Plea deal expected for suspected murder accomplice

TRENTON >> A suspected accomplice in the 2013 murder of a Trenton graffiti artist is close to reaching a deal with prosecutors.

Zihqwan “Woodiey” Clemens,who was charged as an accomplice to the murder of Andre Corbett after he allegedly acted as another man’s wheelman, could reach an agreement with prosecutors as early as this month, officials said Tuesday at a status hearing.

The plea deal is expected to package together the murder case and a probation violation from a drug conviction for which Clemens had received five years at the beginning of the year.

The 5-year sentence, handed down by Judge Robert in January, came back on appeal.

Clemens was supposed to be re-sentenced on VOP hearing Tuesday. But instead, the matter was postponed after Assistant Prosecutor James Scott told the court he and Clemens’ new attorney, Mark Fury, are close to resolving the matters.

The case is being transferred to Judge Anthony Massi. A new court date has not been set.

The attorneys would not delve into specifics of the forthcoming plea deal after the hearing, saying they couldn’t discuss proposed terms of the deal until it has been worked out.

Prosecutors’ last offer to Clemens was 30 years for murder, which he rejected.

Clemens is accused of being Keith Wells-Holmes’ getaway driver in the killing of Corbett, who was gunned down at point-blank range Jan. 21, 2013, outside an apartment complex on the corner of Hoffman Avenue and Oakland Street.

Wells-Holmes, the suspected killer, was acquitted last year at trial.

His attorney blamed another man for the murder, pointing to subtle differences in clothing and mannerisms between her client and the man she contended was the actual killer.

Clemens’ last attorney, Andrew Duclair, has said Wells Holmes’ acquittal was the coup de grâce in prosecutors’ case against Clemens.

But Scott refused to drop murder charges against Clemens, and Duclair suggested it was because prosecutors were not pleased with the way he testified in Wells-Holmes’ murder trial.

Clemens received immunity to testify against Well Holmes, but claimed on the stand neither man was involved in Corbett’s murder.