Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Sherry A. Hutchins-Henderson, J.S.C., sentenced Garland Jones, 44, of Newark to 15 years in state prison for attempting to kill his estranged wife and a male companion who intervened and tried to render assistance.
In November 2012 Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder, one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, and one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
On Sept. 14, 2011, Jones saw his estranged wife with a man at the bus stop on the corner of Grafton Avenue and Broadway in Newark. Jones crossed the street and began to assault the victim by choking her. When the male intervened, Jones pulled out a handgun. He fired the gun several times, striking his wife in her upper chest, left ankle and back. The male victim was struck in the right arm.
A bullet also shattered the window of a passing driver. Glass from the driver’s windshield caused cuts to her face. In addition to the attempted murder counts, Jones also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault charges related to the driver.
Judge Hutchinson-Henderson sentenced Jones to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison. He is required to serve 85 percent of his sentence under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA) before becoming eligible for parole.
Assistant Prosecutor Dawn D’Amico, who handled the case, said, “This defendant’s rage toward his ex-wife not only put her at great risk but her companion and an innocent passerby who obviously had nothing to do with what was occurring. Given the seriousness of the attack and his prior convictions, a 15 year sentence is appropriate.’’
In addition to this most recent conviction, Jones was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon in 1991. He was convicted of sexual assault in 2000 and aggravated assault in 2009.
