A New Jersey man's request for a lower bail amount was denied by a judge on Oct. 6. The man's attorney had made the request after claiming that there was no physical or forensic evidence that tied his client to a robbery that took place on Sept. 22 on Randall Avenue in Trenton. Because of the judge's denial of the request, the 33-year-old man still has a cash-only bail amount of $250,000.
The defendant in this case faces weapons offenses along with charges of theft, burglary and robbery in connection with an incident that resulted in a homeowner being forced to open a safe while being held at gunpoint. Police reports state that two men, one identified as the defendant in this case, made off with $700 after the robbery.
After the robbery, the homeowner in the case identified one of the men who he claimed robbed him at gunpoint. Reports indicate, however, that the identification was made using a Facebook photo. Due to the absence of other incriminating evidence, the attorney of the accused labeled the connection as tenuous. The judge in the bail hearing cited the man's prior record as a reason for his refusal to decrease bail.
Something as small as a photo can easily be used as incriminating evidence when an individual faces criminal charges. The accusations made against the defendant in this case are serious, and anyone anticipating a similar situation may do better with legal assistance. In the end, legal aid may be able to secure a more favorable outcome for those charged with serious crimes.
Source: NJ.com, "Trenton armed robbery suspect identified through Facebook photo", James McEvoy, October 06, 2014