Newark New Jersey law enforcement is investigating the death of a man who was found on a sidewalk. The man reportedly sustained a traumatic head injury and died as a result of the head trauma.

According to authorities, the victim was found lying on Lincoln Avenue in Newark, NJ. The victim was unconscious when police came across him.

Newark NJ police rushed the victim to nearby University Hospital, but doctors at the medical facility were unable to save his life. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Newark hospital.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Task Force and the Newark Police Department are actively investigating the death.

At this time, Newark NJ police have not ruled the death a homicide. However, that could soon change, depending on the outcome of the investigation into the death and the results of an autopsy conducted by Essex County medical examiners.

If investigators do eventually determine that there was foul play and that the victim’s death was a homicide, it is likely that criminal charges for murder or manslaughter would follow. Murder charges are typically brought against individuals who purposely or knowingly cause the death of another person, while manslaughter generally refers to deaths caused by someone’s recklessness.

The punishments for murder and manslaughter are very different. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4(b), a person who commits manslaughter can be charged with a second degree felony. A conviction for second degree manslaughter could result in a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.

By contrast, murder is classified under N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3 as a special kind of first degree felony that carries a potential punishment of life imprisonment, with a minimum mandatory term of incarceration of 30 years in NJ State Prison.

For further information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Detectives Probe Death of Person Found Lying in Newark Street.”