2006 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
JAMES P. LYNCH, ACTING CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA INFORMATION

May 23, 2006

Acting Camden County Prosecutor James P. Lynch announced today that his office will seek to try two Winslow Township High School students as adults in an alleged plot to murder students and adults at the school and other locations.

Assistant Prosecutor Diane Marano, Section Chief of the Juvenile Unit within the Prosecutor’s Office, filed a motion with the Court today seeking to waive a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old to adult court. Two other teens allegedly involved – a 14-year-old from Winslow and a 15-year-old from neighboring Hammonton – will be prosecuted in Family Court as juveniles, Lynch said.

All four are males and all are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Terroristic Threats. The alleged plot was foiled when other students came forward to school personnel and to a Winslow Township Police officer stationed in the high school. That spurred an investigation by Winslow Police, under the leadership of Chief Anthony Bello.

It is alleged that the defendants discussed detailed plans to shoot numerous individuals in the school cafeteria during a lunch period in April 2006, as well as at residences and other locations in Winslow. The Winslow residents were arrested on April 4 and the Hammonton resident the following day.

The 15-year-old Winslow resident is alleged to be the ringleader among the four and allegedly made multiple attempts to obtain a gun. The 16-year-old is the oldest of the others, and is alleged to be a full and willing participant who was entirely committed to the plan.

“I believe this decision is fair and reasonable based on a careful analysis of the facts and a detailed evaluation of the juveniles allegedly involved,” Lynch said. “The law instructs prosecutors to make an independent judgment on waiver for each juvenile, and that is what we have done. Even though we are not seeking to waive two of the juveniles, we intend to vigorously pursue the charges against them within the framework of the juvenile justice system.”

Lynch also announced this his office intends to dismiss a charge of Terrorism that had been lodged against each of the four defendants.

“After thoroughly reviewing the matter, we determined that the facts of this case do not meet what we believe to be the legislative intent of the statute,” Lynch stated. “Terrorism normally involves politically motivated acts of violence. We did not discern any political motivation on the part of any of the alleged participants.”

Conspiracy to Commit Murder carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison upon conviction in adult court and a maximum four years’ incarceration for a juvenile adjudication. Terroristic Threats carries a maximum five years for a convicted adult and up to two years for a juvenile.

In addition to the other charges, the 14-year-old juvenile is charged with a second count of Terroristic Threats and one count of Simple Assault, a Disorderly Persons offense. He is accused of grabbing a female juvenile by the neck on March 15, 2006, at the high school, and telling the victim he would kill her.

Lynch noted that he had a number of discussions with Winslow Police Chief Anthony Bello regarding the case. He also spoke today with Interim Winslow School Superintendent Michael Schreiner to inform him of the decision. The Court and defense attorneys have also been made aware. In addition, CCPO Victim-Witness advocates notified each of the victims allegedly targeted.

A status conference is scheduled for June 1 at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 24 of the Camden County Hall of Justice, 5th Street & Mickle Boulevard, Camden, before Judge Angelo DiCamillo of the Family Division of Superior Court. A hearing before Judge DiCamillo on the issue of waiver is expected to be scheduled for sometime after that.

In accordance with state law, the juveniles’ names and other identifying information are being withheld because of their ages. The three Winslow teens are being held at the Camden County Youth Detention Center in Blackwood, while the Hammonton resident has been released on house arrest.

All persons charged with criminal offenses are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.