By Police1 Staff
ESSEX COUNTY, N.J. — A grand jury declined to charge a New Jersey police officer who fatally shot an unarmed businessman in a Newark park last year.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said 23 grand jurors reviewed the shooting of DeFarra Ivan Gaymon, 48,at Branch Brook Park and chose against charging Esposito, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Detective Edward Esposito was undercover investigating complaints of public sexual activity on July 16 when Gaymon approached him, the report said.
Esposito pulled out his badge, identified himself as a police officer and attempted to place Gaymon under arrest, the prosecutor said. Gaymon then allegedly assaulted the officer and ran off.
When ordered by the officer to stop, “Mr. Gaymon did not raise his arms or make his hands visible and repeatedly threatened to kill the officer,” according to a statement made by the officer.
Jurors were told that Gaymon then lunged at the officer, attempting to disarm him while reaching into his own pocket. Esposito then shot Gaymon once in the stomach, and Gaymon later died at hospital, according to the report.