State v. Wessells, A-1545-08T4; Appellate Division; opinion by Rodriguez, P.J.A.D.; decided and approved for publication July 9, 2009. Before Judges Stern, Rodríguez and Ashrafi. On appeal from the Law Division, Essex County, Indictment No. 07-05-1578. DDS No. 14-2-4480 [14 pp.]
On Sept. 2, 2006, Sandy Bellush and two others were shot to death in Newark. The next day, a Newark homicide detective arrested defendant John Wessells on a traffic warrant. Wessells was advised of his Miranda rights and waived them. Detectives then questioned him about an Aug. 24, 2006, incident in which he was assaulted by Bellush’s friends. They also asked him if he had any information related to the Sept. 2 homicides. Defendant denied any personal knowledge of the shootings. He was released on bail on the traffic warrants. Whether defendant requested an attorney at the Sept. 3 interview is disputed.
