Lahmeir C. Hill, (left) and Sadiq Palmer appear in Monmouth County Superior Court Tuesday. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Three people charged in the July 10 double shooting on River Street that left one man dead appeared in court for the first time since they were charged with murder, as attorneys for two of them vowed to fight the charges Tuesday.
Simone K. Moultrie of Red Bank appearing in State Superior Court in Freehold Tuesday (photo by Brian Donohue)
The grieving family of victim Mikal Muhammad of Red Bank (pictured below) sat stoically through the hearing, with several of them wearing buttons with a photo of him in a red bow tie.
They watched as Lahmeir Hill, 31, Sadiq Palmer, 25, and Simone K. Moultrie, 53, all appeared briefly for scheduled detention hearings before Monmouth County Criminal Presiding Judge Jill C. O’Malley.
Hearings for all three were adjourned at the request of their attorneys, who have a right under New Jersey law to seek additional time to prepare.
Hill, of Pemberton Borough, and Palmer, of Freehold Borough, were each charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and various second-degree weapons charges, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office.
Simone Moultrie, of Red Bank, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder and one count of third-degree hindering, the prosecutors office said.
After the brief appearances, attorneys for Palmer and Hill both said they planned to contest the charges.
“It’s a case against Mr. Palmer that appears to be extremely speculative and circumstantial,” Palmer’s attorney David Bahuriak said following the hearing. He added there was “not a shred of evidence” tying Palmer to the crime.
He said prosecutors had compiled a “mountain” of closed caption video footage, none of which he said links his client to the shooting and “not a shred of evidence” that he pulled the trigger.
“The motive is speculative, the evidence is circumstantial, he hasn’t been identified by a single person,” said Bahuriak, who last made headlines representing former Mets and Phillies star Lenny Dykstra.
Hill’s attorney, Mark Anthony Bailey said, “We plan on putting up an aggressive defense. The case is circumstantial at best at this point and based on speculation.”
Prosecutors are expected to reveal at least some of the evidence gathered in the case when the two sides appear in court again to determine whether they will remain in Monmouth County Jail as the case proceeds. Palmer and Hill’s hearing was adjourned until Monday. Moultrie is slated to appear for a hearing Friday.
Meanwhile, Muhammad’s parents and other relatives got their first face-to-face look at the three suspect charged with his death.
His sister Victoria called him “a great father” who was splitting time between his home in Red Bank and California while he pursued his career in the recording industry as the owner of 27 Sounds Studio in Ocean Township. He was in Red Bank to spend time with his five year old son when he was gunned down during an early morning visit to friends outside 124 River Street.
A second victim was treated for injuries at Mounmouth Medical Center and released.
A fourth suspect in the incident, TIcco Griffin, 29, of Red Bank, is charged with hindering in the case. She did not appear in court Tuesday.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
