MORGANVILLE, NEW JERSEY: When Executive Director Joseph Occhipinti heard that former Newark Police Officer Jovanny Crespo’s children might experience a Christmas without Santa visiting, he immediately enlisted the assistance of NPDF Florida Delegate Det. John Mennella (Ret) to ensure that did not happen. Officer Crespo can’t be with his children this Christmas, because he’s currently serving a 30-year sentence at East Jersey State Prison (formerly Rahway) for defending himself against a predicate felon, drug dealer and car thief, who pointed a stolen firearm at Officer Crespo, after a harrowing car chase through Newark, New Jersey.
Officer Crespo’s ordeal began in 2019 when predicate felons Gregory Griffin and Andrew Dixon fled after a vehicle stop where a female officer discovered that Griffin had a gun. During the chase, Griffin repeatedly pointed the gun at Crespo while the officer sprinted towards their vehicle stopped in traffic. Fearing for his life, Crespo eventually fired at Griffin, killing him. In the stolen vehicle a firearm was recovered from Griffin along with a quantity of illegal drugs, Nevertheless, Crespo was convicted of reckless manslaughter despite the overwhelming evidence that the shooting was justified. His case is now on appeal and the NPDF has filed an Amicus Brief on behalf of Officer Crespo to overturn his conviction and grant him a new trial.
Pictured below is NPDF Delegate Det. John Mennella (Ret) delivering Christmas gifts to Officer Crespo’s children.
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