State v. Phillips

The opinion of the court was delivered by

BAIME, P.J.A.D.

Defendant was convicted of purposeful or knowing murder (N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(1) and (2)), felony murder (N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(3)), two counts of attempted murder (N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1), aggravated assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(4)), possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a), and possession of a handgun without a permit (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b). After merging several of these convictions, the trial court sentenced defendant to an aggregate term of life imprisonment plus forty years with a fifty year parole disqualifier. Although…