Judge allows man to be tried for two murders at one trial
Alton Jones, the halfbrother of the notorious Skillman twins, is being tried at a single trial for the murders of two city residents who were gunned down days apart.
One legal expert said prosecutors’ push to try Jones jointly for separate murders is rare, and he hadn’t seen it in 40 years of practicing law in Mercer County. He said it is almost unheard of for a judge to grant what is known in legal jargon as a joinder because of the complications that could arise at trial, and on appeal, though he did not dispute Judge Pedro Jimenez felt he had good reasons to allow the matters to be tried together.
“There is a public policy in law favoring the weighing of guilt for each individual crime,” said Jack Furlong, a former prosecutor who runs his own criminal defense firm in Trenton. “Joinders are disfavored at law but the rule against joinders can be overcome. I presume the judge was convinced that prosecutors had met the burden.”
Judge Jimenez ruled this week prosecutors can try Alton together for the slayings of Rayshawn Ransom and Tierra Green. Ransom was shot and pronounced dead June 13, 2013. Green was shot and killed June 15. The murders were indicted separately.
Jimenez reviewed court papers from Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Katz and
Alton Jones
defense attorney Andrew Duclair, who opposed the request, before announcing the decision from the bench.
“They’re close in time, and assuming the facts are going to be proven as provided by the brief, the facts and circumstances surrounding each incident is relevant and probative with regard to motive,” Jimenez said. “The crimes are certainly similar in character and are connected to some degree, at least enough to allow the state to present both incidents to one jury.”
Jimenez was swayed by Katz’s position that the murder cases are tied together because Jones allegedly used the same handgun to mow down both Ransom and Green on Passaic Street in June 2013. Rayshawn Ransom, 19, shot June 13, 100 block of Passaic Street, died June 15.
Green was fatally shot in the stomach days after Ransom was gunned down in a deadly, gang-related shootout that led to convictions of two other Trenton men.
Jones was initially charged along with Marquis Skillman, and Dyquise Leonard, following the shooting death of Ransom, 19, who was gunned down while he sat in a car with friends on Passaic Street.
Investigators have said the fatal shot came from Jones’ automatic handgun, which witnesses said was tossed out of a getaway car that sped away from the scene.
Jones and Leonard were reportedly involved in an ongoing feud with a group of people who hailed from Tierra Green, 16, shot on June 15, 600block of West State Street
Passaic Street. The two groups met as part of an expected truce when Jones, Leonard and Skillman reportedly opened fire on three men, including Ransom, as he was seated in the car. Ransom’s friends were also wounded in the shootout.
Jones allegedly fled to New Haven, Conn., where he was arrested following a police standoff.
Leonard pleaded guilty to attempted murder in Ransom’s death as part of a 12-year sentence.
Marquis Skillman, the twin brother of Maurice Skillman, said he was armed but did not admit to firing when he pleaded guilty to robbery last year.
He was expected to receive 11 years in state prison and was awaiting sentencing when he was arrested again earlier this year, possibly jeopardizing his plea agreement.
Jones rejected a plea offer of 40 years in state prison, 20 years each running consecutively for two counts of aggravated manslaughter. He is expected to go on trial for the murders the second week of September.
Prosecutors said the trial could last up to three months.
“In essence we’re trying two murders. It’s going to take some time,” Katz said.
Furlong said prosecutors may be “doubling the risk of error” by trying the murders together which could be an issue raised on appeal if Jones is convicted.
“The judge has to make twice as many calls on what is admissible evidence,” he said. “A weakness in the proofs in either of the cases and you run a risk of the appellate court saying these should not have been joined and sending it back for retrial. If you’re convinced you have the right guy it’s not the type of case you want to go 0-for-2 in a single at bat.”
That said, Furlong noted possible benefits for prosecutors.
“It’s purely a tactical approach that differs from prosecutor to prosecutor,” he said. “Some are very cautious because of all the possibilities that can go wrong. Other prosecutors think that whatever tends to strengthen their hand is worth the effort. It’s harder for the jury to ignore if you have multiple examples.”