An Elizabeth man lost the appeal of his conviction for the murder of a South Plainfield man in 2008. Watch video
Antaine Williams lost his bid to overturn his conviction for the 2008 murder of a South Plainfield man. NEW BRUNSWICK -- An appeals court affirmed Tuesday an Elizabeth man's conviction for the murder of a South Plainfield man during a home invasion in 2008.
The two-judge panel rejected arguments by Antaine (Antoine) Williams that the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office did not present enough evidence to support his confession to police in which he admitted he shot and killed Al Mustafa Rodriques.
Williams was convicted in March 2010 of felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, robbery, burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary and several weapons charges.
He is serving 50 years in prison.
"We find no merit in defendant's claims concerning his convictions," the judges wrote in a 20-page opinion.
The judges pointed out that most of his confession was confirmed either through testimony from other witnesses or from evidence.
Williams shot Rodriques in the chest on April 14, 2008 when he and another man, David Jordan, went into Rodriques' house to rob him because they heard he kept a lot of cash at home, according to testimony at his 2010 trial.
The two men cut the cable to Rodriques' home the night before, hoping he would come out to investigate, but, when he did not, they returned the next morning, claiming to be cable repair technicians.
When they entered the house, a struggle began. Williams and Rodriques pulled out guns and Rodriques fired, hitting Jordan in the arm and neck, authorities said. Prosecutors said Rodriques was pistol whipped before Williams shot him in the chest, killing him.
With Rodriques dying on the floor, the two men ransacked the house and stole a safe containing his jewelry, according to Williams' statement to police.
Jordan went to a hospital in Newark for treatment of the gunshot wounds.
Police linked Jordan to the murder through DNA evidence from blood found in Rodriques' home, authorities said. The two men were arrested a month later.
http://www.nj.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2016/02/abortion_doctor_who_lost_license_manages_abortion.html
Jordan is serving life in prison after he was convicted in 2009 of felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and weapons offenses in connection with Rodriques' killing.
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.