Camden Man Convicted Of Aggravated Manslaughter Of Marine Veteran

By David Madden 

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ --- A Camden County jury has convicted a 33-year-old man in the slaying of a Marine veteran outside a Camden bar a year and a half ago.

Prosecutors took a month to present the case against Darrell Crone in what they said was the murder of Timothy Loper of Pine Hill, NJ. Loper was trying to break up a fight outside a Camden bar when he was shot in the back.

The jury opted for aggravated manslaughter, but also convicted Crone of attempted murder for firing a shot into a crowd of people gathered at the fight scene. Scott R. Cohen, Crone's attorney, on how his client took the verdict. "He was still very, very upset about it. Just couldn't believe what had happened," said Cohen.

With other charges added in, and given the fact he already has a record for an armed robbery conviction, Crone could get up to 70 years in prison. Cohen says his client will appeal.