By: Richard L. Smith
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, reported a significant legal development Wednesday as Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler sentenced Byad Lockett, an Essex County Jail inmate, to two decades in state prison. Lockett, 22, a Newark resident, was found guilty of attempting to murder fellow inmate Jayshawn Boyd in a brutal attack involving a microwave oven and other items.
In accordance with the No Early Release Act, Lockett must serve 85 percent, or 17 years, of his 20-year sentence before being considered for parole.
The jury's verdict on June 14, 2023, encompassed several charges, including first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, and third-degree possession of a microwave for an unlawful purpose.
Judge Wigler ordered that Lockett's sentence for attempted murder be consecutive to his existing sentence for conspiracy to commit murder.
Earlier this year, Lockett received a 12-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison. Consequently, Lockett faces a cumulative sentence of 32 years. Additionally, he will be subject to five years of parole supervision upon release.
Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, along with Assistant Prosecutor William Chalmers, who prosecuted the case, expressed relief, emphasizing that Newark and the Essex County Correctional Facility would be safer with Lockett incarcerated for the next two decades.
During the sentencing, Judge Wigler castigated Lockett for his "savage, brutal, and heinous" attack on Boyd, highlighting Lockett's apparent lack of remorse for his "inhumane and barbaric act."
The incident occurred on September 23, 2021, when seven inmates, including Lockett, attacked Boyd in a common area of Essex County Jail.
After beating Boyd unconscious through punches and stomping on his head, Lockett further assaulted him with a microwave oven, a multi-gallon beverage dispenser, and a broom.
This horrifying attempt on Boyd's life, lasting approximately two minutes, was captured on the jail's video surveillance.
Assistant Prosecutor Chalmers acknowledged the bravery of witnesses who came forward and testified against Lockett, ultimately leading to this sentencing.
