Dover NJ Manslaughter LawyerThe jury in a major Dover NJ beating death case recently returned a not guilty verdict on the murder charges but found the defendant guilty of aggravated manslaughter.

After deliberating for four hours, the jury determined that the defendant, Roman Pacheco, was legally responsible for the victim’s death. Pacheco had been accused of striking the victim, Edwin Chavez, outside a bar in 2011.

Pacheco’s defense attorney argued at trial that Chavez’s death was caused by another person who hit him on the night in question. However, prosecutors countered that Pacheco’s blows with a metal stanchion were ultimately what caused Chavez’s death.

Chavez left the bar after being kicked out by a bouncer for getting into an altercation with Pacheco. According to prosecutors, Pacheco was angry at Chavez for patting his wife’s rear end. Once outside the bar, prosecutors said, Chavez fell into the street and passed out. It was then that Pacheco allegedly hit Chavez with the metal pole.

Had Pacheco been convicted of homicide, he could have faced a term of incarceration of between 30 years and life in New Jersey State Prison. Instead, he can now be sentenced to between 10 and 30 years in state prison on the aggravated manslaughter charges.

To learn more about this case, read the NJ.com article entitled “Dover Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter – Not Murder – in Beating Death.”

 

If you are facing homicide or assault charges in New Jersey, contact Morristown NJ criminal defense attorney Travis J. Tormey for a free consultation about your case.