JERSEY CITY -- The 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a teenager at a church hall party in August is due in court Thursday for a discovery hearing.
Daequan Jackson is charged with murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and weapons offenses for the Aug. 9 shooting that killed 17-year-old Leander Williams and injured two girls.
Among issues expected to be discussed during the hearing before Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez is whether or not Williams' juvenile criminal record, which includes his prior arrests, rap sheets, and investigation reports, will be released for trial, according to a certificate of discovery.
The motions filed quote two Jersey Journal articles about the shooting that include comments from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and the teenager's mother, Hessie Williams.
During a press conference at Berry Lane Park just hours after the fatal shooting, Fulop said the victim was also carrying a loaded gun when he was shot. Fulop stressed the shooting was not random.
Williams had not yet been identified as the victim in the shooting, but Fulop said during the press conference "the victim was deceased with a loaded handgun on him and in the past two years we have had several similar charges with this individual."
The teen's mother recently spoke out about her son's criminal history in an effort to shed light on the issue of teenagers and young adults having easy access to weapons.
In Jersey City over the past year, at least two juveniles were charged with murder and later saw their cases upgraded from Family Court to Superior Court. Last month, a 14-year-old was charged with shooting himself outside an elementary school, with sources saying the gun may have been inside the building earlier in the day.
Additionally, the documents filed by Jackson's attorney, Joseph Russo, cite the "right to defense and a fundamental right to investigate" the case as a reason for the release of records.
Jackson was arrested just days before he allegedly killed Williams when police found him carrying a single round of ammunition after a shots fired call was made on Orchard Street.
The hearing is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m., contingent on weather.
Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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