Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced Friday that Carlos Rodriguez, 33, of Newark was sentenced to eight years in state prison for the aggravated assault of Jennifer Riley, 26, also of Newark.
On Jan. 1, 2011, Rodriguez picked up Riley at approximately 4 am and brought her back to his basement apartment. By 6 am she was being transported to the hospital with bruises to her eyes, head and body. She was pronounced dead at 7:03 am. The victim and the defendant were in a seven-year on-again, off-again abusive relationship.
On Jan. 29, an Essex County jury found the defendant guilty of second-degree aggravated assault but acquitted Rodriguez of the more serious offense of aggravated manslaughter.
“Because the jury did not find the defendant guilty of recklessly causing Ms. Riley’s death with indifference to the value of her life, Rodriguez was only subject to a sentence within the 5 to 10 year range,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Kathy Qasim, who tried the case.
“This was a terrible tragedy. A beautiful, 26-year-old young woman was beat to death by a man she loved, leaving her daughter without a mother. She suffered the ultimate price for loving him,’’ said Qasim.
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