No foul play suspected in death of man found in apartment
An investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office has so far found no evidence of foul play or trauma in conjunction with the death of a man found decomposed in a Hoboken apartment last week, according to interviews with officials from the HCPO and the Hoboken Police Department.
The preliminary findings of an autopsy performed this past Monday confirmed that conclusion, according to Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante. However, according to Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Gene Rubino, the medical examiner is still waiting on the results of a toxicology report.
The deceased man was found by Hoboken police on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 21 after neighbors at his Park Avenue apartment building complained of an odor, according to Ferrante. Lt. Michael DeTrizio was the first officer present on the scene.
Because a dead body was involved, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office homicide squad was called in to assist Hoboken police. According to Ferrante, examiners at the scene estimated that the person had been dead for around a week.
The man was 46 years old, according to Ferrante. Both Hoboken police and the HCPO declined to release his name.
Suspected synthetic cannabis sends more homeless to hospital
It’s cheap, it’s dangerous, and it’s not going away. Arrests of homeless individuals in Hoboken for possession of synthetic cannabinoids continued apace in the latter half of July, with police expressing concern that recent laws banning the substances are not harsh enough.
Synthetic cannabinoids, a class of designer chemicals typically sprayed on vegetative matter, first began to appear around a decade ago under the names K2 and Spice. They are meant to mimic the effects of marijuana but have been associated with a number of negative physical and mental effects.
In four arrests for possession of synthetic cannabinoids since July 14, detailed in reports by the Hoboken Police Department, police found homeless individuals in need of medical assistance or already at the hospital. According to police officials, use of these drugs can leave individuals in a catatonic state or a state of psychotic rage, depending on their reaction.
“Most of these cases that don’t involve selling or seeing a hand-to-hand transaction start out with medical calls,” said Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante.
Desiree Betts is a perfect example. On July 17, according to a police report, the 30-year-old homeless woman was allegedly found slouched over and unresponsive on a Church Square Park bench. While rendering medical aid, police said, Officer Geovanni Cruzado observed two rolled cigarettes in her hand, one of which had been partially smoked. He examined them and determined that they allegedly contained suspected synthetic cannabinoids.
After being brought to the Hoboken University Medical Center for a medical evaluation, Betts was arrested and placed in the Hudson County Correctional Facility, according to the report.
In one recent instance, said Ferrante, Hoboken officers found an individual believed to have used synthetic cannabinoids in an unconscious state with no vital signs and revived him using CPR. The officers involved were honored at the Hoboken Police Department’s annual awards ceremony this past Monday.
According to Ferrante, synthetic cannabinoids are a burgeoning issue across the Tri-State Area, driven by their extremely low cost and dubious legality. Over 10,000 bags of suspected synthetic cannabinoids were found in a series of July busts of Harlem bodegas, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Part of the problem is that state laws addressing synthetic cannabinoids, like the one passed in New Jersey in 2013, ban specific known chemicals, while new theoretically legal analog compounds continue to appear on the market and are not distinguishable by sight.
Ferrante said his department does not currently have a drug kit that tests for the presence of synthetic cannabinoids, though he did not know of any prosecutions hampered as a result.
Unlike more established illegal drugs, there are no enhanced state penalties for selling or possessing synthetic cannabinoids near a school, park, or public housing, something Ferrante said he wants to see changed.
Cribbed—for her pleasure
A Jersey City man found himself in a sticky situation when he was caught allegedly trying to steal 36 boxes of condoms from a Newark Street pharmacy two weeks ago, according to a report from the Hoboken Police Department. Nicholas Rosato, 46, was arrested and charged with shoplifting.
Just after 2 p.m. on July 23, a loss prevention officer at the pharmacy spotted Rosato allegedly stuffing 36 boxes of brand name condoms into his black and red backpack, according to the report. The value of the prophylactics totaled $131.78, police said.
The loss prevention officer halted Rosato as he allegedly attempted to leave without paying, and Police Officer Jeffrey Lehbrink and Michael DePalma arrived to place him under arrest, the report said. Rosato was processed and subsequently released on a summons in advance of his court date.
To anyone still tempted by Rosato’s alleged life of crime, please note that condoms are available for free at local Planned Parenthood centers.
Forgetting something at the store
A Jersey City man claimed that his short term memory loss was to blame after he was caught allegedly trying to steal meat from a Madison Street supermarket, according to a report from the Hoboken Police Department. Angelo Parisi, 64, was charged with shoplifting and released on a summons.
This past Tuesday afternoon, a loss prevention officer at the uptown ShopRite observed Parisi allegedly place several items of produce, mainly chicken breast and ham, into personal shopping bags which he placed underneath his cart, according to Sgt. Edgardo Cruz. He then allegedly left the store without paying, according to the report.
According to police, when confronted by the loss prevention officer, Parisi allegedly stated, “I have short term memory loss and forgot to pay.”