Mother of man executed in Applebee’s apologizes to killer’s family at sentencing
Updated Mar 12, 2021;
Posted Mar 11, 2021
Noel Powell III, left, with his attorney Robin Lord during a 2017 court appearance in the death of Devin Smith.(Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media)
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It’s usually the other way around at a court sentencing: Defendants who have taken a life sometimes apologize to the victim’s surviving family members.
On Thursday, Debora Lapointe apologized to the family of Noel Powell III, the man who killed her son Devin Smith inside the Applebee’s in Lawrence in 2017.
“I am very sorry for anything and everything that Devin has done to your family,” Lapointe said, leading off a deeply emotional address in which she was blunt about her son’s actions and struggles, explained some of what led to the crime, and ended by forgiving Powell.
Fundraising effort launched to save longtime N.J. Catholic school
Updated Feb 03, 2021;
Supporters of a prominent Catholic school slated to permanently close in June have launched a fundraising drive to save it.
The Trenton Catholic Academy in Hamilton enrolls 550 students in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, according to the Diocese of Trenton.
Diocesan officials cited financial woes, including annual deficits of $2 million, in announcing Jan. 8 that the academy known as Saint Anthony High School when it was founded in 1962 will shut its doors at the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
However, alumni and other backers of the school are trying to raise enough money to keep the school going, albeit under different administration.
N.J. man who killed patron inside Applebee’s takes plea bargain for 7 years in prison
Updated Feb 04, 2021;
Posted Feb 03, 2021
Noel Powell III, left, with his attorney Robin Lord during a 2017 court appearance in the death of Devin Smith.(Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media)
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A Mercer County man admitted Wednesday he fatally shot a man in the head inside an Applebee’s restaurant in 2017 as part of a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for seven years in prison.
Noel Powell III pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, an act committed in the heat of passion with reasonable provocation, before Judge Darlene Pereksta in Superior Court of Mercer County. The agreement calls for Powell to serve 85% of the seven years - 5 years and 11 months - before he’s eligible for parole.