Latin Kings member admits to retaliatory murder

Monday, November 21, 2011, 11:20 AM
By The Jersey Journal

Juan Batista, 26, of Jersey City, was killed on the sidewalk at Palisade Avenue and Hutton Street,.

An admitted Latin Kings gang member has pleaded guilty to gunning a man down in the Jersey City Heights in 2005 in retaliation for the killing of a man at a Latin Kings Fourth of July party three months earlier, The Jersey Journal reports.

Joseph ?King Megs? Moreira, 31, of Marshall Drive in Hoboken, pleaded guilty last Monday to the aggravated manslaughter of Juan Batista, 26, of Jersey City, who was killed on the sidewalk at Palisade Avenue and Hutton Street, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Aaron Silverstein said.

Reputed 'Latin Kings' gang member turns down plea deal in Jersey City slaying

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
November 09, 2009, 4:39PM

The Jersey JournalJoseph "King Megs" Moreira of Hoboken, center, appears with his lawyer, Frank Cutruzzula, in front of Judge Fred Theemling at state Superior Court in Jersey City this morning for a status hearing in which he turned down a plea offer of up to 25 years for the murder of a Jersey City Heights man.A reputed Latin Kings gang member charged with murdering a man in front of a Jersey City Heights barber shop in 2005 turned down a plea offer this morning of up to 25 years in prison.

Joseph "King Megs" Moreira, of Marshall Drive in Hoboken, said through his lawyer that he wouldn't accept the deal, which would have required him to plead guilty to aggravated manslaughter.

Moreira, 29, is accused of gunning down 26-year-old Juan Batista on Palisade Avenue on the evening of Oct. 18, 2005.

At today's hearing in Jersey City, state Superior Court Judge Fred Theemling set Nov. 30 for a next pretrial hearing in the case, when it's possible a trial date will be set.

On the night of the shooting, Moreira got out of a car, approached Batista, said something to him and opened fire, prosecutors allege. The victim, who was shot multiple times in the head and back, managed to run a few steps before collapsing.

The motive was a prior beef between the gunman and victim, investigators said.

Moreira was wanted for years after the killing and it was not until early this year that investigators got a tip he was in Maryland, leading to his arrest in late April by agents of the U.S. Marshals Service, officials said.

Moreira appeared beside his attorney, Frank Cutruzzula, and wore the green garb of the Hudson County jail.

Latin Kings gangster in court over 2005 Jersey City Heights murder

by Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
Friday May 01, 2009, 10:17 PM

A $1 million cash-only bail was set today for the Latin Kings street gang member who was arrested in Maryland last week by U.S. marshals after being on the run since a 2005 murder on a Jersey City Heights street corner.

The marshals used a taser to subdue Joseph "King Megs," Moreira, 29, formerly of Marshall Drive in Hoboken, when they arrested him last Friday night in Prince Charles County, officials said.

Moreira was returned to New Jersey Thursday night and yesterday made his first appearance in court on charges he gunned down Juan Batista, 26, on Oct. 18, 2005, on the sidewalk outside a Palisade Avenue barbershop, officials said.

Central Judicial Processing Court Judge Richard Nieto informed Moreira of the bail, but also told the defendant he would be held without bail because there is a detainer on him for a violation of parole and a detainer related to a Family Court matter. Moreira appeared via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

A tip on the Latin King's whereabouts led to a monthlong investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said when Moreira was arrested he "was refusing to admit who he was and didn't want to be cuffed and after not complying with the authorities, he was tased and taken into custody."

On the night of the 2005 shooting, Moreira got out of a car, approached Batista, and said something to him before opening fire, officials said. The victim was shot multiple times in the head and back, but managed to run a few steps before collapsing, officials said. The motive for the shooting was a prior beef between the gunman and victim, investigators said.

Today, Moreira spoke privately for some time with Public Defender Don Gardner using the phone in the video conferencing room. Afterward, Gardner said he would note the matter they discussed, but he did not disclose what the conversation pertained to.

The case against Moreira will now be presented to a grand jury seeking indictment.