Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted Tamodd Young, 24, of Newark of murder for fatally shooting his cousin, Jerome Brown, 27, also of Newark.
In addition to murder, Young was also convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose following a three-week trial before the Honorable Marysol Rosero, Judge of the Superior Court.
On March 21, 2016 at approximately 9:20 a.m. Young and his cousin, Brown, met at the intersection of Schley Street and Hawthorne Avenue in Newark. They are captured on videotape engaged in what appears to be conversation. During the course of the conversation, Young fires on the victim.
Even after Brown is on the ground, Young continues to shoot.
Police responded. Brown was pronounced dead at University Hospital at 9:55 am.
The jury deliberated an hour and a half before returning a guilty verdict.
“This was a cold-blood murder. The victim was shot 12 times, including five head shots,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Jason Alterbaum, who tried the case. “For someone to do this to a family member is incomprehensible.’’
The motive for the murder was never clear. Alterbaum said the case could not have been resolved so successfully without the work of officers from the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21 before Judge Rosero. Young, who has one prior felony conviction, faces 30 years to life.