WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — On Thursday, former Palm Beach Gardens Police Officer Nouman Raja will be sentenced for manslaughter and attempted murder of Corey Jones.
The Jones family is reminiscing about the memories they have with Corey and the difficult journey to what they call justice for their loved one.
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Watching old videos of his cousin Corey learning the chickpea process at his restaurant, Rahein Jones can’t help but feel mixed emotions on the day before sentencing.
“He was just saying how all he wants to do is use his time wisely,” said Jones about time his cousin will never get now.
Contemplating the memories, Rahein is thinking about Raja’s sentencing.
“I’m hoping that honestly, that he gets life, that he gets enough time to sit back and think about the actions that he, and the impact that he caused not just for our family, but his family,” said Jones.
Corey, who was 31 when he was shot and killed by Raja, was stranded off I-95 in Palm Beach Gardens when Raja, who was on duty and in plain clothes, pulled up in an unmarked car. Moments later, Corey was dead. Rahein sat through every day of the trial. He still feels like it was just yesterday when his cousin would come help at the restaurant, The New Vegan in Delray Beach, after he got out of work.
“We were so happy in that video. We were so full, everything was so full of life,” he said.
Corey played the drums for several bands and at church, Jones said.
“I met a child that Corey taught how to drum with one arm, this kid had one arm,” said Jones.
Rahein’s hope is that Corey’s legacy will live on even after Raja’s sentencing. But for now he finds himself thinking about the yesterdays and tomorrow.
“It didn’t hit me till last night, that we don’’t know how much time we have,” he added.
Raja will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Thursday by Judge Joseph Marx. He could face 25 years to life in prison for the attempted murder charge alone.