It has been six months since the death of Jessica Moore that resulted from an off-campus apartment shooting on South Clinton Street in East Orange on Sept. 25, yet according to authorities, there are no developments in the case.
According to Katherine Carter of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, there is "is nothing new to report at this time."
Last September, Nicholas Welch allegedly entered a South Clinton Street apartment, left and came back with a gun, firing several shots into the large crowd of party goers, one of which fatally wounded Moore. Four others were injured.
Welch was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, burglary and additional weapons offenses on Sept. 27. He was arraigned in front of Hon. Peter J. Vasquez on Sept. 29 at the Essex County Veteran's Courthouse in Newark.
Marcus Bascus, Welch's alleged accomplice, was also arrested and charged with the murder of Moore, and weapons charges resulting from a police investigation.
According to Welch's attorney, Gerald Saluti, he seemed very nervous and scared when he first met with him in September.
Saluti did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.
Bascus was not arrested until Sept. 29 when police and the United States Marshall Service found him locked in a bathroom in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He was also charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, four counts of attempted murder and weapons charges.
During his arraignment on Oct. 13, his attorney Clifford Lizzaro said Bascus had no role in the shooting and he did not attend the East Orange party.
Along with pleading not guilty, Lizzaro submitted motions for a "probable cause" hearing and a "bail reduction" hearing.
The probable cause motion was dropped on Nov. 19 by Lizzaro following the testimony of an East Orange detective who handed Lizzaro a copy of a redacted eyewitness statement.
Lizzaro did not return requests for comment as of press time.
Tim LeCras can be reached at timothy.lecras@student.shu.edu.
