TRENTON – A Trenton man accused of shooting his friend to death nearly four years ago not only denied his involvement, but claimed he was over 20 miles away at the time, according to court records.
In a 2012 interview with police, which was played during accused killer Zaire Jackson’s murder trial Tuesday, Jackson repeatedly told police he was innocent and that he was visiting his girlfriend in another county when the killing occurred.
Jackson, 22, is on trial, accused of gunning down 22-year-old Irvin Jackson in Moses Alley in April 2012. The two men were not related.
Mercer County prosecutors have said Zaire Jackson was angry over two incidents the day before; a fight at an Easter picnic and several shots that were fired at his house. Zaire Jackson believed Irvin Jackson was responsible for the gunfire at his home so the next day, he chased Irvin Jackson into an alley and shot him to death, execution-style, prosecutors have said.
Then, by Zaire Jackson’s own admission, he went on the run.
In the tape, which was played during the testimony of Trenton police Detective Scott Peterson this week, Jackson told police that he bounced around various motels after Irvin Jackson was killed.
He maintained his innocence but said he thought the cops would be looking for him anyway, adding, “I’m not dumb, I know how the law plays.”
When police asked about the incidents leading up to Irvin Jackson’s murder, Zaire Jackson gave a similar story to the one investigators suspected.
He told investigators that he’d gotten into a fight with another man – Kevin Robinson – during a picnic the day before the killing and that Irvin Jackson had broken the two men apart.
Video shows figure fleeing area of fatal shooting
After the picnic, Zaire Jackson went to a Trenton house to meet several men, including Robinson and Irvin Jackson, who had both been present at the fight. The meeting quickly turned contentious, however, when Robinson put a gun to Zaire Jackson’s head and Jackson was kicked out of the home, he told investigators.
Later that evening, Zaire Jackson told police he was sitting at home when he heard gunfire outside his house.
While the initial story lines up with prosecutors’ accusations, Zaire’s account deviates on the day of the killing.
He told police he woke up the morning of the killing and called a friend, who drove him to his girlfriend’s house in Willingboro, where he stayed for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
In the recorded interview, investigators pressed Zaire Jackson, telling him that multiple witnesses saw him running from Moses Alley after the shooting, gun in hand.
“Well where’s the gun?” Jackson asked investigators before again denying that he was at the scene.
The trial continued Wednesday with a handwriting expert testifying regarding a note Jackson allegedly wrote.
The trial is postponed Thursday because of weather and is expected to continue Friday morning.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman.
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