Suspect in Rutger Street homicide pleads not-guilty

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Suspect in Rutger Street homicide pleads not-guilty

By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Sep 24, 2008 at 11:18 AM EST

Story Updated: Sep 24, 2008 at 5:50 PM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Utica Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of a man on Rutger Street in Utica earlier this month. Jameil Peak pleaded not-guilty at his arraignment Wednesday at Utica City Court.

Police say he shot 38-year-old James Johnson multiple times in the chest around 11 p.m. on September 1 outside a home in the area of 740 Rutger Street in the city.

Police say Peak is no stranger to the criminal justice system; that he is currently incarcerated for an alleged parole violation. Utica's public safety commissioner says Peak was on parole for a robbery in Utica, and that he was back in the Oneida County Jail for allegedly violating that parole by giving police a false name when they attempted to question him about Johnson's murder.

Jameil Peak is on the city court calendar for a felony hearing this Monday, after which the judge would decide if there's enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury for possible indictment, or, formal charge. Right now, it's unclear whether that hearing will happen.

Prosecutors question their ability to go forward with it while Peak is being held without bail for a parole violation.

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