Not Guilty Verdict - Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County - Defendant Released

Superior Court of New Jersey-Hudson County. Defendant indicted for 1st degree kidnapping, 2nd degree aggravated assault and extortion, 3rd degree false imprisonment, 3rd criminal restraint, 3rd degree extortion, 3rd terroristic threats. Before the start of the first trial judge threw out extortion count. However, a mistrial was declared when jury could not reach a verdict as to the counts of the indictment. Two months later, second jury trial and jury found defendant not guilty of 1st degree kidnapping, not guilty of 2nd degree aggravated assault, not guilty of 3rd degree criminal restraint, not guilty of terroristic threats, not guilty of false imprisonment. Jury deadlocked on lesser included charge of 3rd degree aggravated assault and disorderly person's offense of harassment. Client faces minimal jail time of 20 years on the kidnapping charge alone. After verdict and discharge of jury, defendant not wanting to face the possibility of a third trial, plead guilty to 3rd degree assault, and a sentence of time served since he spent 10 months in the Hudson County jail waiting for his second trial under pretrial detention. Defendant released the same day.