By: Richard L. Smith
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, revealed that a jury in Essex County has found Lamar Sommers, 36, of Bloomfield, guilty of the murder of Mr. Jahque Benbow, a 23-year-old resident of Newark.
As disclosed by Spokesman Robert Florida, the tragic incident unfolded on May 11, 2022.
Spokesman Florida said Sommers, in the company of two unidentified individuals, conspired to perpetrate a shooting at the Irvington gas station where Jahque Benbow was employed.
Sommers drove the two associates to Irvington and dropped them off just a block away from the station. It was there that the two individuals fired five shots at the victim while Sommers remained in the vehicle.
Following the homicide, Sommers swiftly left New Jersey but was subsequently apprehended in North Carolina on June 16, 2022.
The culmination of this case involved an intense eight-day jury trial presided over by the Honorable Michael Ravin, Judge of the Superior Court.
The jury's deliberations lasted less than five hours before Lamar Sommers was found guilty on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
His sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2023, before Judge Ravin, and he faces a minimum of 30 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Assistant Prosecutor F. Garnes, who led the prosecution alongside Assistant Prosecutor Jenna Ventola, emphasized, "When you plan and participate in a murder, you are responsible for the consequences even if you don't pull the trigger."
Assistant Prosecutor Ventola added, "Justice was served for the victim's family, and our community can find some solace in today's verdict."
This conviction stands as a testament to the pursuit of justice in Essex County and the hard-working men and women at the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.