Queens Man Acquitted in Teaneck Double Murder
New York nightclub owner convicted on lesser charges, report says.
A Bergen County jury on Thursday acquitted a Queens man on charges he killed two men on a street in Teaneck, but convicted him on drug distribution conspiracy and hindering apprehension charges, northjersey.com reported.
Prosecutors alleged Nicholas Kiriakakis, a 27-year-old nightclub owner, fatally shot Michael Mirasola and Jonathan Beneduce on Oakdene Avenue Feb. 17, 2010. The three were allegedly involved in a deal to buy drugs using counterfeit money.
Although Kiriakakis had collected thousands from the two men, he was unable to make the deal happen and instead shot the pair, prosecutors alleged.
An attorney for Kiriakakis argued the three were involved with serious criminals and the killings were a professional hit, the report said.
Records show Kiriakakis remained free on $2 million bail ahead of a Jan. 25 sentencing.
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Tee Smyth
10:32 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
I didn't follow this case, but.....geez. I wonder what kind of evidence the prosecution had.
John Santaella
12:33 am on Saturday, December 15, 2012
From today's piece in the Record it seems all the evidence was circumstantial and apparently not very convincing.