Two men in New Jersey were recently accused of committing criminal acts involving weapons and drugs following a shooting. Specifically, they have been indicted on charges of drug and gun crimes as well as aggravated assault. The two individuals facing criminal charges are ages 19 and 23.
According to police, the shooting took place at an apartment. Authorities reportedly seized marijuana, heroin and crack cocaine from the apartment, where a 20-year-old man was shot. They also allegedly found packaging materials for drugs as well as a bag featuring 10 live ammunition rounds.
The 19-year-old man now faces charges of aggravated assault, possessing a semi-automatic gun for an illegal purpose and illegally having a gun with no permit. His other charge involves assault in the fourth degree due to pointing a weapon inappropriately. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old man faces charges of possessing marijuana, cocaine and heroin, and intending to distribute these drugs.
The two men facing criminal charges in New Jersey may fight these charges at trial, where the prosecution must prove every element of the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt — a feat that is oftentimes hard to accomplish. This high standard exists with the goal of protecting innocent people from being convicted of and sentenced for crimes they did not commit. An attorney in a case involving drug or gun crimes will scrutinize the evidence that the prosecution plans to present at trial, with the goal of finding holes that weaken their case. The attorney’s ultimate objective is to help the defendant to achieve the most personally favorable outcome possible considering the facts of the case.
Source: Galloway, NJ, Patch, “Two South Jersey Men Indicted On Multiple Drug And Gun Charges“, Patricia A. Miller, April 20, 2018