Nonprofit Agrees To Defend Newark Cop Accused Of Fatal Shooting – Newark, NJ Patch

NEWARK, NJ — A nonprofit legal group has agreed to defend a Newark police officer accused of shooting two men during a car chase earlier this year.

Calling Jovanny Crespo, 26, a young police officer who was only trying to “bring armed criminals to justice,” the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) announced it has accepted his case to financially support Crespo and his family, which includes his wife and four children.

One of the men, Gregory Griffin, 46, of Newark, died from his injuries. Another, Andrew J. Dixon, 35, also of Newark, was seriously injured.

President Jason Johnson said earlier this week that his organization’s review of the facts of the case, combined with review of police body camera footage from the traffic stop, convinced the LELDF to support Crespo.

“It is apparent from the video that the occupants of the vehicle were very concerned about being stopped by police,” Johnson said. “They knew they were illegally in possession of a firearm and that it was loaded with illegal, hollow-point ammunition. The driver can be seen moving his right hand toward the area of the center console after the first officer ordered him to place his hands on the steering wheel, after she saw the gun under his leg near the center console.”

“The driver also glances down toward his seat as if to verify that the gun is still there,” he added. “We believe he was contemplating pulling the gun and shooting the officer at that time. Instead, he decided to flee from the stop.”

Johnson said Crespo fired his weapon at the suspect’s vehicle after Crespo saw one of the occupants “point the gun right at him.” That specific statement was recorded by Crespo’s body worn camera.

Johnson also pointed out that Crespo has not been the subject of disciplinary action, nor has he been involved in any previous officer-involved shooting cases.

POSSIBLE LIFE IN PRISON IF CONVICTED

In May, an Essex County grand jury indicted Crespo, a Newark resident, with aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault, two counts of possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose and two counts of official misconduct.

If convicted on all counts, Crespo faces life in prison, prosecutors said.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, it was the first fatal police-involved shooting to result in an indictment in Essex County in recent memory.

Prosecutors said that the car chase began around 11:20 p.m. when a Newark police officer stopped Griffin near Clinton Avenue and Thomas Street. When Griffin drove away during the stop, the officer radioed that he was fleeing and that “she saw a gun.”

A police chase involving several cars ensued, prosecutors said.

Essex County prosecutors have since released harrowing dashcam and body camera footage of the shooting, which shows the chase, gunfire and arrest. During the pursuit, Crespo fired shots at the fleeing car at three separate locations.

“I think I shot him,” Crespo tells another office at one point during the chase. “I seen the gun… he pointed the gun at me…. bro, he pointed the gun right at me.”

The vehicle finally stopped near Irvine Turner Boulevard and Kinney Street, where police found both men shot in the head, prosecutors said.

Police also found a loaded, semi-automatic handgun in the car, authorities said. Dixon was later charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon.

After the shooting, Crespo was suspended from duty. He had been a member of the Newark Police Division for 18 months, authorities said.

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