TWO DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN 2018 FATAL SHOOTING OF JERSEY CITY MAN
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:
On Thursday, February 4, 2021, the Honorable Patrick J. Arre, J.S.C. sentenced Omar Williams, 23, of Jersey City, to 10 years in New Jersey state prison for his role in the death of Kamal McCord, 19, of Jersey City, which occurred on May 2, 2018 in Jersey City. Judge Arre also sentenced one of Williams’ co-defendants, Kai Robinson, 23, of Jersey City, to a term of five years in New Jersey state prison.
Both men pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter, with Robinson’s plea having the charge treated as second degree at sentencing. The sentences for both Williams and Robinson are subject to the No Early Release Act which requires that they will have to serve 85 percent of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.
On Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at approximately 9:50 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of a male shot on Merseles Court in Jersey City. Responding Police Officers found a male victim inside a residence at 21 Merseles Court.
The victim was later identified as McCord, age 19, of Jersey City. He was found in a lifeless condition with an apparent gunshot wound to his torso. McCord was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the Cause of Death to be a gunshot wound to the chest and the Manner of Death to be Homicide.
Responding Police Officers also found a female victim outside of a residence in the area of 17 Merseles Court. The 21-year-old female victim had an apparent gunshot wound to one of her extremities. The victim was transported by Emergency Medical Services to Jersey City Medical Center where she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
A third defendant, Lasaun Rose, age 28, is pending sentencing. Rose pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the first degree to be treated as second degree for sentencing on January 7, 2020 before the Honorable Judge Mark J. Nelson, J.S.C. Williams and Robinson also pleaded guilty on January 7, 2020 before Judge Nelson.
The State was represented in this case by Assistant Prosecutor Leonardo Rinaldi of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit.