Dec. 18, 2017
Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Killing Inmate in Jail
Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that Rahdi Richardson, 34, has been sentenced to 29 years in New Jersey State Prison for killing his cellmate Desmond Sanders, 27, of Newark.
On Sept. 1, 2013 Sanders was discovered deceased inside of his jail cell with his cellmate, Richardson, at the Essex County Correctional Facility on Doremus Avenue in Newark, according to Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who handled the case with Assistant Prosecutor Joseph A. Giordano.
In February of this year, while in the midst of jury selection before the Honorable James W. Donohue, Richardson pled guilty to aggravated manslaughter, admitting he beat and choked Sanders to death on Aug. 31, 2013.
At the time of Sanders’ killing, Richardson and Sanders were co-defendants and were both being held in connection with a June 2013 armed robbery. In addition to the homicide plea, Richardson pled guilty to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and weapons charges. He was sentenced to 15 years on those charges. That sentence will run concurrent with his homicide sentence.
Richardson has four prior felony convictions for drugs and guns.
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