Man fatally shot by Newark cop during pursuit would ‘give you the shirt off his back,’ girlfriend says – NJ.com

The girlfriend of the man fatally shot by a Newark cop during a police pursuit in January acknowledged that her boyfriend of four years had made mistakes in life, but she also knew another side of him.

The woman, who declined to give her name, has attended the last several hearings in Superior Court of Essex County in the case of Jovanny Crespo, the cop who was indicted after fatally shooting her boyfriend, Gregory Griffin, 46, and critically wounding his passenger, Andrew Dixon, 35.

Crespo faces charges that include aggravated manslaughter and aggravated assault.

“Yes, (Griffin) made mistakes,” said the woman, who on Friday was wearing a shirt with her boyfriend’s picture on it. “But that’s not the type of person he is. You talk to people, they’ll tell you he’d give you the shirt off his back.”

Police have said that Griffin, who had a history of drug offenses, fled a traffic stop when a female officer allegedly spotted a handgun in his car. Crespo, who was 26 at the time of the shooting, joined the pursuit and hopped out of the police vehicle driven by his partner multiple times to shoot at Griffin’s car as it fled, body camera footage showed.

Dixon was charged with possessing the gun that police say they found in Griffin’s vehicle.

Griffin’s girlfriend said he had four children, including a young daughter. She referred to Dixon, who was initially critically wounded in the shooting, as Griffin’s “cousin,” although the two were not related.

“I’m very much upset,” she added. “The holidays are coming. This is going to be the first Christmas I spend without him.”

Superior Court Judge Martin Cronin on Friday tentatively scheduled a trial date for late February or early March.

Crespo’s attorney, Patrick Toscano, previously asked a Superior Court judge to review communications between Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, the acting Essex County prosecutor and the police department’s federal monitor who oversees reforms in the agency. On Friday, Cronin ruled the communications that were turned over were either not relevant, in the defendant’s possession or already public record.

A gag order is currently in place in the case, so Toscano and Crespo declined to speak to NJ Advance Media. Crespo, however, held a press conference in May at his attorney’s office and said his actions saved his life.

“I’d do it again,” Crespo told reporters months ago. “My actions that day is the reason why I’m talking right now. If not, I’d be at my funeral or some sort. I know I wouldn’t be here.”

Police body camera footage of the shooting showed Crespo repeatedly telling other officers that he saw someone in the fleeing vehicle pointing a gun at him. Prosecutors have argued Crespo wouldn’t have been able to see inside the car since the windows were tinted.

Griffin’s girlfriend, meanwhile, told NJ Advance Media on Friday she believed her boyfriend ultimately should have stopped his car.

“I feel like he should’ve stopped, but he wasn’t in the right state of mind,” she said.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.