FREEHOLD – A Neptune City man was convicted by an Ocean County jury for the 2012 attempted murder of two men outside a popular Asbury Park bar, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Tyrice L. Berry, 24, of Neptune City, was found guilty of two counts of first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Aggravated Assault, second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and second degree possession of a Handgun Without a Permit. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2018 before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Rochelle Gizinski, who presided over the six-week trial.
The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Asbury Park Police Department in connection with the October 19, 2012, shooting incident outside of the Cameo Bar on Main Street in Asbury Park.
Patrol officers from the Asbury Park Police Department were in the area of Main Street and Sunset Avenue at approximately 1:23 a.m., when they heard and responded to shots fired outside of the Cameo Bar, located at 1213 Main Street. Upon arrival, police identified a 30-year-old male and a 28-year-old male, who had both sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Both men were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, where they received treatment for their injuries.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Asbury Park Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the incident and determined the victims were seated in a parked vehicle when they were fired upon by two individuals, one of which was identified as Berry. A thorough forensic investigation resulted in the recovery of key pieces of evidence that were later linked to the defendant.
Berry now faces a maximum potential custodial sentence in a New Jersey State Prison of up to 20 years on each count of the first degree crime of Attempted Murder, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison. He also faces prison terms of up to 10 years subject to the “No Early Release Act” for each of the convictions of second degree Aggravated Assault.
For his convictions of second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and second degree Possession of a Handgun Without a Permit he faces up to an additional 10 years in state prison on each charge, and pursuant to the “Graves Act” would be required to serve a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of one half of the custodial sentence imposed, or 42 months, whichever is greater.
The case was prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Diane Aifer.
Berry is represented by Melissa Barbier, Esq., of Toms River.
Anyone having any additional information about this incident is encouraged to call Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Captain Jeffrey Wilbert at 1-800-533-7443, or Asbury Park Police Department Detective Javier Campos at 732-744-1300.
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