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Fort Lee Home Invasion Inmate Charged In Beating Of Reggae Legend's Son

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino said Friday that his office charged a Queens man awaiting trial in a home invasion gone awry with a brutal jailhouse beating that left the son of the late reggae star Peter Tosh in a coma.

Kyrie Baum

Kyrie Baum

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY SHERIFF

Kyrie Baum, 40, of Maspeth, was charged with aggravated assault in an attempt to purposefully, knowingly and recklessly cause bodily injury to Jawara McIntosh on Feb. 21 at the county jail in Hackensack.

Daily Voice earlier Friday published a story about McIntosh's family seeking a federal investigation into the beating, which Saudino said happened in a general custody housing unit and was over in 10 seconds.

McIntosh was serving a six-month sentence after pleading guilty to having 65½ pounds of pot in his car during a Route 17 traffic stop in Mahwah on Father's Day weekend 2013. 

Sheriff's officers rescued McIntosh, who was brought to Hackensack University Medical Center, the sheriff said.

“Although the Bergen County Jail has an extremely low violence rate, I extend my thoughts to the family of Mr. McIntosh during this difficult time,” Saudino said.

McIntosh, 37, "was beaten into a coma, sustaining severe traumatic brain injuries," wrote his sister, Niambe McIntosh.

His mother, Melody Cunningham, received a call from Hackensack University Medical Center "informing her that Jawara needed a life-saving surgical procedure after being savagely attacked" at the jail by another inmate, she wrote in a change.org petition.

He remained comatose in a Boston hospital, she added.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 223-pound Baum and Frederick Jones of Brooklyn were previously charged with an abortive Sept. 26, 2016 home invasion in Fort Lee.

Authorities said they pointed a gun at one of the West Street victims while impersonating U.S. Marshals.

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