New Jersey’s Prosecutor Joseph Coronato of?Ocean County, and Governor Chris Christie are doing their best to fight for the accountability of drug dealers and manufacturers in fatal drug induced deaths.
In 1987, the state of New Jersey formed the statute “strict liability for fatal drug induced deaths,” although it is seldom used. This statute allows prosecutors to pursue the charge of homicide with a maximum sentence of 20 years against dealers and manufacturers of cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines.
In Ocean County, NJ fatal drug overdoses have increased from 53-112 between 2012 to 2013. Ocean County’s prosecutor. Joseph Coronato was quoted ?as saying the liability law is “one of his tools in his tool chest to attack this problem” and plans to be ruthless in holding manufacturers and dealers accountable for fatal drug related deaths.
Since April 2013, Coronato and his staff have tried 12 cases pertaining to the statute of fatal drug overdoses, one of them being a guilty plea.
On May 2, 2013, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed the ” Overdose Protection Act,” allowing immunity from charges of possession and illegal use of drugs?to those around someone who has a potentially fatal drug overdose. This act was created so that those around during a drug overdose will be more likely to call 911 for immediate medical attention, as well as coming forth with information on who dealt the drugs.
In November of 2013, my father died from a crack cocaine overdose. It is suspected there were others there at the time. Instead of calling for help, they robbed him, and left him there to die. He was found three days later. The “Overdose Protection Act” will ?hopefully find success in combating fatal drug overdoses and making those responsible for selling the drugs accountable.
Source: ?www.news4jax.com/news/nj
