Prosecutor Files Motion to Dismiss Indictment Against Kevin Baker/Sean Washington

Camden City, N.J. (February 4, 20200-– Acting Prosecutor Jill Mayer today announced that the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office will file a motion to dismiss the indictment against Kevin Baker and Sean Washington and retract its notice of intent to appeal this case to the New Jersey Supreme Court.

After full consideration of the recent Appellate Division opinion reversing the convictions of Baker and Washington and granting them new trials, the Prosecutor’s Office will not re-try the defendants for the murders of Rodney Turner and Margaret Wilson. This decision was made in consultation with the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability within the Attorney General’s Office.

On January 28, 1995, 35-year-old Turner and 40-year-old Wilson were fatally shot outside the Roosevelt Manor Apartments in Camden. In 1996, Baker and Washington were convicted of murder and other related charges by a jury and sentenced to life in prison. Over the past 25 years, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has successfully defended the convictions through multiple layers of state and federal appeals. While the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office disagrees with the Appellate Division’s basis for a new trial, the Office respects the decision of the court. Notably, the Appellate Division did not declare Baker and Washington “actually innocent” and did not find error with the initial prosecution of this matter or the majority of the rulings made by the trial court during the trial and post-conviction relief hearings.

In deciding to dismiss, the Prosecutor’s Office considered the totality of the circumstances, including the passage of time and the impact it would have on re-trying the defendants and proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Considering our mandate to pursue the interests of justice at all times, retrial after this length of time is not feasible in this particular case.

Letters to the Editor: Luck of NJ Lottery Retailers May Be Running Out

The new Jack pocket lottery app allowing consumers to purchase tickets on their phones isn’t a win for everyone. With the app’s availability, the luck of New Jersey’s lottery retailers may be running out.

The NJ lottery helps almost 7,500 lottery retailers keep their small businesses afloat. Responsible for $189 million in lottery ticket sales commissions for retail chains and many small family-owned businesses across the state, the survival of these retailers is heavily dependent on lottery income. On average, stores receive $25,600 in commissions annually and for many who already running on tight margins, that income means the difference between surviving and closing the business doors.

But all is not lost for these retailers.

A bill allowing draw lottery tickets and scratch off tickets to be paid with a mobile phone, similar to buying coffee at Starbucks, and using a payment method called decoupled debit, was passed and is awaiting implementation. This method debits your checking account when purchasing lottery products at a vending machine or sales counter. Implementing that law would help these retailers by providing consumers with in-store options they don’t currently have while protecting the retailer’s commission and likely bring additional lottery sales to the State.

With regards to the decoupled debit method of payment, this is a technology that has been used safely and repeatedly in the c-store industry for more than 15 years in 30,000 locations nationwide. Leading retailers such as Target, Cumberland Farms, Circle K have embraced its use.

There is an urgent need to help NJ’s small business owners and similarly a solution to their lottery ticket dilemma. It’s a story that deserves attention if these fragile businesses and jobs are to be saved. I hope you are interested in this challenge facing NJ retailers and if you are, I can help connect you with several organizations that represent these business owners. I look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance of your kind consideration.

Regards,

Shep Doniger

OFFICER DOWN: Liberty County Deputy Sheriff Richard Whitten Succumbs to Injuries from Gunshot

Deputy Sheriff Richard Whitten

Liberty County Sheriff\’s Office, Texas

End of Watch

Monday, February 3, 2020

Liberty County, Texas (February 4, 2020)

–Deputy Sheriff Richard Whitten succumbed to complications of a gunshot wound sustained on May 29th, 2019, while responding to a shots fired call

in Cleveland, Texas.

He was en route to a training class and had just driven past the scene of the double-murder when the shooting was dispatched over the radio. As he responded back to the scene and encountered the suspect fleeing in a vehicle. Deputy Whitten and a member of the Cleveland Independent School District Police Department pursued the subject onto CR 2243, where the man immediately pulled into the parking lot of a veterinary office.

As Deputy Whitten challenged the subject the man produced a handgun and opened fire, striking him in the neck and paralyzing him. The other officer returned fire as the subject fled. The man later committed suicide after being located by other officers.

Deputy Whitten was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital, in Houston, in critical condition. On February 3rd, 2020, he suffered a complication while undergoing physical therapy and passed away.

Deputy Whitten had served with the Liberty County Sheriff\’s Office for four years.

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published Gloucestercitynews.net | February 4, 2020

FREE Wellness Programs for Seniors at Jefferson Health

VOORHEES, NJ

(Feb. 4, 2020)

–

Join Jefferson Health experts for FREE community wellness programs for seniors through May:

Wound Care for Caregivers

;

Tuesday, February 11, noon, at Cherry Hill Public Library (1100 Kings Highway)

: Join Jefferson Health’s Dr. Lisa Derr, Cherry Hill Wound Center Medical Director, for a lunch and learn discussion on educating family members and patients on wound care basics and the Do’s and Don’ts. Light refreshments will be served.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – The Basics

;

Thursday, March 5, 2 p.m.; Kennedy Health & Wellness Center (405 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road, Suite 201, Sewell)

: COPD affects almost 15 million Americans. Learn what COPD is; how it affects the lungs; causes, signs and symptoms; and disease management.

Weight Loss and Fiber – What’s the Connection?

;

Wednesday, March 18, 11 a.m., at the

Margaret E. Heggan Free Public Library

(606 Delsea Drive, Sewell)

: Eating enough fiber is essential for a healthy diet. Join Jefferson Health’s Danielle Hall, RD, to learn how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it, how it aids in weight loss, and how to add it to meals and snacks.

Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia

;

Tuesday, April 21, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Stratford Hospital (18 East Laurel Road, 3

Floor, Room L)

: Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join the Alzheimer’s Association to learn about Alzheimer’s impact, differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research and treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

Seconds Count when Stopping Strokes

;

Thursday, May 7, 2 p.m., at the

Gloucester County Library Mullica Hill Branch (389 Wolfert Station Road)

: Join Jefferson Health’s Kathryn Donley, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, CNRN, Program Director, Stroke & Life Support Education, for a discussion on ways to reduce your risk, identify early signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and when to call 9-1-1. FREE blood pressure screenings are included.

Horticultural Therapy – Creating an Indoor Fairy Garden

;

Tuesday, May 19, 2 p.m., at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital (2201 Chapel Avenue, Rooms 2 & 3)

: Discover the fun in designing your own “indoor fairy garden.” Adults all over are experiencing the magic in constructing them. Inspirational Horticultural Therapy’s Rachelle Hasenberg, will provide step-by-step instructions as participants plant in their own container and choose from a wide variety of items to create their unique miniature “fairy garden.” No experience necessary. A fee of $12 is due by Tuesday, May 5.

These programs are sponsored by Jefferson Health – New Jersey’s PrimeTime, a free health and wellness program for active older adults in South Jersey. All community members are invited. For more information and to register, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/NJclasses

or call

800-522-1965

About

Jefferson Health

: Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals, and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (seven are Magnet®-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 40 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. For 2019-2020, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in eight specialities by

U.S. News & World Report

. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

Think Vaping is Safe? Think Again!

Vaping, is it DANGEROUS?

Presenter: Cathy Butler-Witt, MA, BSW, NCTTP, CTTS—Assistant Director, Public Health Programs for Family Health Initiatives and the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative.

Location: Camden County College, Blackwood Campus, CIM Auditorium

The Center at Camden County College focuses on the needs and interests of educators and the community at large. Its goal is to create an informed citizenry through exploration of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and issues critical to a democratic society. Citizens have the opportunity to meet scholars, scientists, government officials and business leaders to explore historical and current issues and discuss societal problems and their solutions.

For more information, Visit

www.camdencc.edu/civiccenter

PET OF THE WEEK: RODNEY

Hey there, my name is Rodney and I am one big boy. I am a one-year-old terrier mix looking for a loving home. Playing with toys, taking walks, and spending time with you are three of my favorite things. I know some basic commands, but I pull hard on my leash. Sometimes I don’t know my own strength, but I am a gentle giant at heart. Would you like to make me a part of your family? Please ask the

AWA staff

how you can take me home today!

Corrections Officers in Pennsylvania File Lawsuit Over Allegations of Theft by Officials

By Dave Lemery |

The Center Square

The SCI-Huntingdon prison in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

HUNTINGTON PENNSYLVANIA (JANUARY 2020)–Three Pennsylvania corrections officers are suing their union over allegations that tens of thousands of dollars in union funds were misspent by officials.

The lawsuit

was filed on behalf of the three Huntingdon-area workers by The Fairness Center, a legal advocacy group that has pursued a number of high-profile cases by public sector workers claiming they were harmed by their unions’ practices or by state laws relating to public sector unions.

The three workers – Cory Yedlosky, William Weyandt and Chris Taylor – allege in the lawsuit that the former treasurer of the State Correctional Institution-Huntingdon Local of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association wrote himself and the local’s secretary checks amounting to about $20,000 that were not approved expenses.

\”[T]he Local’s treasurer wrote nearly fifteen thousand dollars in checks to himself from the Local’s account, for which there appears no legitimate union business has been established, including purported charitable donations that seem to have never been made, and another nearly six thousand dollars in checks to himself or to the Local’s secretary for purported cell phone reimbursements to which neither was entitled,\” the lawsuit says.

The three plaintiffs say they uncovered the wrongdoing after former treasurer Bryan Peroni and former secretary Douglas Clark had left those roles.

According to the lawsuit, Peroni used his own name and home address on bank accounts for the local, and he wrote checks without the oversight of any other union officer. Among those checks were cellphone reimbursements for himself and Clark, the lawsuit states, even though union rules only allow such reimbursements for the local’s president and vice president.

The lawsuit also claims that Peroni wrote $11,400 in checks to himself that were supposedly reimbursements for donations to local charities, but the organizations in question don’t have any records of such donations.

“Public-sector unions have a legal duty to fairly represent members’ interests, but in this case union leaders were asleep at the wheel,” the Fairness Center’s Nathan McGrath said in a news release. “State union officials did not enforce their own financial rules, and when our clients submitted evidence of irregularities it seems nothing was done to correct that. They have no choice but to sue their unions to find out what happened to nearly $20,000 in members’ dues.”

published here by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission

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OFFICER DOWN: K9 THORR Killed in a Traffic Accident

THORR

Henry County Police Department, Georgia

End of Watch

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Henry County, Georgia

–K9 Thorr was killed when the patrol car he was riding in collided with a tractor-trailer on I-75 near mile marker 206 in Spalding County.

His and another officer were on patrol and were making a U-turn in a median turnaround. As they entered back into traffic the patrol car was struck by a tractor-trailer. K9 Thorr was killed as a result of the collision. Both officers and the driver of the semi were injured.

K9 Thorr had served with the Henry County Police Department for six months.

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published Gloucestercitynews.net | February 3, 2020

Camden County PD Sergeant Lydia Perez Retires After 25-Years-of-Service

CONGRATULATIONS–The Camden County Police Department held a special ceremony on January 31 to honor Sgt. Lydia Perez, who retired after 25 years of distinguished law enforcement service in Camden City.

Sgt. Perez was recognized by the Camden County Police Department in 2015 for her outstanding work. The following is from that proclamation.

She joined the former Camden Police Department in 1994. Four years later, she was assigned a critical role overseeing the department’s Uniform Crime Reporting. Sergeant Perez has served in that role since 1998 with the former city department and now with the Camden County Police Department.

Every week, Sergeant Perez reviews hundreds of police reports and must ensure that each crime that occurs is properly classified in accordance with the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting standards and that these numbers are reported accurately to the New Jersey State Police.

Despite handling a daily volume of reports that is exponentially higher than most other police departments, Sergeant Perez has been recognized by the State Police as being one of the best and most accurate UCR reporters in the entire state for more than a decade. She regularly achieves UCR accuracy rates of 98 percent and above. During the recent New Jersey State Police audit of Camden County Police Department UCR crime statistics, the department was found to have achieved a 100 percent accuracy mark in correctly classifying crimes for the first quarter of 2015.

“She really takes the time and dedication to do the job based on the FBI guidelines. With her accuracy, she’s one of the top UCR reporters in the state,” said Lieutenant Spencer Hildebrand of the New Jersey State Police.

“Sergeant Perez demonstrates her commitment every day through her hard work and the high standard she sets for UCR reporting. She is a tremendous asset to this department,” said Assistant Chief Orlando Cuevas.

For her continued excellence and dedication to her job, we honor Sergeant Lydia Perez as Camden County Police Department Officer of the Week.

On behalf of the residents and community you served, CNBNews would like to thank you for your dedication. And, we wish you the best in your retirement.

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OFFICER DOWN: Corpus Christie Police Officer Alan McCollum Struck/Killed by a Vehicle

Police Officer Alan McCollum

Corpus Christi Police Department, Texas

End of Watch

Friday, January 31, 2020

Corpus Christi, Texas-

-Police Officer Alan McCollum was struck and killed by a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop on Highway 358 near Carroll Lane at 9:30 pm.

He and two other officers were on the scene of the stop when another vehicle struck one of the patrol cars, then struck him and a second officer. Officer McCollum suffered fatal injuries and the other officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Officer McCollum was a U.S. Army veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star. He had served with the Corpus Christi Police Department for almost seven years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

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published Gloucestercitynews.net | February 3, 2020