Jersey City Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For 2018 Shooting Death Of Bayonne Man

On Friday, August 12, 2022, the Honorable Angelo Servidio sentenced 24-year old, James Crawford to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison for his role in the shooting death of Eric Crocker, age 23, in Jersey City on September 4, 2018.

Crawford, a Jersey City resident, was convicted by a jury of murder, a crime of the first degree, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a crime of the second degree, and unlawful possession of a weapon, a crime of the second degree. Crawford will not be eligible for parole for 30 years.

According to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, following a four week trial, the jury was hung on the conspiracy to commit murder charge against Crawford and could not reach a unanimous decision on the murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges brought against codefendant Alexander Harris, age 33, of Jersey City.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office intends to have Harris retried on the charges. A third codefendant, Jahmir Thomas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.  On Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at approximately 5:55 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of gunshots in the area of Lembeck Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Jersey City. Upon arrival, responding officers found a male victim, later identified as Eric Crocker, 23, of Bayonne, with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at approximately 6:30 p.m.

The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and the manner of death to be homicide.

The State is represented in this matter by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutors David Feldman and Dennis Murray