No Criminal Charges for the Officers Involved in the Chase, Arrest, and Death of Raul L. DeJesus Case Following Investigation
NEWARK, NJ – A state grand jury has concluded its investigation into the death of 43-year-old Raul L. DeJesus of Newark, deciding against filing criminal charges against the involved Newark police officers. The incident, which led to Mr. DeJesus’s death following a foot chase and arrest on January 5, 2023, was closely scrutinized, with the final deliberations ending on January 22, 2024.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) conducted a thorough investigation into Mr. DeJesus’s death, adhering to the 2019 Independent Prosecutor Directive’s guidelines. The process, governed by standard operating procedures issued by OPIA in July 2021, aimed at ensuring neutral, objective grand jury presentations with due transparency.
The investigation encompassed witness interviews, photographic evidence, surveillance, body-worn camera footage, and autopsy results from the medical examiner. This comprehensive body of evidence was presented to the state grand jury, which, after careful consideration, voted not to file criminal charges against Officers Alberto Vera and Nicholas Miller of the Newark Police Department.