A Monmouth County jury found a Bayonne man guilty of sexually assaulting a woman after their first date at Sandy Hook in the summer of 2020.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Kawami Junor, 28, of Bayonne was convicted on all charges, including second-degree sexual assault, third-degree criminal restraint, and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey said in a statement.
The verdict came following an approximately week long trial before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley and several hours of jury deliberation.
Junor was additionally found guilty of assault by auto, a disorderly persons offense, by Oxley following the verdict. Sentencing in the case has been scheduled for Friday, May 6th, at which time Junor will face up to 20 years in state prison.
On Friday, June 5th, 2020, near Lot C of the Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit, a good Samaritan flagged down a member of the National Park Service to alert them to the presence of an injured woman in the area.
The victim, who had sustained a leg injury, was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
An investigation by the MCPO Special Victims Bureau determined that the victim and the defendant had met the day before in Jersey City and had agreed to go on a first date at Sandy Hook.
After spending time on the beach, the investigation determined that he guided her to the backseat of his vehicle, forcibly removed her clothing, exposed himself, and sexually assaulted her – all while she loudly and repeatedly refused consent.
The victim fought back physically, and when she opened the car door to leave, Junor pushed her out onto the pavement and left the scene in his BMW, running over her foot on the way out of the parking lot.
The victim’s testimony, the witness’s testimony, and physical and digital evidence were leveraged to prove the case at trial.
“I am personally in awe of the courage it took for this victim to step onto the witness stand and describe what happened to her in vivid detail. This verdict is a tribute to her bravery, and delivers the justice she deserves,” Linksey noted.
Additionally, the MCPO thanked the members of the National Park Service and Middletown Police Department who participated in this investigation and prosecution.
This case was prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Nicole Wallace of the MCPO Special Victims Bureau.
