Manhattan Adult Entertainment: Newark police officer accused of shaking down drug dealers faces retrial
A new trial isn’t expected to begin until May because Furlow’s attorney, Thomas Ashley, is handling a death penalty case in Philadelphia, authorities said.
Attorneys on both sides will meet Friday morning with Superior Court Judge Peter Ryan in Newark to set a new trial date, said Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office.
Ashley, who represented Furlow in the previous trial that ended Dec. 16 with a hung jury, said he intends to stay on as counsel. He said his client was “heartened” when the jury revealed it had voted, 8-4, in favor of acquittal, before deadlocking.
Furlow’s arrest — along with fellow officer Darius Smith — was part of a larger investigation by the state Division of Criminal Justice and Newark police into allegations so-called rogue officers robbed drug dealers and prostitutes, resold drugs and sold guns, planted drugs on victims and filed false reports over a three-year period.