Lower Township Resident Sentenced to 38 Years for Attempted Murder
Friday, September 29, 2017
Cape May Court House, New Jersey - Cape May County Acting Prosecutor Robert W. Johnson announced that Ernest P. Davis, a forty-four year old resident of Lower Township, was sentenced to 38 years in New Jersey State Prison for first degree Attempted Murder.
After a one week trial which concluded on June 16, 2017, a Cape May County jury convicted Davis of the Attempted Murder (first degree) and Aggravated Assault (second degree) of thirty-nine year old Dorris Howell. Davis was also convicted of the Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose (second degree) and Hindering his own Prosecution (third degree). Davis shot Ms. Howell with a shotgun aboard the fishing vessel “Storm”, which was docked in Lower Township on October 3, 2015. As a result of the shooting, Ms. Howell’s left foot and partial calf were amputated.
On September 28, the Honorable John C. Porto sentenced Davis to thirty-eight years (38) in New Jersey State Prison on the Attempted Murder charge. Judge Porto also imposed a nine (9) year New Jersey State Prison sentence for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and four (4) years New Jersey State Prison for Hindering his own Prosecution. These two sentences are to run concurrent to the Attempted Murder sentence. Davis must serve eight-five (85%) of the thirty-eight year sentence (pursuant to the No Early Release Act) before he is eligible for parole. The investigation was conducted by Detectives from the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, New Jersey State Police, and the Lower Township Police Department.
Acting Prosecutor Robert W. Johnson commended all of the law enforcement agencies who investigated this violent crime and Assistant Prosecutor Saverio Carroccia who prosecuted this case resulting in Davis' substantial prison sentence.