Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has announced on Friday, August 12, that James Crawford, 24, was sentenced to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison for his role in the shooting death of Eric Crocker, 23, in Jersey City on September 4, 2018.
According to Prosecutor Suarez, Crawford, of Jersey City, was convicted by a jury of Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.
Following a four-week trial, the jury was hung on the Conspiracy to Commit Murder charge against Crawford and could not reach a unanimous decision on the Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder charges brought against codefendant Alexander Harris, 33, of Jersey City.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office intends to have Harris retried on the charges. A third codefendant, Jahmir Thomas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault.
According to Prosecutor Suarez, on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at approximately 5:55 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of gunshots in the area of Lembeck and Ocean avenues in Jersey City.
Upon arrival, responding officers found a male victim, later identified as Eric Crocker, 23, of Bayonne, with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso.
Prosecutor Suarez stated that he was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at approximately 6:30 p.m.
The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the Cause of Death to be multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and the Manner of Death to be Homicide.