2 charged in teacher’s mistaken-identity killing plead not guilty

FREEHOLD — Two of the three men accused of beating a beloved Red Bank schoolteacher to death in a case of mistaken identity appeared Thursday in court where they proclaimed their innocence. One of the suspects, James Fair, 27, boldly declared himself not guilty of the seven charges lodged against him on Wednesday when he and… Read the rest of this entry »

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Three Asbury Park Men Charged in Red Bank Teacher’s Murder

Freehold,NJ- Three Asbury Park men, all currently incarcerated on unrelated crimes, have been charged in the 2009 murder of Jonelle Melton, a 33 year old Red Bank Middle School teacher who resided in Brighton Arms apartment complex in Neptune City.

James Fair, 27, Ebenezer Byrd, 35 and Gregory Jean-Baptiste, 26, were each charged with first degree Felony Murder, first degree Robbery, and other second degree charges.   Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced the charges during a press conference at Freehold office this morning.  Melton’s husband, mother and other family members and friends were present for the announcement.

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Recounts scheduled for in Asbury Park, Neptune City and Spring Lake Hts elections

The results of the November 3, 2015 Board of Education election in Asbury Park, and the municipal races in Neptune City and Spring Lake Heights will be rechecked and recounted on Tuesday, November 24 at 10 am, at the Board of Elections Office in Freehold, pursuant to Judge Katie A. Gummer’s Orders.

The rechecks and recounts were requested via Petitions filed by Allan C. Roth, a Springfield, NJ attorney, on behalf of Asbury Park Board of Education candidate Barbara Lesiniski, Spring Lake Heights Council candidate Nathaniel Novak and Michael Skudera, a candidate for Council in Neptune City.

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Seidle Indicted, Faces Life In Prison

Philip Seidle

The Neptune Township police officer who shot and killed his wife in Asbury Park last June was indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury this morning, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Philip Seidle, 51, a 22 year veteran of the Neptune Police Department, was charged with one count of First Degree Murder, one count of Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Asbury Park police responded to a report of an unrelated motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Ridge and Sewall Avenues in the city at approximately 11:26 a.m. on June 16, 2015. During that service call, the black 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, driven by Tamara Seidle, turned the corner onto Sewall Avenue before crashing into a parked 2002 Ford Focus. The Jetta was being followed closely by the 2005 Honda Pilot driven by Philip Seidle, who exited the vehicle, pulled out a handgun and approached the driver’s side of the Jetta. Philip Seidle fired multiple shots into the vehicle, striking Tamara Seidle.  Philip Seidle then turned the weapon on himself, pointing the weapon at his head, before moving to the front of the Jetta and firing several more shots into the windshield of the vehicle.

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Howell mayor accuses township residents of anti-Semitism

Howell Mayor William Gotto. Photo via HowellRepublican.com

HOWELL — Mayor William Gotto isn’t happy about “absolutely disgusting” comments he said were made on social media about a controversial affordable housing project owned by an Orthodox Jewish group. In fact, he made his disdain publicly known when he bemoaned at a council meeting on Nov. 9 and in a subsequent letter to residents, riling… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. Democrats pick up 4th new Assembly seat as Republican concedes in close race

TRENTON — State Assemblywoman Donna Simon conceded Central New Jersey’s 16th District race Monday, nearly two weeks after the legislative contest was deemed too close to call. Simon’s loss is a gain for state Democrats, whose Nov. 3 election wins expand their 48-31 majority by four seats, taking down four Republican incumbents. Simon (R-Mercer), an assemblywoman… Read the rest of this entry »

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Red Bank Recount Set For Friday, November 20

The results of the municipal election in Red Bank will be rechecked and recounted on Friday, November 20, 10 a.m., at the Board of Elections office in Freehold, pursuant to a Order by Superior Court Judge Katie A. Gummer.

Judge Gummer’s Order was requested in a petition by Councilman Michael DuPont. DuPont is down two votes to Republican challenger Michael Whelan in the current “unofficial” ballot count.  If Whelan prevails, Red Bank Republicans will hold a 4-2 partisan majority on the Borough Council.   Should DuPont gain three or more votes in the recount, and if those results are not contested, there would be 3-3 partisan split on the Council with Mayor Pat Menna, a Democrat, being the deciding vote.

In her Order dated November 13, Gummer rejected DuPont’s request that rejected absentee (Vote-By-Mail) and provisional ballots be examined and reconsidered.

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Ocean Township Cops Seek Kohl’s Shoplifter

The Ocean Township Police Department is asking the public to assist them in identifying a suspected shoplifter.

The suspect, pictured left, was captured on video surveillance shoplifting from Kohl’s in the Middlebrook Shopping Plaza on Route 35.  He left the area and the OTPD have been unsuccessful in there to identify him.

Anyone who can identify this man is requested to contact the case detective, Mike Legg. **All information received will be confidential**

Detective Mike Legg: Desk # 732-897-6236
Tip Line: 732-531-3323
Email: [email protected]

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Christie: Steps being taken to protect N.J. after Paris attacks

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Chris Christie indicated Friday night New Jersey officials are on alert following the deadly series of attacks in Paris that have claimed lives across the city. Christie, tweeting from his gubernatorial account, said he’s working with New Jersey State Police and the state’s Homeland Security department in the wake of the attacks.… Read the rest of this entry »

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Exclusive: Guadagno welcomes release of investigation documents

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno photo via NJ.gov

In an exclusive interview with MoreMonmouthMusings, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno said that she is pleased that the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court has ruled that documents associated with the investigation into her hiring of a retired detective when she was the Monmouth County Sheriff will be released within 45 days.

“The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) and the Police and Firemen’s  Retirement System (PFRS) have investigated my actions while Monmouth County Sheriff, regarding the hiring and compensation of an employee and found nothing.  When the internal investigative documents that the blogger has sued for are released, they will show – again-  that I acted appropriately and in the best interests of Monmouth County taxpayers,” Guadagno said.

Appellate Judges George S. Leone and Carol E. Higbee ruled on Thursday that two documents , a three page letter date June 6, 2011 from PFRS to the Attorney General requesting an investigation and one page letter dated June 21, 2012 from the Division of Criminal Justice(DCJ) to PFRS on the status of the investigation, shall be released.   Leone and Higbee’s ruling overturned a ruling by Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson that the State had the right to withhold the documents from Mark Lagerkvist, a blogger who has used his allegations against Guadagno to kick start his career.

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