Black lives matter marcher cleared of charges for seaside heights incident

Black Lives Matter Marcher Cleared of Charges for Seaside Heights Incident

Posted by
1 min read
October 3, 2020

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ – Shortly after police charged and arrested Jamal Holmes for assaulting a man during a Black Lives Matter march along the Seaside Heights Boardwalk, a video surfaced on social media that showed Holmes may not have been the aggressor.  On Friday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said there was not enough evidence to charge Holmes, but added that police were in their right to detain Holmes after the incident.  The simple assault charge by the Seaside Heights Police Department against Holmes has been dropped.

You can view that video here.

On August 18th, 2020, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office was reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding an allegation of simple assault against Jamaal Holmes relative to an incident that occurred on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights on August 15, 2020.  Prosecutor Billhimer encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact OCPO detectives.

Detectives from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office subsequently launched an extensive investigation into the incident that occurred on the Seaside Heights boardwalk on August 15, 2020.  Several additional independent witnesses came forward or their names were provided by others as being present on the boardwalk that day.  OCPO SIU Detectives attempted to contact fourteen individuals and interviewed ten witnesses that were willing to cooperate.  OCPO SIU Detectives also reviewed all available surveillance footage from the boardwalk and video footage that Jamaal Holmes posted to his Facebook page.

Upon completion of this investigation, Prosecutor Billhimer reviewed all relevant evidence and ultimately determined that the Seaside Heights Police Department had probable cause to detain and arrest Jamaal Holmes for the Simple Assault of Robert Lay based upon the initial witness interviews conducted on August 15, 2020.  Additionally, Prosecutor Billhimer concluded that none of the arresting officers acted criminally.  Lastly, Prosecutor Billhimer came to the conclusion that sufficient credible evidence exists to create a reasonable doubt as to the State’s ability to prove the charge of Simple Assault beyond a reasonable doubt.  As such, the Simple Assault charge against Jamaal Holmes will be administratively dismissed, in the interest of justice, today October 2, 2020.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version