Oaklyn Teen Enters Carjack Plea

CAMDEN, N.J. -- A 15-year-old Oaklyn, N.J., boy accused in a carjacking and participating in a plot to kill a number of people, is going to jail for five years.

Weeks ago Superior Court Judge Louis F. Hornstine decided that Cody Jackson would be tried in adult court. But after the carjacking victim told NBC 10 News that Jackson never took the gun out of his waistband, Jackson's attorney, John A. Underwood, asked the judge to reconsider and try his client in juvenile court.

Tuesday, Hornstine decided that Jackson would be tried in adult court. As soon as that decision came down, Underwood started to plea bargain and agreed on a guilty plea that would put Jackson in adult jail for five years, without parole.

"Me, Matt Lovett and Chris Olsen decided we wanted to take a car. We were standing on Kennel Boulevard and Matthew Rich's car pulled up. So me and Matt went into the street. Matt was up against the car and pointed his gun right at Mr. Rich and I lifted up my shirt and brandished the gun I had," Jackson said in court Tuesday.

"From a legal point of view, we battled it to a successful legal conclusion. From a human-being point of view, it's a sad situation where a 15-year-old boy has to serve five years of his life," Underwood said.

In court, as Jackson gave his explanation of what happened the night of the carjacking, his mother, father, sister and brother sat in the back of the courtroom, crying.

"I believed in my heart from Day 1 that he was never going to hurt anyone, and I know what kind of kid he is and (I'm) just saying, I'm heartbroken We'll survive I guess," said Judith Jackson, the defendant's mother.

The prosecutor said he would recommend Jackson serve his time with people his own age.

"The first thing we tried to achieve here is the obvious -- a deterrent. We want to send a message to juveniles who are thinking about engaging in this kind of conduct in Camden County. This is not something we take lightly. We take it extremely seriously," said Vincent Sarubbi, the Camden County prosecutor.

Jackson will be officially sentenced in the middle of December.

Christopher Olson, 14, agreed to a plea deal on weapons charges and faces a seven-year prison sentence with a minimum of three years without parole.

Matthew Lovett, 18, the alleged ringleader, is being held in the Camden County Jail on $1 million bail.

Authorities said the three intended to hijack a car, kill three Oaklyn teens they considered their enemies and shoot others at random.

The three were charged with carjacking, conspiracy to commit murder and weapons offenses. The older two also faced aggravated assault charges.

Authorities said Olson was far less involved in the alleged plan than the other teens. Jackson's defense strategy was to make him look more like Olson and less like Lovett.

The plea deal accomplished that, said Jackson's father, Joseph Jackson.

"This proves Cody is not the monster he was portrayed to be," the father said.

Copyright 2003 by NBC 10. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Author: NBC10