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Men Acquitted Of Newark Murders, But Convicted Of Firing At Police

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Two men were acquitted Tuesday of a double murder in Newark, but were convicted of multiple related charges.

Anwar Crockett, 32, and Ali Ibn Karim, 31, both of Elizabeth, were acquitted of murder charges by an Essex County jury. They were accused in the Sept. 15, 2010, slayings of Reginald Wilson, 26, and Ishmeal Bowers, 32, who were shot and killed at Concord Street and Sherman Avenue in Newark.

But Crockett and Karim were convicted of multiple charges in an incident four days later, during which Elizabeth police were chasing them from Elizabeth into Newark. During the chase, the men fired multiple weapons at officers, and once the chase finally ended in Newark, a Mac-11 and an assault weapon were found in their vehicle, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Crockett and Karim were both convicted of eluding, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault against law enforcement, and multiple weapons and drug charges.

Karim and Crockett are scheduled to be sentenced May 3, and both face long prison sentences due to their prior convictions, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors did not specify what led jurors to acquit the men of the murders, or who is believed to be responsible for them.

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