By: Richard L. Smith
A Hillside man has been found guilty in the fatal shooting of Quamir Nelson, marking the end of a lengthy investigation and trial, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II announced.
Justen Couram, 23, was convicted by an Essex County jury of first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and multiple weapons charges in connection with Nelson's death.
Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Nicholas led the case before Superior Court Judge John Zunic, J.S.C.
The trial, which began on October 22, 2021, lasted five days, with jury deliberations beginning on October 31, 2024, and concluding on November 1.
After approximately five hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas, the case centered on two violent incidents in Newark’s South Ward.
On April 7, 2021, Nelson was shot and critically injured while sitting in his car on the 200 block of Pomona Avenue.
Newark police stopped a vehicle shortly after the shooting, driven by Couram and carrying three other occupants.
Officers discovered a weapon linked to the shooting in Couram’s car, and surveillance footage confirmed the vehicle's presence at the scene.
Couram and the other passengers were subsequently charged with the attack on Nelson.
Months later, on December 30, 2021, Nelson was shot and killed while in his vehicle near Pomona Avenue and Aldine Street.
Surveillance footage showed Couram driving an unknown gunman to and from the scene, with further investigation identifying him as the getaway driver in the fatal shooting.
Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas commended the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Newark Police Department for their work in bringing the case to trial, highlighting the cooperation that led to a conviction in Nelson's tragic death.