A man accused of killing a gas station clerk in Verona NJ is set to stand trial for a second time after a jury deadlocked in an earlier trial.
Authorities believe that Raymond Perry fatally shot the 29-year-old victim during a 2009 robbery. Perry and his cousin allegedly stole a white Mitsubishi and then drove to the Sunoco station in Verona. The two men allegedly entered the gas station and confronted the victim. When the victim raised his arms to surrender, prosecutors said, Perry shot him.
Prosecutors said that Perry, who also goes by the name “Tariq Kyam,” fired a second shot when the victim attempted to press a panic button.
Perry’s cousin pleaded guilty in 2011 to committing several gas station robberies with Perry. His plea deal requires him to serve 28 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Meanwhile, Perry was charged with murder and went to trial for the Verona gas station killing. The first trial resulted in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked.
Now, prosecutors are preparing for a second trial. According to a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, jury selection for the new trial has already begun. If Perry is convicted of first degree homicide, he could end up spending the rest of his life behind bars.
For more information about this case, access the NJ.com article entitled “Jury Selection Set to Begin for Man Accused of Killing Verona Gas Station Attendant.”
