Former gang member found not guilty in murder of N.B. teen
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Kevin Purnell, of Somerset, formerly of North and New Brunswick, was found not guilty of murder in the death of Jahwan Barnes, an 18-year-old township resident, during a trial at the Superior Court last week.

On Aug. 7, the jury acquitted Purnell of charges of murder and weapons offenses, which could have sentenced him to more than 30 years in prison if found guilty, according to his attorney, Robert Corbin.

The incident originally occurred on April 7, 2007, at Hampton Gardens Apartments in New Brunswick, Corbin said. Around 3:20 p.m., there was an accusation of an altercation between Barnes and Purnell. Because a short time prior a member of the Crips gang allegedly shot and killed a relative of Purnell, the state was alleging that Purnell, who was at one time a member of the rival Bloods gang, was avenging the murder, Corbin said.

The defense lawyer said testimony during the trial stated that as Barnes went from his apartment to his girlfriend's apartment, Purnell spoke to him in gang language, shot him once with a shotgun and then jumped into a vehicle that was waiting. It was said that the driver kicked Purnell out of the vehicle and the weapon was disposed of, since there were no weapons found, Corbin said.

However, Corbin said Purnell was acquitted because "there was no evidence, no weapon, no footprints, no DNA, no blood … [the state] showed where the body was and the position of the body."

Although Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Julie Davidson said that the driver, Alvin Faniel, also a member of the Neighborhood Bloods Rolling 20s gang, testified he "witnessed Kevin Purnell shooting and killing Jahwan Barnes with a shotgun," Corbin said Faniel's description of the scene differed from the angle of the gunshot, which was 30 degrees down and 30 degrees to the right.

"If [Purnell] was in the position Faniel said he was, the shot couldn't have gone in at those angles," Corbin said.

Davidson clarified that Barnes "did not" have any gang affiliation.

She also said she "respects the jury's verdict."

Purnell is currently incarcerated in state prison for another sentence.