CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. — A Cape May man has been sentenced to eight years in New Jersey State Prison after pleading guilty to a violent domestic assault on his then-pregnant fiancé, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland announced Friday.
John P. Linnington, 33, was sentenced in Cape May County Superior Court by Judge Bernard E. DeLury following a March 21 guilty plea to first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault by strangulation on a domestic violence victim, and third-degree contempt of a judicial order.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit that began after multiple acts of domestic violence were reported. Linnington was first charged on April 11, 2022, and later indicted on October 17, 2023.
Under the terms of the sentence, Linnington must serve his eight-year term subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning he must complete at least 85% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Upon release, he will be under five years of parole supervision and is prohibited from contacting the victim.
“The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office will always pursue and prosecute perpetrators of Domestic Violence to the fullest extent of the law to ensure victims receive justice,” Sutherland said in a statement.
Special Victims Unit investigation leads to felony conviction
Prosecutor Sutherland acknowledged the efforts of the Special Victims Unit and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Bryna Batten for their roles in the investigation and prosecution.
Linnington’s plea followed over two years of legal proceedings, including the October 2023 indictment and subsequent preparation for trial.
The court determined that the violence met the threshold for first-degree attempted murder based on the circumstances and severity of the attack, which occurred while the victim was pregnant.
The Prosecutor’s Office emphasized the importance of holding offenders accountable in domestic violence cases, particularly those involving repeat violations of protective orders.