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2 more charged in death of girl riding scooter

By WTOP Staff

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday evening for a funeral for a 12-year-old girl killed when she was hit by a stray bullet while riding a scooter in her neighborhood, and three young men faced charges in her death.

A 19-year-old who turned himself in earlier in the week pleaded not guilty Friday in the death of Genesis Rincon, while prosecutors announced that two other young men had been arrested. Family and friends of the girl packed the courtroom, many wearing “Justice for Genesis” hats and T-shirts for Jhymiere Moore’s first appearance.

Hours later, some of the mourners filing past the open casket at a church in Paterson wore the same hats for her viewing. Genesis was dressed in a teal dress and tiara, and the casket was decorated with a photo of her wearing jean shorts and a tank top bearing the number 8.

“Paterson let me down,” her father, Alexis Rincon, said at the funeral. “I want all this to stop. We got to stick together.”

Genesis was struck in the head around 8:40 p.m. Saturday as she rode home to a family gathering. She was kept on life support until Monday when her organs were donated.

“She doesn’t have to suffer in Paterson anymore,” her sister Alex Rincon said, drawing applause from the congregation.

Jeffery Ellerbee, 21, was charged Friday with first-degree murder and weapons offenses, and Marshae Anthony, 19, was charged with weapons offenses. Moore pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and weapons charges.

Jason Statuto, an assistant Passaic County prosecutor, said both Moore and Ellerbee fired shots. He said Genesis was not the intended target, but that he couldn’t comment on who was.

Moore’s lawyer, Harley Breite, told reporters after the court hearing that Moore was not involved in the shooting but turned himself in on Tuesday because he heard through people on the street that he was a target of the investigation.

“Rather than make it appear that he had some culpability or was in some way responsible for this, he took it upon himself to say: ‘I am not guilty, I am not responsible for that tragedy, and I want to be an active member in this criminal justice system. I’m not going to become a second victim in this tragedy,'” Breite said.

The lawyer noted that no weapon was found on Moore. Statuto said the weapon used to kill the girl has not been found.

Ellerbee was arrested Thursday night and Anthony was arrested Wednesday, Statuto said. It wasn’t immediately clear if either had an attorney.

Moore’s bail was kept at $3 million, but Breite said he will file a motion to try to get that reduced. He is being held in protective custody at the Passaic County Jail because of the high-profile nature of the case.

Overall crime in Paterson is down, but there has been a dramatic increase in gun violence, acting Police Chief William Fraher said earlier this week. There were 40 nonfatal shootings in the city in 2010 compared with 53 nonfatal shootings in the city so far this year, Fraher said. He noted 125 police officers were laid off in 2011.

Breite said Moore is being used as a scapegoat for the city’s violence.

“The wrongful persecution of a 19-year-old city youth is not the answer to what’s going on in Paterson,” he said. “One thing is for sure: The killer of that young girl was not in court today.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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