Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced that a Piscataway man’s 2015 aggravated manslaughter and hindering conviction and sentence were affirmed today by the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.
According to authorities, John Mahoney, 29, of Piscataway, was convicted on March 12, 2015, by a jury sitting in New Brunswick of aggravated manslaughter, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and hindering his own apprehension by lying to police during an investigation into the homicide of his father, Jerry Mahoney, 49.
Officials say Mahoney appealed his conviction and sentencing in connection to the fatal shooting of his father who was a 26-year veteran of the township police department and member of the Piscataway Board of Education. His conviction was upheld today by the Appellate Division.
According to authorities, Mahoney was sentenced on March 10, 2016 to serve a total of 24 years in state prison for fatally shooting his father. He received a 20-year state prison term for aggravated manslaughter. He was ordered to serve 85 percent of that 20-year term pursuant to the No Early Release Act.
The judge also imposed a four-year term for the defendant, who was found guilty of a count of hindering his own apprehension. The 4-year term was ordered to run consecutive to the 20-year sentence imposed for the aggravated manslaughter.
During the eight-week trial, Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai and Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Allysa Gambarella presented evidence and testimony showing that Mahoney shot his father three times on the morning of December 27, 2007, while the father was sleeping in a recliner in their home. It was further proven that Mahoney subsequently shot himself in the arm and then called 911, saying an intruder broke into the home.
Officials say he later told police that he killed his father, but said it was an accident. At trial he admitted to purposely shooting and killing his father, but claimed he acted in self-defense.
In its opinion, the Appellate Division stated, “Furthermore, defendant received a rather favorable verdict considering defendant shot his father while he sat in a recliner with a blanket around him.”