Newark -- Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that Khalil Harris, 52, of Newark was sentenced to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison for fatally shooting Curtis Thomas, 42, also of Newark.
In February of this year, Harris was about to go on trial for the Aug. 31, 2016 murder when he entered into to a plea agreement.
Today, the Honorable James W. Donohue, Judge of the Superior Court, sentenced Harris to 20 years. Under the No Early Release Act, he must serve 17 years before he is eligible for parole.
First Assistant Prosecutor Romesh Sukhdeo, who handled the case, said, “This case is a clear indication that there are too many guns on the streets of Essex County.
A 20-year sentence will result in the defendant being eligible for parole at the age of 67, hopefully this sentence will give the victim’s family a degree of closure.’’
Harris and Thomas got into an altercation outside an afterhours club in the 500 block of South 11th Street. The fight moved to Belgium Street where Harris pulled a gun and shot Thomas.