On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, a Hudson County jury convicted a 22-year-old man of multiple charges for the shooting death of Zaimeir Bell, 17, in Jersey City on March 21, 2021.
Jalen Culver, of Newark, was found guilty of Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4b(1); Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4A(1); and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5B(1). He was found not guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4a(1). The verdict was delivered before the Honorable John A. Young, J.S.C., following a four day trial. The State was represented in this matter by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Baginski.
On Sunday, March 21, 2021, just after 5:30 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Woodlawn Avenue. Responding officers found a 17-year-old male victim – later identified as Zaimeir Bell – who had sustained gunshot wound(s) to the upper body. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at approximately 6:10 p.m.
Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Friday, January 19, 2024.
