byChris Swendeman
ASBURY PARK – Two men pled guilty for their respective roles in the 2019 shooting murder of a 23-year-old Asbury Park man at the Prospect Avenue basketball courts, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Thursday.
In a hearing before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux, Prince D. Young, 24, and Chyrod M. Freeman, 23, both of Asbury Park, admitted their roles in the June 2019 shooting death of Jehadje J. McMillian. On Thursday January 27, 2022, Young and Freeman both pled guilty to first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter and second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. Young also pled guilty to first-degree Conspiracy and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, while Freeman also pled guilty to second-degree Aggravated Assault.
In accordance with the plea agreements with Young and Freeman, there will be a sentencing recommendation of 20 years in a New Jersey state prison for both men, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA), requiring them to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole.
Asbury Park police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue in the city around 10:44 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019. Police arrived on scene to find McMillian with a gunshot wound, and he was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, where he was pronounced deceased at 12:14 a.m. of the following day.
Young and Freeman were two of four men that were originally named in a 17-count Indictment on January 14, 2020 for their roles in McMillian’s homicide or other incidents that ushered in a rash of gun violence in Asbury Park during the summer of 2019. Scimel Jackson, 30, of Jay Street in Lakewood and Jahquan F. Allah, 27, of Asbury Park, were also charged with separate crimes in the indictment, and their cases remain pending.
Jackson is charged with three counts of first-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, fourth-degree Possession of a Prohibited Weapon (hollow point ammunition), third-degree Receiving Stolen Property, and two counts of second degree Certain Persons Not to Have Firearms, arising out of events preceding the McMillian homicide.
Allah is charged with first-degree Attempted Murder as a result of firing a handgun at Prince Young during the shooting incident that resulted in the death of McMillian, second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, three counts of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, fourth-degree Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, and third-degree Receiving Stolen Property.
Sentencing for both Young and Freeman is scheduled for June 24, 2022 before Judge Lemieux, while Allah and Jackson are next due to appear before Judge Lemieux on February 7, 2022 for a status conference.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Bogner and Ashley Behre. Young is represented by James R. Lisa, Esq. of Jersey City, and Freeman is represented by Albert Kapin, Esq. of West Orange.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.