Lamar A. Harris, the homeless man accused of fatally bludgeoning and robbing an acquaintance at the Morristown train station in March, would serve 30 years in state prison under a plea deal offered by the prosecution.
Pleading guilty to first-degree murder would not buy Harris, 33, any chance for parole, according to Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn Jr., addressing a brief virtual hearing before Superior Court Judge Robert Hanna on Monday.
A grand jury has indicted Harris on charges of felony murder, robbery and two weapons counts. Joseph Corazza, filling in for Harris’ public defender, rejected the offer and entered not guilty pleas.
First-degree murder can bring a life sentence in New Jersey.
Harris listened via a video hookup from the Morris County Jail but did not speak, except to quietly acknowledge the judge’s greeting.
Another hearing is set for next month.
Schellhorn said the prosecution has extensive surveillance video and body camera footage implicating Harris in the murder of 60-year-old Morristown resident Matthew Palla early on March 29, 2021.
Authorities say Harris and Palla ate pizza together late on a Sunday at the Morris Street 7-Eleven, where Palla flashed a wad of $100 bills when paying for the meal. They then walked towards the train station.
About an hour later, Palla’s body was discovered in a station stairwell, near a blood-spattered brick. His money was gone. The Morris County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, caused by “blunt force trauma” to the victim’s head. Authorities say the brick came from the nearby M Station office construction site.
Two days after the incident, Harris was found sleeping on a bench at the station. Blood on his clothes will link him to the killing, authorities contend.
Public Defender Brittany Calzone has challenged the quality of the surveillance videos, and suggested other homeless people who frequent the station could have committed the crimes.