October 17, 2003
Trenton,
NJ — An 18-year-old Trenton man was indicted today on a charge of first-degree
murder, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini announced.
Tahaij
Wells (DOB 9/4/85), of the 900 block of Carteret Avenue, Trenton, was charged in
a multi-count indictment in the shooting death of Robert McNair.
If convicted, Wells could be sentenced to life in prison, required to
serve at least 30 years without parole, Bocchini said.
The
incident took place on October 12, 2002, at approximately 1:50 a.m. in front of
500 West Hanover Street, Trenton. According
to police reports, Wells allegedly shot McNair multiple times at close range
during the course of an argument over who was going to drive a car.
The defendant fled the scene and remained at large until October 21 when
he was arrested at the McIntosh Inn of Oxford Valley in Langhorne, Pa., by the
U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
On
April 4, 2003, the juvenile court waived its jurisdiction and referred Wells to
the Superior Court, Criminal Part, to stand trial as an adult.
In
addition to murder, Wells was indicted on charges of possession of a weapon for
an unlawful purpose (2nd degree) and unlawful possession of a weapon
(3rd degree). He remains
in the Mercer County Correction Center in lieu of $750,000 bail.
Assistant
Prosecutor Skylar Weissman presented the case to the grand jury.
Despite
having been indicted, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.