Newark man admits to killing East Orange man during robbery attempt

NEWARK/EAST ORANGE, NJ — Cory Robinson, 26, of Newark pled guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 8, to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of Edwin Gibson, 32, of East Orange.

According to the terms of the plea agreement, Robinson must serve 18 years before he is eligible for parole. After parole, he must remain on parole supervision for five more years, according to Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who was preparing to begin jury selection in the case when Robinson decided to plea.

On Sept. 5, 2014, Gibson was shot and killed outside of his Rhode Island Avenue home, during an attempted robbery.

“This was truly a senseless act of violence because the victim did not have any money or items of value on him at the time,’’ said Edwab. “The defendant already had a cellphone and wallet that belong to a woman Gibson was talking to at the time, but Gibson had nothing.’’

Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 15, before the Superior Court Judge James Donohue, who took the plea on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

In addition to the homicide, Robinson also pled guilty to a weapons offense. The gun used in the fatal shooting was a ballistic match when he was arrested on Sept. 10, 2014, and charged with unlawful possession of a gun.