The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey • A3

Saturday, May 28, 2011 HERALD NEWS A3 STATE NEWS MORE STATE NEWS PAGE A-4 19-year-old held in killing of cop 2nd man sought in Newark shooting mm 53 ASSOCIATED PRESS Newark Mayor Cory Booker answering questions Friday about the slaying of veteran Police Officer William Johnson, pictured at right. sponsible for these crimes." Besides Johnson, a 21-year-old man was wounded and was in stable condition at University Hospital. A 19-year-old at the restaurant with her toddler was struck in the shoulder. She was released from the hospital Friday morning. Her child was not wounded.

Acting Police Director Samuel DeMaio said video surveillance from inside the fast-food place showed that the shooting happened so quickly, Johnson would not have had time to draw a weapon. Police canvassed the South Ward neighborhood putting up posters for Crimestop-pers, hoping a $20,000 reward would induce witnesses to come forward with details of the shooting. The vehicle from which the shots came sped off immediately, authorities said. DeMaio said there were multiple shots fired; he did not provide an exact number but said it was fewer than 10. Details on a possible weapon used were not immediately released.

Police and city leaders were mourning the loss of the veteran officer. "He is from our city. He lived in Newark. He is one of our own, up from the bricks. And one of our own, who dedicated his life to protect us, is slain in our streets," Booker said.

"We must work together to say this will never happen again." By DAVID PORTER and SAMANTHA HENRY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK A 19-year-old man was arrested Friday in connection with a drive-by shooting that killed an off-duty Newark police officer who was getting a slice of pizza at a neighborhood fast-food place, though a second suspect who is believed to be the shooter remained at large. Rasul McNeil-Thomas was arrested at his home in Newark on Friday. He was charged with carjacking, conspiracy and weapons offenses and was being held on $300,000 bail. Authorities said McNeil-Thomas and the other suspect stole a car at gunpoint and used it in the shooting. The car was recovered nearby soon afterward.

They did not say what tied McNeil-Thomas to the car or whether he had identified the second suspect. Two other customers were wounded in the Thursday night attack that killed 45-year-old officer William Johnson. Authorities reiterated Friday night that they believe Johnson was not the target. "There is still a deep sense of pain for the loss of this officer," Mayor Cory Booker said. "But there is a sense of gratitude, of pride and relief that investigators are getting to the closing strides to find who is re Sharpe James sued over campaign funds TRENTON The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission is going after former Newark mayor Sharpe James for using campaign money to pay for his criminal defense.

James ran Newark for more than 20 years and was also a state senator before he was convicted in 2008 and sent to prison on charges of abusing his office by steering city-owned land to his onetime mistress. ELEC has filed a lawsuit charging James and his campaign treasurer, Cheryl Johnson, of violating the state's campaign finance laws. It seeks repayment of the $94,000 in campaign money and $6,000 in fines. Jesse Jackson to lead union rallies TRENTON -The AFL-CIO is bringing the Rev. Jesse Jackson to New Jersey two days next week for union rallies.

Union workers are calling on lawmakers to pass a budget that would be fair to worldng families. Events will take place Tuesday and Wednesday in Camden, Trenton, Newark and Jersey City. Fourth attempt at Princeton merger PRINCETON A commission is recommending that Princeton Township and Princeton Borough merge. Its name would be simply "Princeton." The Times of Trenton reported Friday that members of a commission formed by the two town want to put the union on the November's ballots. Voters have shot down the merger three times, most recently in 1996.

'Batman' may film in Newark, Booker says NEWARK Mayor Cory Booker said Friday that movie executives are scouting New Jersey's largest city to possibly film scenes for a new Batman movie. On his Twitter account, Booker said he met with a producer and "studio team" for the movie. He suggested that he star as Nightwing, the DC Comics character that Dick Grayson became as an adult after giving up his role as Robin, but Booker said the executives smiled and looked at their watches. From news service reports Police say there were more people in the fast-food place than the three who were shot, and one of them may have been the intended target. They were asking the public's help in tracking down any witnesses who may have been inside the restaurant or in the vicinity.

The slain officer grew up in Newark and continued to live in the city that often ranks as one of the nation's most dangerous places. He had two daughters and was not married. He was declared dead just after 3 a.m. Violent crime has risen in Newark in the last two years, despite gains in 2007 and 2008. There were twice as many murders, 20, in the first three months of this year, compared with last year, according to police department statistics.

Johnson, an officer since 1995, was known in the department as an affable, dedicated cop who excelled at any assignment he was given, DeMaio said. He was assigned to the video surveillance unit, monitoring police cameras set up around the city, and alerting officers in the streets to any suspicious activities. In this case, investigators were looking at surveillance video from inside and outside the restaurant to help solve the slaying of one of their own. Johnson was off duty when he stopped by Texas Fried Chicken and Pizza to order something to eat. Surveillance video showed he was standing at the counter, waiting for his food when the shooting occurred, according to DeMaio.

The bullets came from a vehicle outside the restaurant about 9:50 p.m. Bill would ban paying for graduation speakers for her May 15 speech at Rutgers Stadium. Kean paid singer John Legend $25,000 to speak and sing two songs at its May 12 ceremony at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Assemblyman John DiMaio, R-Warren, one of the bill's sponsors, said he objects to public institutions paying celebrities at a time when student costs are rising and state funding is shrinking. "We're in very, very difficult times," DiMaio said.

"Tuitions are up. The amount of aid we have to offer is down." Though Rutgers and Kean officials said they paid speakers to give their students the best graduation possible, DiMaio said it is not necessary to offer commencement speakers monetary compensation. "That's an honor enough to be asked," DiMaio said. The bill, introduced in the Assembly Monday, has bipartisan support. It is co-sponsored by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, D-Middlesex, chairman of the education committee.

By KELLY HEYBOER THE STAR-LEDGER New Jersey's public colleges would be banned from paying for commencement speakers under legislation introduced in Trenton this week. The bill comes two weeks after Rutgers and Kean universities cut big checks for celebrity speakers to headline their graduation ceremonies. Rutgers officials paid Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison $30,000 The legislation says if a public college or university pays a graduation speaker, the state treasurer will deduct the equivalent amount from the school's state aid. Rutgers officials said they plan to have their attorneys review the proposed law. "We haven't yet had the bill reviewed by the counsel's office," said Greg Trevor, a Rutgers spokesman.

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