Prosecutors Drop Charge Against Suspect In Fatal Carjacking At Short Hills Mall
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Some legal maneuvers may help prosecutors move forward in their case against one of four suspects in the deadly carjacking at the mall at Short Hills.
Basim Henry was arrested in Pennsylvania after being tracked down by his cell phone. The 32-year-old was accused of violating the conditions of his supervised release from a 2006 robbery. He was released from jail in April on that conviction.
Federal prosecutors Monday dismissed the unlawful flight charge against Henry so he cold be turned over to Essex County authorities to face state charges in the killing.
As CBS 2's Christine Sloan reported, federal officials have confirmed what CBS 2 first reported: that Henry's mother's green Chevy Suburban was used as the getaway car from the carjacking.
Authorities say a co-conspirator told them Henry drove a getaway vehicle that surveillance video showed was registered to Henry's mother.
Henry's mother shielded her face and refused to respond to questions, Sloan reported.
The family home is in an upscale South Orange neighborhood.
One resident, who did not want to be on camera, said she saw an undercover detective car staking out the green SUV on Tuesday and when she approached it, she was told to keep walking.
Residents also say they've complained about too many people coming in and out of the house and have noticed several Range Rovers and other luxury cars pulling into the driveway, Sloan reported.
Henry and three others are each held on $2 million, charged with murder and carjacking.
They're accused of shooting 30-year-old Dustin Friedland in the head at The Mall at Short Hills and driving off in his silver Range Rover, which was found the next morning in Newark.
Hanif Thompson, 29, of Irvington was arrested in Irvington. Karif Ford, 31, of Newark was arrested in Newark; Henry, 32, of Newark was arrested at a hotel in Easton, Pa., by the FBI Task Force and federal Marshals and Kevin Roberts, 33, of Newark was arrested in Newark.
They'll be arraigned Jan. 8.
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