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Bail originally had been set at $500,000 for Khari E. Noerdlinger, 19, the son of a former New York City mayor's aide. He's charged with aggravated manslaughter, weapons possession and hindering his arrest.
Noerdlinger owed money to Savion Lewallen of Spring Valley when he stuck a knife seven inches into his leg, puncturing his femoral artery, around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Danielle Grootenboer said during an initial court appearance on Tuesday.
Lewallen was first brought to Palisades General Hospital in North Bergen before being flown by helicopter to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he died.
The teen brought four other people -- all from Rockland County -- with him that night to Old River Road to collect his money, authorities said.
Grootenboer said Noerdlinger and Lewallen spoke on the phone and that Noerdlinger had the knife with him when he walked down the block from his Thompson Lane home for the meeting
Two people who came with Lewallen remained in the car, which Grootenboer said was parked about a block away.
He and Noerdlinger spoke for a “at least several minutes” before the situation turned violent, she said.
Investigators later found a 7½ -inch knife hidden in the box spring of Noerdlinger's bed, she said.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman said Noerdlinger “is a victim, and was acting to protect his own life.”
He said there will be no plea bargain discussions and that the case will be “fought vigorously” at a trial. Noerdlinger's mother, Rachel, was in court before the hearing but left.
Charged with various armed robbery and conspiracy counts are Kevensky Lubin, 28, Richard Jean-Pierre, 18, and Calim Gaspard, 23, all of Spring Valley, and Mirleny Tremols, 33, of Nyack. READ MORE....
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