February 25, 2010
Office of The Attorney General
– Paula T. Dow, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
– Stephen J. Taylor, Director
Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791
Camden Man Indicted on Attempted Murder Charge for Allegedly Shooting Man in City in June 2009
TRENTON – Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that a Camden man has been indicted on an attempted murder charge in connection with a shooting in Camden in June 2009.
The indictment was obtained yesterday by the Division of Criminal Justice as a result of an investigation by the Camden City Police Department and Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Director Taylor, the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau obtained an indictment charging Kazmeck Hollingsworth, a.k.a., Darnel Drayton, 39, of Camden with attempted murder (1st degree), aggravated assault (2nd degree), aggravated assault (3rd degree), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (2nd degree), unlawful possession of a weapon (2nd degree), and possession of a weapon as a convicted felon (2nd degree). The indictment was returned yesterday by a Camden County grand jury and handed up in Superior Court.
The indictment alleges that on June 28, 2009, Hollingsworth shot a 34-year-old man in the 3200 block of Westfield Avenue. Hollingsworth allegedly got into an argument with the victim because the victim previously had confronted a relative of Hollingsworth over how that relative had treated a female cousin of the victim. Hollingsworth allegedly hit the victim in the head with a handgun, pointed the gun at the victim’s face, and then shot the victim multiple times in the torso and arm. The victim survived his injuries.
Deputy Attorney General Kristen Harberg presented the cases to the Camden County grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.
Attorney General Dow credited the investigators who conducted the investigation: Detective Gabe Rodriguez of the Camden City Police Department, who is the lead detective; Senior Investigator William Gonzalez of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, who is the lead trial investigator; Officer Craig Milbury, Detective Julio Rodriguez, Detective Robert Perkins and Detective Neil Long of the Camden Police Department; and Senior Investigator Steven Settles of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
First-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison and a $200,000 fine, while second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a $150,000 fine. The attempted murder and aggravated assault charges carry a mandatory term of parole ineligibility equal to 85 percent of the sentence imposed.
The charge of possession of a weapon as a convicted felon carries a mandatory five-year term of parole ineligibility, and the other gun charges carry a mandatory term of parole ineligibility of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed or three years, whichever is greater.
Third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a $15,000 fine.
The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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