Two city men arraigned on assault, murder of Brick man
Pair allegedly lured victim into housing complex where they beat and robbed him
A pair of Asbury Park men were arraigned Monday following an indictment handed up by a Monmouth County Grand Jury charging them with the murder and robbery of an Ocean County man in July 2013, according to a news release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Spencer Young, 20, and Jahmir Bouie, 18, were arraigned Monday before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Francis J. Vernoia. The two were indicted on March 12, on charges of first degree murder, felony murder and second degree robbery in connection with the assault that claimed the life of 36-year-old Brick Township resident Thomas Sudano, Jr.
Asbury Park Police Department were dispatched to the area of 1100 Atlantic Avenue at about 12:30 a.m., on July 27, 2013, on a report of an unconscious man lying in the street. Police arrived to find the man suffered from extensive head trauma with a bleak prognosis, the release stated.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Asbury Park Police Department learned Sudano took a taxi from Brick to Asbury Park to meet with Bouie shortly before midnight. Bouie, Young and Sudano met at the McDonald’s fast food restaurant on Route 35 before Bouie and Young lured Sudano into a housing complex in Asbury Park with the intentions of robbing him, the release stated.
The investigation revealed a witness who observed the incident and identified both Young and Bouie, who without provocation or warning assaulted Sudano, punching and kicking him. During the assault, Sudano attempted to flee from his attackers but fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious. As Sudano lay motionless, Young and Bouie continued their assault, kicking and punching Sudano about his head and body. They took Sudano’s cellphone, money and removed his shoes shortly before fleeing the area, leaving Sudano lying unconscious in the street, according to the release.
Sudano was pronounced dead two days later at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Young and Bouie have been held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $1 million bail each.
If convicted of Murder or Felony Murder, Young and Bouie face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a 30 year minimum period of parole ineligibility on each charge. Young and Bouie face up to a 10 year maximum sentence on the Robbery charge. In addition, all three charges are subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act [NERA], which requires violent offenders to serve 85 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole, the release stated.
Despite the indictment, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and state law.
The case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Hoda Soliman.
Spencer Young is represented by J. Michael Wicke, Esq. and Jahmir Bouie is represented by Robert Konzelmann, Esq., both of Freehold.
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