Raymond M. Brown, Dillon J. McGuire and Chelsea J. Nkrumah Obtain Dismissal of Paterson Election Fraud Indictment

Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C. is pleased to share that Raymond M. Brown, Dillon J. McGuire and Chelsea J. Nkrumah, attorneys in the firm’s Criminal Defense practice, recently secured the dismissal of election fraud charges against Paterson Councilman Michael Jackson, bringing an end to a six-year prosecution brought by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

On May 14, the Attorney General’s Office issued a proposed order dismissing the indictment against Jackson, stating that further prosecution “is no longer in the interest of justice.” The dismissal follows years of litigation in which McGuire challenged the state’s case and defended Jackson against allegations tied to a high-profile election fraud investigation in Paterson.

Throughout the proceedings, McGuire consistently maintained that the state lacked sufficient evidence against his client and publicly questioned the timing and handling of the prosecution.

“I think the state realized they didn’t have a case,” McGuire said. “It took way too long for them to realize it.”

McGuire also successfully represented Jackson in a lengthy legal battle over the state’s attempt to access the contents of the councilman’s cell phone during a related witness tampering investigation. Earlier this year, the Attorney General’s Office withdrew its subpoena seeking access to the device, marking another significant development in the case.

The dismissal represents the latest setback for prosecutors in a series of election fraud cases stemming from Paterson’s 2020 municipal elections.

To read more about the case, click here.

Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C. is proud of the results he has achieved for clients. Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.