In the early morning hours of June 17, 1966, the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, was the scene of a brutal crime that would leave a lasting mark on the city. Fred Nauyoks, a 60-year-old male patron, was among those who lost their lives in a sudden burst of violence. The events of that night unfolded around 2:30 a.m. when two armed men entered the establishment and opened fire.
The bartender, James Oliver, and Nauyoks were killed instantly.
Another customer, Hazel Tanis, was gravely wounded and succumbed to her injuries a month later. A fourth victim, Willie Marins, survived the attack but was blinded in one eye. The shooters, described by witnesses as two Black men, fled the scene after the attack. One was armed with a. 32 caliber pistol and the other a shotgun.
The investigation into the triple homicide quickly led to the arrests of two suspects: middleweight boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter and a man named John Artis. Carter and Artis were stopped by police shortly after the shootings. Although they were initially released, they were later indicted after eyewitnesses identified them as the gunmen. The prosecution's case relied heavily on the testimony of these witnesses.
In 1967, an all-white jury convicted both Carter and Artis of the murders, and they were each sentenced to life in prison. However, the case was far from over. The convictions were plagued by allegations of racial motivation and procedural errors. Over the years that followed, Carter and Artis maintained their innocence, and their cause garnered significant public attention, inspiring a Bob Dylan song and later a feature film.
After a series of appeals that highlighted inconsistencies in witness testimonies and alleged misconduct by the prosecution, Carter and Artis were granted a new trial. Despite being convicted a second time, their legal battles continued. Ultimately, in 1985, a federal judge overturned their convictions, citing 'grave constitutional violations.' Prosecutors opted not to pursue a third trial, and the charges against both men were dismissed. As a result, the murders of Fred Nauyoks, James Oliver, and Hazel Tanis officially remain unsolved.
