https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-ne-raja-trial-verdict-watch-20190307-story.html
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BREAKING NEWS
Ex-cop Nouman Raja guilty as charged in killing of Corey Jones
Local News Palm Beach County News
Ex-cop Nouman Raja guilty of manslaughter, attempted murder in roadside killing of Corey Jones
Former Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja was found guilty on all counts in killing of Corey Jones.
Marc FreemanMarc FreemanContact ReporterSouth Florida Sun Sentinel
Privacy Policy
Former police officer Nouman Raja is guilty of armed manslaughter and attempted first-degree murder for shooting stranded motorist Corey Jones to death in a roadside encounter, a Palm Beach County jury decided Thursday.
Raja, 41, had no visible reaction to the decision by the panel of four men and two women reached after nearly five hours of deliberations over two days. The moment arrived more than three years after Jones was gunned down at 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015, in a Palm Beach Gardens highway off-ramp.
“Justice … can be maddeningly slow,” State Attorney Dave Aronberg told reporters. “But it is justice.”
Circuit Judge Joseph Marx immediately ordered Raja to be placed in handcuffs and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail to await sentencing on April 26. He faces a minimum term of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
Raja, who claimed he acted in self-defense after seeing Jones with a gun, is believed to be the first police officer convicted in an on-duty shooting in Florida in the last 30 years.
“It’s a sad day when a law enforcement officer who’s in fear for their life can’t defend themselves when a person pulls a gun on them,” said John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association. He said the union, which has paid the defense’s legal expenses, remains 100 percent behind Raja.
Nouman Raja convicted
Ex-cop Nouman Raja is led from the courtroom after being taken into custody after being found guilty Thursday, March 7, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Raja was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted murder for the fatal 2015 shooting of stranded motorist Corey Jones. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool)
The eight-day trial focused on the tragic encounter, recorded on audio, at 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015, in a Palm Beach Gardens highway off-ramp.
Prosecutors argued that Raja needed to be held accountable for his reckless, aggressive actions that resulted in the killing of a 31-year-old beloved musician whose SUV broke down after a Saturday night gig with his band.
Jones’ father, Clinton Jones Sr., had an impassioned reaction after the verdict, talking to the media outside the courthouse. He said he was “filled with joy,” and that his emotions were “running pretty wild right now.” He said he wasn’t surprised that Raja was guilty of killing his son.
“The truth will always prevail. Regardless of how many bad cops there is, the truth will always prevail,” Jones said. “And this is what happened today: It was the truth that convicted him. It was the truth that brought him to justice. It was the truth that sent him to jail. It was the truth — that gave us justice for Corey.”
Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis
Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis, gestures as if Nouman Raja was shooting at Corey Jones, during her closing arguments in Raja's trial, Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool)
While race had no direct connection to the evidence in the case, it still loomed large and has been part of a national uproar over police use of deadly force against young black men. The defense urged the all-white jury not to consider race, but the prosecutors slipped in a few references such as how “a black man on the side of the road” deserves justice.
“There has been an open wound in our community and hopefully that can begin to heal,” Aronberg said. “Ultimately this is a bittersweet day because nothing can bring Corey Jones back.”
Prosecutors cast Raja as a liar and “disgrace” to all good police officers. They accused him of “staging” parts of the confrontation for investigators in an attempt to escape blame for never identifying himself as a cop and “hunting” Jones like a deer.
“The overwhelming number of police officers are good hard-working, dedicated individuals who risk their lives every day to keep our community safe,” Aronberg said. “The noble profession of law enforcement officers should not be tarnished by any one individual.”
“Corey Jones’ life was taken away,” Assistant State Attorney Brian Fernandes said in his closing argument Wednesday. “Unnecessarily, unwarranted, unlawful ... reckless disregard for a human, for a person.”
While agreeing Jones death was a terrible tragedy, the defense said it wasn’t a crime because Raja had to shoot after seeing Jones raise a loaded gun after offering police assistance.
Prosecutors release recording of Corey Jones' final words in police shooting
A recording from a roadside assistance call captured sounds from the 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015 confrontation between stranded motorist Corey Jones and then-plainclothes Palm Beach Gardens Police Officer Nouman Raja.
“He had a gun pointed at him,” attorney Richard Lubin said. “He didn’t make that up.”
“The prosecution would have you think (Raja) was out hunting … somebody to kill, that this man was out there on the prowl hoping that he would kill someone,” Lubin said.
Again and again, the prosecutors called attention to a recording of Jones’ call to an AT&T operator for roadside assistance.
'I didn’t wanna die,' ex-cop says on video about killing Corey Jones
Now former Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman Raja is seen walking investigators through the scene where he shot and killed stranded motorist Corey Jones. The video was played during Raja's trial on Feb. 27, 2019.
Jurors heard the sounds of Jones calmly requesting a tow truck, then Raja and Jones exchanging words, before Raja fired six shots from his .40 caliber Glock pistol.
Jones was hit in each arm, along with a fatal shot that tore through his heart and both lungs. Jones’ gun, which prosecutors said he only had for protection, was found 41 yards from his body.
Raja declined to testify in the trial, but the jury twice watched a video of Raja providing a voluntary and sworn statement to investigators, called a walk-through, about four and a half hours after the shooting. “I identified myself as a police officer ... and this guy’s tryin’ to kill me and I was, and I, I didn’t wanna die,” Raja said.
After the verdict, a reporter asked Jones’ father what he would tell Raja if he could talk to him.
Jones Sr. replied, "I would say to him, ‘Why didn't you let my son live? Why didn't you let my son go on that morning when he told you that he was OK? That he was good? You had the opportunity to let him go but you decided to do something else, and you took his life. And because of that, you're in the predicament that you're in now.’”
Jones’ father also thanked the community for the outpouring of support over the past three years.
"I want to thank God for all of my friends and those that loved Corey. You stuck by us. You encouraged us and gave us a lot of love and support. I want to thank everyone who had any type of relationship with our son, Corey."
All of our South Florida restaurant coverage
BREAKING NEWS
Ex-cop Nouman Raja guilty as charged in killing of Corey Jones
Local News Palm Beach County News
Ex-cop Nouman Raja guilty of manslaughter, attempted murder in roadside killing of Corey Jones
Former Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja was found guilty on all counts in killing of Corey Jones.
Marc FreemanMarc FreemanContact ReporterSouth Florida Sun Sentinel
Privacy Policy
Former police officer Nouman Raja is guilty of armed manslaughter and attempted first-degree murder for shooting stranded motorist Corey Jones to death in a roadside encounter, a Palm Beach County jury decided Thursday.
Raja, 41, had no visible reaction to the decision by the panel of four men and two women reached after nearly five hours of deliberations over two days. The moment arrived more than three years after Jones was gunned down at 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015, in a Palm Beach Gardens highway off-ramp.
“Justice … can be maddeningly slow,” State Attorney Dave Aronberg told reporters. “But it is justice.”
Circuit Judge Joseph Marx immediately ordered Raja to be placed in handcuffs and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail to await sentencing on April 26. He faces a minimum term of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
Raja, who claimed he acted in self-defense after seeing Jones with a gun, is believed to be the first police officer convicted in an on-duty shooting in Florida in the last 30 years.
“It’s a sad day when a law enforcement officer who’s in fear for their life can’t defend themselves when a person pulls a gun on them,” said John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association. He said the union, which has paid the defense’s legal expenses, remains 100 percent behind Raja.
Nouman Raja convicted
Ex-cop Nouman Raja is led from the courtroom after being taken into custody after being found guilty Thursday, March 7, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Raja was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted murder for the fatal 2015 shooting of stranded motorist Corey Jones. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool)
The eight-day trial focused on the tragic encounter, recorded on audio, at 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015, in a Palm Beach Gardens highway off-ramp.
Prosecutors argued that Raja needed to be held accountable for his reckless, aggressive actions that resulted in the killing of a 31-year-old beloved musician whose SUV broke down after a Saturday night gig with his band.
Jones’ father, Clinton Jones Sr., had an impassioned reaction after the verdict, talking to the media outside the courthouse. He said he was “filled with joy,” and that his emotions were “running pretty wild right now.” He said he wasn’t surprised that Raja was guilty of killing his son.
“The truth will always prevail. Regardless of how many bad cops there is, the truth will always prevail,” Jones said. “And this is what happened today: It was the truth that convicted him. It was the truth that brought him to justice. It was the truth that sent him to jail. It was the truth — that gave us justice for Corey.”
Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis
Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis, gestures as if Nouman Raja was shooting at Corey Jones, during her closing arguments in Raja's trial, Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool)
While race had no direct connection to the evidence in the case, it still loomed large and has been part of a national uproar over police use of deadly force against young black men. The defense urged the all-white jury not to consider race, but the prosecutors slipped in a few references such as how “a black man on the side of the road” deserves justice.
“There has been an open wound in our community and hopefully that can begin to heal,” Aronberg said. “Ultimately this is a bittersweet day because nothing can bring Corey Jones back.”
Prosecutors cast Raja as a liar and “disgrace” to all good police officers. They accused him of “staging” parts of the confrontation for investigators in an attempt to escape blame for never identifying himself as a cop and “hunting” Jones like a deer.
“The overwhelming number of police officers are good hard-working, dedicated individuals who risk their lives every day to keep our community safe,” Aronberg said. “The noble profession of law enforcement officers should not be tarnished by any one individual.”
“Corey Jones’ life was taken away,” Assistant State Attorney Brian Fernandes said in his closing argument Wednesday. “Unnecessarily, unwarranted, unlawful ... reckless disregard for a human, for a person.”
While agreeing Jones death was a terrible tragedy, the defense said it wasn’t a crime because Raja had to shoot after seeing Jones raise a loaded gun after offering police assistance.
Prosecutors release recording of Corey Jones' final words in police shooting
A recording from a roadside assistance call captured sounds from the 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18, 2015 confrontation between stranded motorist Corey Jones and then-plainclothes Palm Beach Gardens Police Officer Nouman Raja.
“He had a gun pointed at him,” attorney Richard Lubin said. “He didn’t make that up.”
“The prosecution would have you think (Raja) was out hunting … somebody to kill, that this man was out there on the prowl hoping that he would kill someone,” Lubin said.
Again and again, the prosecutors called attention to a recording of Jones’ call to an AT&T operator for roadside assistance.
'I didn’t wanna die,' ex-cop says on video about killing Corey Jones
Now former Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman Raja is seen walking investigators through the scene where he shot and killed stranded motorist Corey Jones. The video was played during Raja's trial on Feb. 27, 2019.
Jurors heard the sounds of Jones calmly requesting a tow truck, then Raja and Jones exchanging words, before Raja fired six shots from his .40 caliber Glock pistol.
Jones was hit in each arm, along with a fatal shot that tore through his heart and both lungs. Jones’ gun, which prosecutors said he only had for protection, was found 41 yards from his body.
Raja declined to testify in the trial, but the jury twice watched a video of Raja providing a voluntary and sworn statement to investigators, called a walk-through, about four and a half hours after the shooting. “I identified myself as a police officer ... and this guy’s tryin’ to kill me and I was, and I, I didn’t wanna die,” Raja said.
After the verdict, a reporter asked Jones’ father what he would tell Raja if he could talk to him.
Jones Sr. replied, "I would say to him, ‘Why didn't you let my son live? Why didn't you let my son go on that morning when he told you that he was OK? That he was good? You had the opportunity to let him go but you decided to do something else, and you took his life. And because of that, you're in the predicament that you're in now.’”
Jones’ father also thanked the community for the outpouring of support over the past three years.
"I want to thank God for all of my friends and those that loved Corey. You stuck by us. You encouraged us and gave us a lot of love and support. I want to thank everyone who had any type of relationship with our son, Corey."
