New Jersey Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Racketeering Charges Against Prominent Democrat George Norcross III
A New Jersey appeals court has upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss racketeering charges against prominent Democratic powerbroker George E. Norcross III and five others accused of exploiting government programs and intimidating business rivals in Camden.
The three-judge panel, which reviewed the case on appeal, found that the state failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its allegations, including claims that Norcross and his associates used intimidation tactics to control waterfront property development deals. The decision was a significant blow to prosecutors, who had alleged that Norcross's actions spanned years of investigation.
Norcross, an insurance executive and influential Democratic leader in New Jersey, had pleaded not guilty to the charges two years ago. His attorneys argued that the state failed to present a clear case, and that tax benefits reaped by Norcross and his allies were used to extend the statute of limitations on the charges beyond their completion.
The allegations against Norcross and his co-defendants included accusations of pressuring government officials and others to aid in the acquisition of lucrative waterfront projects. Prosecutors also claimed that Norcross made a threatening phone call to a rival developer, Carl Dranoff, urging him to relinquish his rights to a property.
However, the appeals court found that the state's case lacked sufficient evidence to support its claims. The panel questioned the state's argument that tax benefits extended the statute of limitations on the charges, and found that key witnesses' testimony was inconsistent with their earlier statements.
The decision has significant implications for Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, who is awaiting Senate confirmation, as well as the reputation of George Norcross III, who is set to become a prominent figure in New Jersey politics. Norcross's attorneys had argued that the case was pursued for political gain, despite an earlier federal investigation that did not yield any charges.
The decision comes as part of a broader trend of high-profile corruption cases being dismissed or settled in Camden. The appeals court's 92-page ruling is expected to be closely reviewed by prosecutors and defense attorneys alike, with potential implications for future investigations into government corruption and cronyism.
A New Jersey appeals court has upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss racketeering charges against prominent Democratic powerbroker George E. Norcross III and five others accused of exploiting government programs and intimidating business rivals in Camden.
The three-judge panel, which reviewed the case on appeal, found that the state failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its allegations, including claims that Norcross and his associates used intimidation tactics to control waterfront property development deals. The decision was a significant blow to prosecutors, who had alleged that Norcross's actions spanned years of investigation.
Norcross, an insurance executive and influential Democratic leader in New Jersey, had pleaded not guilty to the charges two years ago. His attorneys argued that the state failed to present a clear case, and that tax benefits reaped by Norcross and his allies were used to extend the statute of limitations on the charges beyond their completion.
The allegations against Norcross and his co-defendants included accusations of pressuring government officials and others to aid in the acquisition of lucrative waterfront projects. Prosecutors also claimed that Norcross made a threatening phone call to a rival developer, Carl Dranoff, urging him to relinquish his rights to a property.
However, the appeals court found that the state's case lacked sufficient evidence to support its claims. The panel questioned the state's argument that tax benefits extended the statute of limitations on the charges, and found that key witnesses' testimony was inconsistent with their earlier statements.
The decision has significant implications for Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, who is awaiting Senate confirmation, as well as the reputation of George Norcross III, who is set to become a prominent figure in New Jersey politics. Norcross's attorneys had argued that the case was pursued for political gain, despite an earlier federal investigation that did not yield any charges.
The decision comes as part of a broader trend of high-profile corruption cases being dismissed or settled in Camden. The appeals court's 92-page ruling is expected to be closely reviewed by prosecutors and defense attorneys alike, with potential implications for future investigations into government corruption and cronyism.
this guy norcross got away scot free? it dont sit right wiv me. i mean, we all know about the game of politics and how people like him use their power 2 get ahead but cmon.. a racketeering charge? that's serious stuff. 
i cant believe the appeals court just brushed it off wiv some flimsy evidence. what about all the other ppl who got screwed by his actions? seems like justice took a backseat 2 politics as usual. 
did u ever try that?
looks like justice prevails in the end but its gonna be hard to believe given how deep these charges went 
can't help but wonder what really happened all those years ago 
also gotta think about the people who were intimidated into giving up their waterfront property rights 
George Norcross III just got a free pass from the law lol he's literally getting away scot free and its so sus!!! idk what was wrong w/ the state's case but they just didnt have enough juice i guess 
anyway cant say im surprised tho cuz like, politics is all about who u know rn...
- Lord Acton. Looks like this case was all about politics and power playing, and the system failed to hold anyone accountable. It's a shame, but let's hope it doesn't set a precedent for future corruption cases.
. I mean, George Norcross III was always a powerful figure in NJ politics and now he's going free because the prosecution couldn't prove anything 
. It just feels like another example of how hard it is to hold people in power accountable for their actions 
. The fact that his attorneys said the case was pursued for political gain... yeah, that's definitely suspicious 
.
George Norcross III is getting off scot-free 
! Like, I know he's a big deal in NJ politics and all but c'mon prosecutors, you had him dead to rights 
! The appeals court just said the state didn't have enough evidence which is like, totally understandable but still so frustrating 
. And now this decision comes at the worst possible time for Acting AG Jennifer Davenport, she's gonna be in Senate confirmation hearings and now her chances just went down the drain 
. I'm not even gonna get into how Norcross's team said it was all a ploy to get him off the hook 
. Anyway, can we talk about how much this whole thing is bugging me? 
. I mean, who do we think benefited from this case being dismissed? Not the people of Camden, that's for sure 
.
anywayz, did u hear about that new season of netflix's stranger things?! i need a break from all this politics drama 
I'm kinda surprised by this decision, you know? Like, a guy as powerful as George Norcross III getting off scot-free because the state can't prove its case? 
#AccountabilityIsKey
. I'm not buying it.