Defendant had his bail reduced from $500,000 cash-only to $250,000 cash or bond by Somerset County Superior Court Judge Julie M. Marino.
Avery C. Gorman and his alleged accomplice, Devin Alexander, were identified by eye witnesses. (File photo) FRANKLIN TWP. -- A Seton Hall student was granted a bail reduction on a first-degree attempted murder charge in an alleged drive-by shooting last month in Franklin Township on Monday in Somerset County Superior Court.
Avery C. Gorman, 21, of Franklin Township had his bail reduced from $500,000 cash-only to $250,000 cash or bond by Somerset County Superior Court Judge Julie M. Marino.
James Wronko, Gorman's attorney, argued that the alleged incident was "completely out of character" for Gorman, who he said is a student at the university and has no previously indictable offenses. Gorman's parents and two sisters were in the courtroom.
Gorman is alleged to have been the driver in a drive-by shooting on Aug. 1 in which his alleged accomplice, Devin Alexander, 21, of the Somerset section of Franklin Township fired shots at the intended victim from the front passenger seat of Gorman's car.
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Alexander, who had initially alluded authorities, has been picked up on a warrant and is being held in Somerset County Jail on $750,000 cash-only bail, authorities said. He has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree possession of a handgun with the purpose to use it unlawfully and second-degree possession of a handgun without a permit, authorities said.
Assistant prosecutor William Guhl argued that Gorman knew Alexander's intentions when he drove him the area of the shooting. Ammunition was found in Gorman's car the next day, Guhl said.
Under condition of the reduced bail, Gorman must have no contact with the victim or witnesses, surrender his passport and sign a waiver of extradition should he leave the state.
At 7:09 p.m. on Aug. 1, police responded to Eugene Avenue on a report of shots fired, according to an affidavit filed by Franklin Detective Jay Glazewski.
The 21-year-old victim told police he was parked in his car in front of a residence on Ambrose Street when a 2014 dark blue Honda Accord with tinted windows drove by, the affidavit said. Several minutes later, the same car drove down Pearl Street and began to turn left onto Ambrose Street in front of where he was parked, the affidavit said.
The victim said the front-passenger-side window came down and he saw Alexander, whom he knows, point a black handgun toward him and fire, the affidavit said. The victim said glass shattered in all directions and the Honda sped off, the affidavit said.
As the victim attempted to leave the area, he again saw the Honda and Alexander sitting in the front passenger seat, the affidavit said. But this time, he also recognized the driver, whom he identified as Gorman, the affidavit stated.
Later, a witness told police she had just walked to the front door of the residence on Ambrose Street to meet the victim when she heard a few "pinging" noises, the affidavit said. She opened the door, stepped onto the porch and saw Alexander, whom she also knows, shooting a black handgun out of the front passenger window, the affidavit said.
The witness said she also saw Gorman sitting in the driver's seat as the vehicle left the scene, the affidavit said.
That night, a motor vehicle search was done on the name "Gorman" and a 2014 blue Honda was found registered to the defendant's father, the affidavit said.
The following day at approximately 6:41 p.m., police located the Honda, which was again being driven by Avery Gorman, on Stothoff Street in Franklin. He was arrested without incident, the affidavit said.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
