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Bruce Duette, who was an inmate during the alleged fatal assault, was charged on Tuesday, March 7, according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae.
On Nov. 21, 2022, Martin Sanchez, 41, an inmate at Bayside State Prison, was found unresponsive in his cell with apparent trauma to the head and face, the prosecutor said.
Sanchez was pronounced dead shortly thereafter by medical personnel, she said. Sanchez was due to be released the next day, Nov. 22, 2022, according to state records. He had served a five-year prison sentence for theft in Essex County.
Duette has been in prison for nearly 17 years. He is serving prison time for aggravated manslaughter, conspiracy to commit homicide, theft, weapon and drug charges, all in Mercer County, according to state records. His current parole eligibility date is March 8, 2030.
The investigation was conducted by members of the Special Investigations Division of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, with assistance from detectives from the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office.
The State will move for pre-trial detention.
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