Several high-profile criminal cases in North Jersey are set to go to trial in 2025, including shootings and a tragic boat crash
Hackensack: It’s just a few weeks into the new year, but the state Superior Court vicinages in North Jersey are bustling with plea hearings, jury selection, and judges’ opinions. Some criminal cases are getting started, while others have come to a halt with motions and evaluations.
NorthJersey.com has gathered a list of cases that are tentatively expected to head to trial this year, with some as early as next month. But remember, the wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly.
“The trial calendar is dynamic, and it is based on scheduling that entails courtroom availability, the judge’s availability, and the ability of the attorneys involved, among other factors,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella told NorthJersey.com. So, any trials listed are considered tentative and can change.
Other trials may move forward this year, while those listed might not if plea deals are struck or motions are filed for extensions. Here’s what 2025 may have in store:
Bergen County
State v. Bryant Dula and Najee Lloyd
Two North Jersey men charged with attempted murder after a shooting in Hackensack in May 2023 are tentatively headed to trial in February.
Bryant Dula, 30, of Little Falls, and Najee Lloyd, 34, of Wood-Ridge, were allegedly involved in a shooting near Carver Park that injured two people. Prosecutors say they can be linked to the shooting through surveillance video and phone data. Dula allegedly fired 25 rounds from an “assault rifle,” according to arrest documents.
Judge Vincent Militello is presiding over the case. Dula is represented by defense attorney Gregory Aprile, and Lloyd is represented by defense attorney Harley Breite. They’re both expected back in court for a hearing on Feb. 24.
State v. Michael Sampson
A Garfield man serving a 65-year sentence after being convicted of killing a man near a Cliffside Park bus stop in 2012 is expected to have a new trial in April.
A state appeals court threw out Michael Sampson’s conviction in 2019 and ordered that his charges be heard in two separate trials before a new judge. Several issues have played out in the case since then, including a lawsuit he filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, claiming false arrest and excessive force, among other allegations. The lawsuit has been winding through the court system and reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit last year.
Sampson, 50, was found guilty in the 2012 shooting of Hector “Tito” Zabala, who was shot five times while trying to protect himself. Sampson, who claimed he shot Zabala to protect himself and others, was found guilty on eight of ten counts, including murder.
Sampson is representing himself in court, and Judge Kevin Kelly is presiding over the case.
State v. Jairrod J. Shannon
Jairrod J. Shannon, 23, of Teaneck, who was charged with fatally shooting another man at a local park in 2021, is tentatively headed to trial on April 1.
Shannon was charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing Maximillian Reyes, 20, at Ammann Park on June 5, 2021. Reyes called 911 and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.
Authorities say Shannon lured Reyes to the park under the pretense of selling him Percocet. They had previously argued and exchanged threats via text. An AR-15 rifle bolt was found near Reyes’ body, and Shannon’s DNA was also found on it.
Judge Kevin Kelly is expected to preside over the case, with Shannon represented by defense attorney Scott Finckenauer.
Morris County
State v. Emilio Rivera
Emilio Rivera, a nurse charged in connection with the death of a disabled man from East Hanover in November 2023, is tentatively scheduled for trial on March 24.
Rivera, 30, was employed by Bayada Home Health Care and was assigned to provide nursing services to Matthew Rossi, 19, who had congenital muscular dystrophy. Rossi went into distress on a bus ride home and became unresponsive after Rivera allegedly failed to take proper actions, leading to the teen’s death.
The family accuses Rivera of failing to clear Rossi’s airway and not calling 911. Rivera faces several charges, including second-degree endangering a person with a developmental disability.
Judge Ralph Amirata recently denied a motion to dismiss the indictment. A hearing on whether a jury can hear evidence of Rivera’s prior actions will be held on Feb. 5.
State v. Tyrell Lansing and Dequan McDaniel
Several motions and appeals have delayed the case against Tyrell Lansing, charged with murder in the shooting death of a 35-year-old man in Morristown in 2021. Lansing, 31, could head to trial this year if all motions are resolved.
On Feb. 20, Judge Stephen Taylor is expected to hear testimony from a defense expert. Lansing has maintained that prosecutors have the wrong person in this case.
Police responded to a shooting on Aug. 18, 2021, and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds. Lansing allegedly fled the scene with co-defendant Dequan McDaniel, who is also charged.
State v. Jared Green
A Hunterdon County corrections officer charged with sexual assault may head to trial by late winter or early spring in Morris County.
Jared Green, 35, was indicted on multiple counts, including first-degree sexual assault, for allegedly assaulting a child multiple times between 2011 and 2018. His case is being heard in Morris County to avoid a conflict of interest.
Passaic County
State v. Shawn Kelly
Shawn Kelly, a former Paramus firefighter accused of killing a man in a West Milford boat crash in 2016, is likely to start his trial in February, with jury selection already underway.
Kelly, now 50, was arrested in August 2018, nearly two years after the crash that killed Edwin Lane, 72. Lane suffered a skull fracture and died a month later.
Judge Justine Niccolai is presiding over the trial. Kelly’s defense attorney has fought for dismissal of the indictment, claiming there’s no evidence linking Kelly to Lane’s death.
Kelly is accused of crashing his boat into another, resulting in serious injuries to others on board. He faces multiple charges, including death by vessel and leaving the scene of a boating accident.
Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What North Jersey criminal cases may head to trial this year? Find out
