July 29, 2008 - 11:06am
News

Turner calls for leniency in James case

NEWARK - Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) submitted a letter to the court on behalf of former Newark Mayor Sharpe James, part of which defense attorney Thomas Ashley read to U.S. District Judge William Martini.

"The events represent a brief period in a long and illustrious career," Turner wrote. "...I am convinced he is not likely to commit another offense."

The crime of fraud, said Turner, represented a departure from James’s otherwise distinguished public service as a teacher and elected official, in her view.

Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer), Tuner's Republican state Senate colleague and fellow member of the Mercer County delegation, last week wrote a letter to Martini with three other GOP lawmakers, asking the judge to impose the maximum penalty. 

Father of three sons, James's eldest son is currently serving in a National Guard unit in the Middle East, Ashley noted, as he continued to argue for why the judge shouldn't unduly punish James.

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.

Comments

is she serious?


this represents a brief period for which he got caught...what about all the other misdeeds he wasn't charged with?! she's just another example of the epidemic in Trenton...

07/29/08 12:30 pm

Draw and Quarter the SOB!


This is a typical example of the moral relativism that is causing our society to crumble.

Right is right and wrong is wrong. Sharpe James should be taken out back and shot.

Why doesn't anyone ever write a letter taking up the cause of the poor suffering citizens of the People's State of New Jersey?
Sic Semper Tyrannis!

07/29/08 4:02 pm

Draw and Quarter the SOB!


This is a typical example of the moral relativism that is causing our society to crumble.

Right is right and wrong is wrong. Sharpe James should be taken out back and shot.

Why doesn't anyone ever write a letter taking up the cause of the poor suffering citizens of the People's State of New Jersey?
Sic Semper Tyrannis!

07/29/08 4:04 pm