It was in the early hours of New Year's Day in 2014 that the life of Roger Waddell Pickett Jr., a 41-year-old male, was cut short in a violent encounter in Jersey City, New Jersey. The incident that led to his death unfolded around 2:30 a.m. inside a local bar, where an argument escalated to a tragic conclusion. Pickett was shot three times, leaving him in critical condition. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that day.
The man identified as the shooter was 63-year-old James Corley Jr., a retired Jersey City police officer. Witnesses at the scene reported that Corley and Pickett had been involved in a dispute prior to the shooting. Following the incident, Corley was taken into custody.
A 9mm Glock pistol that was registered to him was recovered at the scene of the shooting.
Initially, Corley faced charges of attempted murder, and his bail was set at $250,000. However, following Pickett's death on the same day as the shooting, the charges were upgraded to murder. Corley had a history with the Jersey City Police Department, having retired in 2004, and had also served as the chief of staff for a former Police Department Director. The case then moved forward to the judicial system for prosecution.
