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[Update, Sept. 19: a petition to protest the plea deal has been created.] A…

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[Update, Sept. 19: a petition to protest the plea deal has been created.]

A crowd marched Thursday night from Columbia High School to Maplewood Town Hall through the streets of Maplewood to protest a reported plea deal in the murder of then-CHS senior Moussa Fofana. “No justice, no peace!” about two dozen marchers yelled. “Say his name!”

Speakers at Town Hall included Moussa’s mother Hawa; Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis, who also read a statement by South Orange Village President Sheena Collum, who was unable to attend; and former Maplewood Mayor Fred Profeta. Dafis opened the microphone to the audience after his remarks; a CHS math teacher who taught Moussa and two students from Seton Hall University also spoke.

“What kind of justice is that?” Profeta asked of the plea deal during his remarks. “No justice!” the audience responded.

“This is a terrible insult to Moussa,” Profeta said. He noted that Moussa’s friends and classmates, scattered around the country at different colleges this year, were working hard to bring awareness of the case beyond locals. “This is a national outrage. People all over the country now know what you in Maplewood and South Orange know.”

Hawa Fofana spoke next. She said the plea deal “is not going to do it for me. He needs to go to jail longer than that.” She said of Moussa, “I raised my son. I did a good thing. I did everything for him to do the right thing, and he did. For someone to shoot him, and to come here and tell us it was self defense…that’s not justice for my son.”

Dafis’ speech focused on a need for better gun control and he urged residents to vote in November for candidates invested in social justice. “We are a community that believes in unity and equality,” he said.

The rally and march was organized by advocates and friends of the Fofana family. 

Four students from CHS’s Students for Justice club marched, holding “Justice for Moussa” signs. “It’s definitely disappointing to see how few of Columbia’s students are here,” junior Skylar Smith said. “Although Moussa’s classmates already graduated, it’s quite frightening to see how many people forgive and forget.” She said that because information about the rally was disseminated largely through social media, and CHS did not discuss it with students, it was hard to generate support for the cause on campus. “People could just scroll past it,” said Mariel Amador, another club member. 

On August 23, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office notified Hawa Fofana that they had struck a 15-year plea deal with Yohan Hernandez, the Newark man arrested and charged with Moussa’s murder. “I was so disappointed and so sad,” Fofana said at the time of the deal. Former Maplewood Mayor Fred Profeta called the deal “an insult” and said that, despite what the prosecutor’s statement, Hawa Fofana did not have adequate input or knowledge of the deal.  A hearing on the deal is set for September 22.

 

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]]> ‘An Insult’: Advocates for Family of Slain Maplewood Teen Blast Prosecutor in Plea Deal https://villagegreennj.com/police-and-fire/an-insult-advocates-for-family-of-slain-maplewood-teen-blast-prosecutor-in-plea-deal/ Thu, 15 Sep 2022 19:13:39 +0000 https://villagegreennj.com/?p=89493

Hours before a planned rally and march to protest the reported 15-year plea deal…

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Hours before a planned rally and march to protest the reported 15-year plea deal in the murder of Maplewood teenager Moussa Fofana, advocates and friends of the family are criticizing the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for its handling of the case.

Moussa’s mother Hawa Fofana said was called into the prosecutor’s office on August 23 (without her attorney) and told that a plea deal has been struck with Yohan Hernandez, the Newark man arrested and charged in the murder her son.

Fofana said she was disappointed, sad, and “taken by surprise.”

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said in a statement released Thursday afternoon that his office has kept Fofana informed of important developments in the case and allowed her a chance to have “meaningful input” regarding a plea:

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has consistently approached the cases presented to us by following the law and the facts. The tragic homicide of young Moussa Fofana was handled in the same way. Consistent with that approach, we have been mindful of the importance of keeping the family, through their counsel, informed of all important aspects of this case and have afforded them their right to offer meaningful input that we have considered in formulating the proposed plea. Based on the experience and expertise this office possesses, it is our considered opinion that all efforts to resolve this matter have been undertaken keeping all the above in mind.

Rich Pompelio, the family’s attorney, called parts of the statement “self-serving” and said the prosecutor’s contention that his office had provided the family with information and the opportunity for input was “not a true statement.”

Fred Profeta, former Maplewood Mayor who has advocated for justice in the case, said the 15 year plea deal was “an insult” and does not align with the facts of the case, or the law.

He also alleged the prosecutor’s statement was incorrect in several ways:

1) Hawa was not kept informed. Nor was her attorney. Hawa was called to the prosecutor’s office for an “update”, and not told to bring her attorney. That’s when she was informed that the deal had already been made. She never had an opportunity to provide input, contrary to the NJ Constitution and NJ law.

2) The recommended sentence does not comport with the facts and the law. Hernandez has confessed to intentional murder. The penalty for that is 30 years to life. 15 years for taking the entire life of Moussa Fofana is an insult.

3) The prosecutor had defended his position by claiming that the claim of self-defense is viable. It is not, either legally or factually. Hernandez stated that he shot Moussa because he “took a swing” at him. Even if that were true, answering a fist with a lethal bullet is totally disproportionate and the defense is flawed, as a matter of law.

Village Green will be covering today’s protest and will follow up on this story.

RELATED:

‘I Am Disappointed & Sad’ – Mom Reacts to Reported Plea Deal for Man Accused of Moussa Fofana’s Murder

Sept. 15 Protest Planned Against Plea Deal in Moussa Fofana Murder

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]]> SOMSD Supt. Taylor’s Statement on the Moussa Fofana Investigation Update https://villagegreennj.com/schools-kids/somsd-supt-taylors-statement-on-the-moussa-fofana-investigation-updatesuperintendent-ronald-g-taylors-statement-on-the-moussa-fofana-investigation-update/ Mon, 09 Aug 2021 19:37:40 +0000 https://villagegreennj.com/?p=83197

From SOMSD: Dear SOMSD Community, Over the weekend we received news from the Essex…

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From SOMSD:

Dear SOMSD Community,

Over the weekend we received news from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Maplewood Township Police Department that an arrest has been made in connection to the tragic death of Moussa Fofana.

As a District, our hearts are still heavy at the loss of a young man’s life cut far too short, it is unimaginable that we would lose one of our very own to such a senseless act of violence. However, today,  we also breathe a sigh of relief that a break has been made in the case and that the Fofana family is able to begin the process of healing and to see that justice is achieved for Moussa.  While there is no solace equal to the loss of one’s child, we pray and hope that this conclusion will bring comfort and perhaps some closure for the Fofana’s family, friends and loved ones.

We thank the South Orange & Maplewood community, our District staff, students and families, township officials, former Maplewood Mayor Fred Profeta, and the Board of Education for their support and rallying cry, on behalf of the Fofana family.  While the investigation is still ongoing, we want to take the time to thank all law enforcement involved for their hard work in diligently managing this case to ensure that the alleged perpetrator of this heinous crime was apprehended.

In particular, we specifically thank and acknowledge the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force led by Ted Stephens and his team with assistance from the Maplewood Police Department led by Chief DeVaul and his team, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Armando Fontoura, the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig for their support and commitment to see that justice is served for Moussa.

Educationally yours,

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor

Superintendent of Schools

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]]> Newark Man Arrested in Murder of Maplewood Student Moussa Fofana https://villagegreennj.com/police-and-fire/justice-for-moussa-arrest-made-in-murder-investigation-of-chs-student/ Fri, 06 Aug 2021 18:52:03 +0000 https://villagegreennj.com/?p=83184

“Today’s arrest is the beginning of justice for Moussa,” said Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee,…

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“Today’s arrest is the beginning of justice for Moussa,” said Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee, after the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of Yohan Hernandez, 20, of Newark, in the murder of beloved Columbia High School student Moussa Fofana, 18.

“I am thankful that Ms. Fofana can start to have true closure and my thoughts are very much with her at this time,” added McGehee.

“When we spoke earlier today, she was in good spirits. As a community, we will continue our efforts to support Ms. Fofana and her family.”

“Thank you to Prosecutor [Ted] Stephens and his team as well as [Maplewood Police] Chief [Jim] DeVaul and his team,” McGehee concluded. “As elected officials, activists and concerned citizens, we must continue our fight to rid our community and county of illegal guns.”

Hawa and Moussa Fofana

Moussa’s mother Hawa Fofana provided the following statement to media: “My family felt a great sense of relief this afternoon upon learning of the arrest in the shooting death of our beloved son, Moussa Fofana. We would like to express our gratitude to law enforcement and to our entire community for their commitment to justice over the last couple of months.”

Former Mayor Fred Profeta, who helped raise more than $50,000 toward a reward for information to help solve the murder, was reached for comment about the arrest: “What’s significant is that this is obviously due to a lot of great police work, and the involvement of the FBI demonstrates how seriously this was taken and the level of the resources brought to bear.  Frankly I’m quite proud of Maplewood and South Orange because the community really rallied to the side of Moussa’s mother and made it clear that these two towns weren’t going to settle for less than the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.”

After Fofana was shot and killed while crossing the fields at the Underhill Sports Complex on the way to a friend’s house on the evening of June 6, community and family members were shocked that the friendly and widely beloved teen had been murdered. In the days following, they held memorials and rallies and demanded updates from law enforcement. As the weeks passed with no arrests, many grew fearful that Fofana’s murder would remain unsolved. The rallying cry “Justice for Moussa” was printed on flyers and plastered on social media.

Today, when news of the arrest was announced, one commenter on social media expressed in simple terms what many felt; “Thank God.”

Village Green will continue to update this story.

From the Office of the Essex County Prosecutor:

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Maplewood Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul announced today that Yohan Hernandez, 20, of Newark has been arrested and charged with the murder of Moussa Fofana, 18, of Maplewood.

On Sunday, June 6 at approximately 9:38 pm, Maplewood police officers were dispatched to an area of Underhill Field on Garfield Place on reports of a shooting. Arriving officers located Fofana suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:24 pm. A second male victim was treated at an area hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Late yesterday Hernandez was taken into custody and charged with murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Yohan Hernandez

The arrest comes following an investigation led by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Maplewood Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Armando Fontoura, the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

Calls will be kept confidential.

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