Nabeel Siddiqui Fund by NJIT
Essex County Prosecutor Office Press Release

Next Court Hearings: Phillip Counts get 25 years in Prison!!

April 17th, 2005 at Essex County Court, Newark, NJ

Latest News about Murder of Nabeel Siddiqui:

June 29th, 2005

Teenager gets 25 years in pizza slaying

Orange 'ringleader' hit deliveryman in head with baseball bat, then ate

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

BY JONATHAN SCHUPPE

Star-Ledger Staff

An Orange teenager was sentenced to 25 years in prison yesterday for luring a pizza deliveryman to a vacant house and killing him with a blow to the head with an aluminum baseball bat.

Phillip Counts, 18, admitted to the attack but told investigators he and three other boys only planned to hit the deliveryman, 24-year-old Nabeel Siddiqui, in the legs and steal his car. "I wish it would have ended differently," Counts said in a tearful courtroom apology. "If I could change it, I would."

But Superior Court Judge Betty J. Lester told Counts she didn't buy his _expression of remorse. She called him the "ringleader" of a carefully orchestrated attack that ended with Counts leaving the deliveryman to die while he snacked on the pizza.

"It's fair to say that (Counts') state of mind was so coldblooded that he proceeded to eat the very thing they planned to steal while another young man lay on the sidewalk," Lester said. "I cannot even imagine how one could do that, quite frankly."

Siddiqui was taken to University Hospital after a passer-by called 911. He died there after 10 days in a coma.

Lester sentenced Counts to the maximum prison term allowable under the terms of a May agreement in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Before Lester imposed the sentence, Siddiqui's uncle, Asim Khan, told the judge that the victim's family has been shattered by the attack. "The inhumanity of all this still shakes me," he said.

Siddiqui was a native of Karachi, Pakistan, and his parents had spent their life savings to send him to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, supporters said. Only 5-foot-2 and 110 pounds, he had graduated with honors and was delivering pizza to make ends meet while he searched for a full-time engineering job.

At 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, 2003, Siddiqui was called to an empty house on Haxtun Avenue in Orange, where his attackers were waiting outside.

The youngest accomplice, 15 years old, stole Siddiqui's 1995 silver Nissan Altima, which was later recovered a half mile away, according to Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Romesh Sukhdeo. That boy was sentenced to up to 10 years at the Juvenile Justice Commission's Training School for Boys in Jamesburg.

Another boy, Jaimy Morris, 17, allegedly grabbed the pizza from Siddiqui but dropped it after the attack and ran away, Sukhdeo said. He has admitted his role, including making the delivery call to Domino's Pizza, and faces up to eight years in prison when he is sentenced next month.

A third accomplice, 18-year-old Kendall Findley, was sentenced by Lester yesterday to five years' probation for his more limited role in the attack.

Findley's lawyer, Joseph Ferrante, said his client was part of an original plan to rob a deliveryman of a pizza. But when the talked turned to "something more," he "wanted nothing to do with it." Ferrante acknowledged that Findley met back up with Counts after the attack, but said he "had no taste for that pizza."

Findley spoke briefly, apologizing to Siddiqui's family and supporters. "I wish I did more to keep it from going that far," he said.

Findley's plea, in which he admitted to a third-degree conspiracy charge, had angered Siddiqui's relatives, and Lester agreed that it seemed "out of line" with the nature of the attack and the punishment faced by the other accomplices. But there was a limit to what prosecutors could prove, the judge said.

Siddiqui's supporters said yesterday they were content with the punishments meted out so far.

"Overall, we're satisfied with the progress of the case," Khan said. "It's been a long, tough period for us."

June 30th, 2005

Courtesy: Dailytimes

Pakistani student’s killer gets 25 years

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: The murderer of a New Jersey Pakistani student, Nabeel Siddiqui, was handed down the maximum sentence of 25 years by a court here this week.

Phillip Counts killed Siddiqui, a Pakistani student from Karachi in October 2003. The victim had just graduated with honours from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and was about to take his first professional job. He was the only son of his parents who live in Karachi.

Syed Asif Alam, a Pakistani-American community activist and president of the Association of Pakistani Professionals, who has worked hard to bring this case to public attention, told Daily Times, “It was indeed a tough day for all us who were present at the hearing but we left satisfied that Phillip Counts was awarded the maximum plenty for the heinous crime he committed by murdering Nabeel”.

April 1st, 2005

AOPP PRESS RELEASE

New Jersey: The Association of Pakistani Professionals has reacted strongly to the third-degree charge of Kendall Findley in murder case of Nabeel Siddiqui; a Pakistani Student who was brutally robbed and murdered in 2003 in Orange, New Jersey.

Syed Asif Alam, President of AOPP said, “Prosecutor office has done great injustice to Nabeel Siddiqui and his family by charging Kendall Findley to a third degree charge which may result in no jail time for him.” Alam further said, “The fact of the matter is that Kendall Findley was part of the brutal planning of robbery and carjacking which resulted in the murder of Nabeel Siddiqui, the only son of his parents.” Alam further said, "It seems like the prosecutor office is focused more on closing the case then making sure that justice is served. We request the Essex County Prosecutor Office to take immediate action and ensure that Kendall Findley is charged with robbery, car jacking and murder of Nabeel Siddiqui.”

Another 18-year-old, Phillip Counts, has already admitted to wielding the bat that killed Siddiqui on Sept. 27, 2003, after four youths lured him to Haxtun Avenue in Orange by ordering a pizza. Counts pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Association of Pakistani Professionals has asked the community members to call the Essex County Prosecutor Office, Newark, New Jersey and complain about the 3rd degree charges of Kendall Findley

March 30th, 2005

Courtesy: Dailytimes

Pakistani’s killer pleads guilty in New Jersey

Staff Report

WASHINGTON: A teenager accused of beating a Pakistani pizza deliveryman to death pleaded guilty in Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday.

24-year-old Nabeel Siddiqui was beaten to death on September 23, 2003 when he went to deliver pizza to a fictitious address.

Kendall Findley, now 18, has been convicted of killing Nabeel, a Pakistani graduate from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Previously, another teen, Phillip Counts, also now 18, had pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon that killed Nabeel.

Counts and three other juveniles waited approximately 20 minutes at the fictitious address for Siddiqui to deliver the pizza, acting Essex County prosecutor Paula Dow said. She said that Counts hit Nabeel on the head with a baseball bat when he arrived at the address. Findley, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was inside the house when the victim was attacked outside. Counts, Findley and Jaimy Morris, 15 then, were waived to the adult court system.

A fourth juvenile, whose name was not released, pleaded guilty to charges in juvenile court.

According to a report filed by police, Nabeel was conscious when an emergency medical service crew arrived and told police his assailants had struck him in the head with a baseball bat, and then drove off in his 1995 silver Nissan. The vehicle was found later on Hamilton Avenue in South Orange. His wallet, containing credit cards, $30, and his institute’s identity card were also found.

Nabeel remained in a coma in the hospital for 10 days before dying on October 6, 2003 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s University Hospital in Newark, enough time for his mother to come from Pakistan and be outside his room. Doctors would not let her in the room because he was in critical condition.

Nabeel was born in Pakistan and grew up in Abu Dhabi. The Association of Pakistani Professionals, a New York-based group, had actively pursued the case in the media and at community forums. The association also played an active role in sending Nabeel’s body to Pakistan by a special PIA flight. Pakistani prime minister at the time, Zafarullah Jamali, who was on an official visit to the US at the time of Nabeel’s death, flew to Pakistan on the same flight.

Courtesy: Star Ledger

WILLIAM KLEINKNECHT

March 3rd, 2005

NEW JERSEY: A young South Orange man pleaded guilty yesterday to the robbery and fatal beating of an Orange pizza deliveryman who had just graduated with honors from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Phillip Pounds, 18, was in tears in Superior Court in Newark as he admitted using a baseball bat in the 2003 killing of Nabeel Siddiqui, a 24-year-old Pakistani immigrant whose parents spent their life saving to send him to college.

Turning to Asim Khan and Kalim Khan, two of Siddiqui's uncles sitting in the audience, Pounds said he never meant for the robbery plot by himself and three other teens to end in the student's death.

"I never intended the death of your family member," he said. "I am sorry for putting you through all that you are going through. I'm sorry. I'm just sorry."

Pounds pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, robbery and other charges stemming from the Sept. 27, 2003, attack on the 5-foot-2, 110-pound victim on Haxtun Avenue in Orange.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Romesh Sukhdeo agreed to reduce a murder charge to aggravated manslaughter and recommend that Judge Betty Lester sentence him to no more than 25 years in prison. Lester set the sentencing for April 19.

In his plea, Pounds said he and the other teens called in a pizza order to Domino's about 9:30 p.m. and agreed that Pounds would hit the deliveryman with a baseball bat in the legs so they could take his car.

"I hit him with the bat," Pounds said when the judge asked him what happened after Siddiqui arrived.

"In what part of the body?" she asked.

"In the head," he answered.

"How many times did you hit him?"

"Once."

Pounds said he fled on foot after the robbery, and one of the other youths took Siddiqui's 1995 Nissan Altima.

Siddiqui lingered in a coma in the hospital for 10 days before dying, enough time for his mother to come from Pakistan and be outside his room. They would not let her in the room because he was in such critical condition.

The victim's uncles said he was born in Pakistan but grew up in Abu Dhabi, where his father was a guest worker. They said the youth's father had his two children at an old age and was so thrilled that he showered them with affection and gave them everything.

"They were dedicated to their children," Asim Khan said. "They really spoiled them. Everybody made fun of them."

The uncle said the parents turned over their life savings to send their son to college in the United States. Siddiqui was so grateful, he said, that he worked the pizza delivery job while looking for an engineering position so he would not have to ask them for any more money.

"He had not been home for two years, because he didn't have the money for a plane ticket," he said. "He refused to ask them for another penny."

"I convinced his parents to send him here," the uncle added. "I don't regret it. But I regret not pushing for him to get a different job. I was never comfortable with the kind of area he was working in."

Sukhdeo said two other defendants, Kendall Findley and Jaimy Morris, both of Orange, are still awaiting trial on murder charges. He said there is a status conference set for March 30, at which time they will either enter guilty pleas or be assigned a trial date.

He said a fourth defendant, a juvenile whose name is being withheld because of his age, had pleaded guilty to murder in a juvenile court proceeding.

Pounds had been free on $200,000 bond while awaiting trial. After his plea, Lester revoked his bail, rejecting a request by the defense that he be allowed to remain free until his sentencing.

She did allow him to spend a few minutes sitting with his mother and other family members before being led off to jail.

Published in Dailytimes on Jan 28th, 2005

link to Dailytimes

Pakistani’s killers free on bail

By Khalid Hasan

Washington: All four of the suspected killers of the Pakistani student Nabeel Siddiqi in New Jersey last year are now out on bail.

At a hearing on Wednesday, the case was assigned to a trial court, with the first hearing fixed for February 7. Nabeel was beaten with an aluminum baseball bat on his head before the assailants sped away in his 1995 silver Nissan Altima, his wallet and the pizza he was on his way to deliver. The car was found in South Orange, half a mile away from the crime scene.

Nabeel, a slightly built young man, was left comatose. He died 10 days later at University Hospital in Newark. Last year, The Essex County Court arraigned 18-year-olds Kendall Findley and Phillip Counts and a 17 year-old juvenile, all of Orange, and indicted them on felony murder, carjacking, weapon-possession and conspiracy charges.

The cases against Findley and Counts have been waived up to adult court. Phillips Counts was arraigned in September 2004 before Superior Court Judge Donald Volkert Jr in Newark. He was allowed to remain free on a $200,000 bail pending trial. Findley, also arraigned in September 2004 before the same judge, remains free on $75,000 bail pending trial.

A fourth suspect, a 15-year-old Woodbridge boy, pleaded guilty on June 18 to carjacking and conspiracy. He is serving up to 20 years in prison at the Training School for Boys in Monroe Township.

Syed Asif Alam, president of the Association of Pakistani Professionals, who has followed the case and raised public awareness of the crime, told Daily Times after this week’s hearing, “The tragedy of Nabeel is still fresh in the hearts of comunity members, his friends and, above all, his father and mother who are in Pakistan. All of us hope that justice will be done soon and the murderers of Nabeel will be punished as soon as possible.”

September 17th, 2004

Link on Star Ledger

3 still free almost a year after Pakistani immigrant slain

NJIT honors student was killed for his car in Orange

Friday, September 17, 2004

BY KEVIN C. DILWORTH

Star-Ledger Staff

Nearly a year after New Jersey Institute of Technology honors graduate Nabeel Siddiqui was killed during a carjacking and robbery in Orange, three of the four suspects are free on bail awaiting trial.

"We're trying to seek justice for this entirely innocent victim," Judy Gagliano, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said yesterday.

The 24-year-old Pakistani immigrant was working as a part-time pizza deliveryman on Sept. 27, 2003, when he drove to Haxtun Avenue after someone telephoned in a food order to be delivered to an address near the Veterans Administration hospital.

When Siddiqui arrived about 9:45 p.m., four juveniles jumped him and beat him in the head with an aluminum baseball bat, all for the purpose of stealing his 1995 silver Nissan Altima, police said. The car was recovered in South Orange, a half-mile from the crime scene.

Siddiqui, a 5-foot-2 man who weighed 120 pounds, was left comatose. He died 10 days later at University Hospital in Newark.

"This immigrant was trying to make a better life in America for himself when he fell victim to this senseless killing," Gagliano said.

Last month, 18-year-olds Kendall Findley and Phillip Counts and a 17 year-old juvenile, all of Orange, were indicted on felony murder, carjacking, weapons possession and conspiracy charges. The cases against Findley and Counts have been waived up to adult court, Gagliano said.

Counts was arraigned Monday before Superior Court Judge Donald Volkert Jr. in Newark. He was allowed to remain free on $200,000 bail pending trial, Gagliano said.

Findley, arraigned Sept. 8 also before Volkert, remains free on $75,000 bail pending trial, Gagliano said. The youth is free on $50,000 bail.

A fourth suspect, a 15-year-old Woodbridge boy, pleaded guilty on June 18 to carjacking and conspiracy, Gagliano said. He is serving up to 20 years in prison at the Training School for Boys in Monroe Township.

S. Asif Alam of Piscataway, president of the Association of Pakistani Professionals, said he and other friends of Siddiqui's are upset about the suspects being out on bail until they get a court date.

Alam said anyone interested in keeping abreast of the case can log onto the Association of Pakistani Professionals' Web site at www.aopp.org/nabeel.htm.

September 10th, 2004

Association of Pakistani Professionals and Friends of Nabeel express their concern and outrage at the information received that all the accused apprehended during Nabeel Siddiqui’s trial are free on bail and that Nabeel’s family was not even informed by the Essex County Prosecutor’s office that the defendants are out on the street again. This came to light when one of the defendants failed to show up for his arraignment on September 8th prompting the court to issue an arrest warrant. Our dear friend Nabeel Siddiqui was brutally robbed and murdered about a year ago in Orange, New Jersey. The perpetrators of the crime were apprehended and initially charged with aggravated assault, robbery, weapons offenses, carjacking and conspiracy and felony murder. Subsequently cleared to be tried as adults, it was our understanding that the accused are in custody and we are extremely disappointed to find out that this is not the case. It is regrettable that the Essex County’s prosecutor’s office failed to notify Nabeel’s family about the defendants being out on bail. It is even more regrettable that people accused of the extremely serious crimes listed above can be released to roam the streets again. We implore the State of New Jersey and Essex County’s prosecutor’s office to please treat these serious crimes in a serious manner. Any thing else will not bring justice to those how deserve it and will not bring peace to those affected by Nabeel’s untimely death. Association of Pakistani Professionals (AOPP) has setup a website at http://aopp.org/nabeel.htm for the friends and family to keep them up to date with the case.

September 7th, 2004

Three juveniles who are accused of the murder of Nabeel Siddiqui, the only son of his parents will be arraigned tomorrow after one year of the incident.

All those who were accused have been officially indicted as adults by the grand jury which means that the case now moves on to the New Jersey Supreme Court. They will be brought to the court on September 8^{th, 2004} and told that they have been indicted by the grand jury.

Association of Pakistani Professionals urged all the community members to show solidarity and participate in the court hearings. More information about the case can be found at http://aopp.org/nabeel

Nabeel a computer science major who graduated from NJIT last summer, died Oct 6th, 2003 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's University Hospital in Newark following an assault Saturday, September 27^th, 2003.
He was attacked on Haxtun Avenue in Orange, NJ, while delivering a pizza to an address there. According to the police report, the resident of that address was not home at the time of the attack and later told police no one there had ordered a pizza.

Nabeel suffered brutal neurological injuries and trauma which caused severe damage to different parts of his brain.

According to the police report Nabeel was conscious when an emergency medical service crew arrived and told police his assailants had struck him in the head with a baseball bat, and then drove off in his 1995 silver Nissan. The vehicle was recovered later on Hamilton Avenue in South Orange. His wallet, containing credit cards, $30, and his NJIT I.D. card, were also found.

The alleged juvenile defendants were initially charged with aggravated assault, robbery, weapons offenses, carjacking and conspiracy. However when the victim expired, these defendants were also charged with felony murder.

November 4th, 2003

Friends and Family of Nabeel met with the members of the prosecution team on Oct 23rd. County Prosecutor was also in the building and she was kind enough to meet with us also. Everyone has promised to do the utmost to bring the culprits to justice.

In terms of the prosecution, a motion to try the accused as adults has already been submitted to the court. The motion is expected to pass however it will take time. It could be December before a decision is made to try the criminals as adults.

All the suspects are being held without bail. The investigation is still however on-going.

We will publish the court dates. We need to ensure that Nabeel’s friends and family show up on those dates. It is very important that we show our support in the court.

Mr. Richard Pompelio's office has issued a check for Nabeel's parents for $25,000 from the state of New Jersey. He and his office have been more than cooperative in this matter. Friends and Family of Nabeel really appreciate his help in this regards. We would also like to especially thank all those that worked with Mr. Pompelio’s office to take care of this matter.

Thanks also to the good people at Geo TV in Pakistan, "Follow Up with Fahd" aired a special on Nabeel, Monday November 3rd at around 10 PM PST. Nabeel’s mother and sister were interviewed by Fahd.

Press Release:
Oct 16th,2003

NEW JERSEY: The body of 24 year-old Nabeel Siddiqui, the only son of his parents was sent to Pakistan on October 8, 2003. His mother who arrived New Jersey on Oct 4th accompanied the body of her son.

Friends and Family of Nabeel arranged Namaz-e-Janaza at Teaneck Mosque on October 7th and were deeply touched by the outpouring support and attendance despite a very short notice. It was a somber and surreal environment. A regular at the Teaneck Mosque said, “Personally, I have not seen such a significant gathering for janaazah prayers at the mosque in almost 10 years.”

The Consul General of Pakistan in New York, Mr. Haroon Shaukat visited and condoled the mother of Nabeel and assured the support of Government of Pakistan in making sure that justice is served.

“We are thankful for the support and help of Embassy of Pakistan in Washington and The Consulate General in New York in facilitating the process of sending the body of our dear friend on the VVIP flight of Prime Minister Mr. Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali,” said, Syed Asif Alam, President, Association of Pakistani Professionals.

Nabeel a computer science major who graduated from NJIT this summer, died Oct 6th, 2003 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's University Hospital in Newark following an assault Saturday, September 27th.

Nabeel was attacked on Haxtun Avenue in Orange, NJ, while delivering a pizza to an address there. According to the police report, the resident of that address was not home at the time of the attack and later told police no one there had ordered a pizza.

Nabeel suffered brutal neurological injuries and trauma which caused severe damage to different parts of his brain.

According to the police report Nabeel was conscious when an emergency medical service crew arrived and told police his assailants had struck him in the head with a baseball bat, and then drove off in his 1995 silver Nissan. The vehicle was recovered later on Hamilton Avenue in South Orange. His wallet, containing credit cards, $30, and his NJIT I.D. card, were also found.

The alleged juvenile defendants were initially charged with aggravated assault, robbery, weapons offenses, carjacking and conspiracy. However when the victim expired, these defendants were also charged with felony murder.

Acting Prosecutor Dow said a Notice of Motion requesting transfer of the juveniles and their charges to Superior Court was scheduled.

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