Paterson man acquitted of killing Passaic teen, convicted in robbery spree

Bergen

A jury in Paterson has acquitted a man of murder and felony murder in the fatal shooting of a Passaic teen two years ago, but convicted him of robbery and conspiracy in what authorities said was a five-hour robbery spree across three cities.

Jurors in Superior Court in Paterson deliberated for more than four days to find Daniel Johnson not guilty of murder and felony murder of 18-year-old Quasim McKinney in May 2014. The panel also found him not guilty of numerous counts of armed robbery and criminal weapons possession.

Johnson, however, could still receive up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 14 for the two counts of which he was found guilty. Judge Scott Bennion revoked his bail and ordered him held at the Passaic County Jail until his sentencing.

Passaic County prosecutors argued during the trial that Johnson and an accomplice, Zaire Palms of Jersey City, unleashed a robbery spree on May 11, 2014, starting with a store in Paterson. They later went to Passaic, where they fatally shot McKinney during a robbery on a street corner on Main Avenue, they said.

The pair then continued to Jersey City and committed two more robberies before they were arrested, prosecutors said.

Palms later pleaded guilty to felony murder and several counts of armed robbery, and faces up to 38 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year.

Prosecutors argued during Johnson’s trial that Johnson was the boss of the two-man operation, while his defense attorney argued that Palms was the one who committed the robberies and fired the shots that killed McKinney.

The defense attorney, Gregory Aprile, told jurors during the trial that Johnson’s mere presence at the scenes of the robberies does not make him a participant, and that prosecutors did not present any evidence that he played any culpable role in the robberies and murder.

Aprile argued that Palms was the only actor in the robbery and murder, and stressed that a .380 caliber handgun that was used in the robbery spree was found on Palms, along with a cell phone taken from one of the victims in Paterson.

Johnson was charged with 25 counts related to the killing of McKinney and the robbery of seven victims in Paterson, Passaic and Jersey City. Jurors found him not guilty of all the charges except for second-degree conspiracy and second-degree robbery related to one of the victims in Jersey City.

Email: markos@northjersey.com