Authorities announce that a Passaic County jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges in the matter of State New Jersey v. Jose M. Tepancalt Tepale.
The trial commenced on March 2, 2017, and on March 9, 2016 the jury returned guilty verdicts on first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Aggravated Assault, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon before the Honorable Joseph A. Portelli, J.S.C. Defendant is exposed to a maximum term of twenty (20) years New Jersey State Prison on the Attempted Murder conviction. Additionally, pursuant to the No Early Release Act, the defendant must serve at least 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
Following his release, he will also be subject to an additional five year term of parole supervision.
The sentencing of the defendant has been scheduled for April 21, 2017.
The evidence presented to the jury during the trial demonstrated that on January 10, 2016, at approximately 1 a.m., the defendant returned to the first floor apartment of 64 Center Street in Clifton, which he shared with the victim, F.C.
According to authorities, at approximately 1:30 a.m., as the victim left his bedroom to use the bathroom, the defendant approached the victim and stated “hello friend” before proceeding to stab the victim in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.
The defendant fled the scene before police arrived and the victim was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital to be treated.
The doctor who treated the victim at the hospital testified that without medical intervention the victim’s wounds would have been fatal.