Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that Al Rashid, 46, of Newark has been sentenced to 23 years in New Jersey State Prison for shooting a man off a ladder while he worked on the roof of a church.
Rashid was found guilty of aggravated assault and weapons possession following an incident on Aug. 8, 2016 in which he shot a man on South 14th Street, near 8th Avenue at 9:35 a.m. The man was working to repair or replace a roof with other men when Rashid came up and shot him.
Prior to the incident the victim and Rashid both lived in a two-family home in Newark. Rashid lived on the first floor and the victim and his wife on the second floor. The state believed Rashid was angry with the man because he felt he caused him to be evicted.
The victim fell 20 feet off the ladder after being shot four times. He still has a bullet lodged in his spine causing him to be permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
“While the victim must live forever with the life-altering injuries, we are satisfied that the jury’s decision and the lengthy sentence have resulted in justice,” said Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Oliveira, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Brianne Cunningham.
The Honorable Michael L. Ravin, Judge of the Superior Court, sentenced Rashid to 18 years for attempted murder and five additional years for the gun charge. The defendant must serve 85 percent of the 18-year sentence before he is eligible for parole. He must serve two years on the 5-year gun sentence before he is eligible for parole.
The defendant was previously convicted in 1995 and served 7 years in prison.