough to be the tough guy in court that he was on the street?� a New
Jersey cop asked incredulously.
�That�s infuriating! What message does that send to the next wanna-be
thug?� the officer said. �He killed a cop � treat him like the cop-killer
he is.�
A retired Brooklyn detective raged, �Age should nothing to do with his
charges.
�He intentionally shot a great man doing his job protecting innocent
people.�
A Bergen County cop added, �It�s massive amounts of bulls�t.
�I get it, they�re 14 years-old, their brains haven�t developed. But if
you�re going to charge this kid as a juvenile, you better f�king charge
whoever put that gun in his hands with accessory to murder � and then give
him the life sentence.
�They assassinated him � this was a coordinated attack,� the officer said. �They knew it was an unmarked vehicle. They were trying to send a message
to law enforcement like, �Hey, you�re on our turf.�
�All I know is a cop got killed. You better put them away for life.�
Essex County officials have said Azcona � a five-year member of the force
who was working a gun probe with federal authorities � didn�t stand a
chance during the ambush, which left him mortally wounded after the kiddie shooter allegedly unloaded a stream of 29 bullets.
Azcona and his partner were in Newark�s Broadway section near the Passaic
River when the deadly gunfire erupted about 6:30 p.m. by a McDonald�s and
White Castle near the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway,
officials said.
�Based on criminal intelligence, the [officers] were investigating the possibility that these individuals had illegal firearms,� Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said at a Saturday morning news conference.
�Shots were exchanged upon the interaction with the police and those individuals, and unfortunately two officers and one suspect were hit by gunfire.�
Both Azcona�s partner and the suspect were shot, but both are expected to survive.
Azcona wasn�t that lucky. He died at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday at
University Hospital with his mom, dad and several brothers mourning at his side.
Stephens said Azcona was �shot before he even had the opportunity to leave
his police car.
�We need to focus laser-sharp on trying to find the reason why this 14- year-old was in the situation that he was � had a gun, felt he could use
it against police,� Stephens said.
�That�s a crazy situation. That�s one that cannot go unchecked.�
Cops recovered the automatic weapon the teen used, the prosecutor added.
About five people who were at the scene have also been held for
questioning.
�The officers involved are heroes,� Stephens said.
Azcona�s heartbroken family has been left reeling by his sudden loss.
�That was my baby,� mom Martha Vargas, 56, told The Post on Saturday. �He always said he wanted to be a cop when he was little, and when he grew up,
he took the test.�
�I thought it was something simple,� she said as she talked about the
moment cops called her to the hospital. �[But] they shot him in the head.�
Authorities have also charged her son�s alleged killer with attempted
murder for shooting his partner, according to officials and sources.
--
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump. We look
forward to America being great again.
The disease known as Kamala Harris has been effectively treated and
eradicated.
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
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