ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Outgoing Governor Phil Murphy ignited a political firestorm in his final hours in office after issuing a full pardon to Harris Jacobs, the son of prominent Democratic fundraiser and Atlantic City attorney Joe Jacobs, just hours after the younger Jacobs was convicted in a 2022 fatal hit-and-run that killed 76-year-old Orlando Fraga.
Court records show that on September 4, 2022, Jacobs struck Fraga, who was crossing a city street, and fled the scene without notifying authorities. Investigators later determined Jacobs contacted his father multiple times after the crash before turning himself in the next day. Prosecutors charged him with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and related offenses.
The case went to trial twice — the first ending in a mistrial — before a second jury convicted Jacobs on January 20. That same day, Murphy signed a pardon order absolving him of the conviction and restoring all civil rights. The timing of the decision, coupled with Jacobs’ family’s deep political ties, has fueled bipartisan criticism and raised questions about the integrity of the state’s justice system.
Joe Jacobs, a longtime Democratic fundraiser and insider with close connections to Trenton’s political establishment, has represented local officials and major developers in Atlantic County. His influence within the state’s political network has prompted renewed scrutiny of Murphy’s final executive actions before leaving office.
Neither the Murphy administration nor the Jacobs family has commented publicly on the pardon. The victim’s relatives, however, expressed disbelief, calling the move an “injustice” that undermines accountability for fatal hit-and-run crimes.
Murphy’s pardon authority under the state constitution allows broad discretion in cases deemed worthy of clemency, but the lack of public explanation for this particular action has drawn swift reaction from lawmakers, law enforcement groups, and advocacy organizations seeking legislative review of the state’s pardon process.
Key Points: Murphy sparks outrage with last-minute pardon of power broker’s son in fatal hit-and-run – Atlantic City
- Governor Phil Murphy pardoned Harris Jacobs hours after his conviction in a 2022 hit-and-run that killed 76-year-old Orlando Fraga
- Jacobs’ father, Joe Jacobs, is a powerful Democratic attorney and fundraiser with ties to Trenton’s political network
- The timing and secrecy surrounding the pardon have drawn bipartisan criticism and renewed calls for clemency reform in New Jersey
