Long Branch police officer suspended during investigation
February 6, 2019
LBPD Officer Patrick Joyce charged with criminal sexual contact
February 9, 2019
FREEHOLD – A man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing Tuesday morning in Long Branch, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Michael Smith, 43, of Brick, is charged with first degree Attempted Murder, two counts of second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and two counts of second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, in connection with the stabbing of a 34-year old Brick Township woman.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department revealed that on February 5, 2019, at approximately 9:39 a.m., Long Branch Police Officer Robert Korn responded to a stabbing incident. When Officer Korn arrived, he observed the suspect, Michael Smith, swinging and grabbing at the victim, who was lying on the ground. Korn was able to pull Smith off of the victim and place him under arrest. Smith was armed with two knives during the assault and had stabbed the victim multiple times in the chest and head. The victim was taken to the hospital where she is listed in stable condition.
If convicted of Attempted Murder, Smith faces 20 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole. Both the Murder and Attempted Murder charges are subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.
If convicted of the second degree weapons offenses, Smith faces a sentence up to ten years in prison on each charge.
Smith is scheduled to have his First Appearance on February 11, 2019 in Superior Court with a Detention Hearing to immediately follow.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Dugan.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
