On the early morning of April 29, 2017, a young man, 20-year-old Amir Pleasant, was fatally shot in Jersey City, New Jersey. Pleasant was sitting in the driver's seat of his parked car on Dwight Street when a man approached the vehicle and opened fire, striking him multiple times. Despite his injuries, Pleasant managed to drive away from the scene.
His attempt to reach safety ended a few blocks away at the intersection of Grand Street and Jersey Avenue, where he crashed his car.
Jersey City police officers, initially responding to a report of a motor vehicle accident, discovered Pleasant unconscious inside the vehicle. He was rushed to the nearby Jersey City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was gunshot wounds to his head and torso.
An investigation led by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and the Jersey City Police Department resulted in the identification and arrest of three individuals. The shooter was identified as Marquise Brown, then 25, of Jersey City. In September 2019, a Hudson County jury found Brown guilty of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and two weapons-related offenses. In December 2019, Brown was sentenced to life in prison. Under the No Early Release Act, he will be required to serve a minimum of 63 years and nine months before becoming eligible for parole.
Two other men were also convicted for their roles in the crime. Rashad Exum, 26, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison. He must serve at least 17 years of his sentence before parole eligibility. A third man, Jahi Beatty, 21, was found guilty of two counts of hindering apprehension or prosecution.
