Jury finds Blank guilty in cop shooting
Posted by Jersey Shore Breaking News at Tuesday, January 29. 2008 and is filed under Linwood,Current of Pleasantville,Port Republic,Current of Egg Harbor Township,Current of Downbeach,Current of Somers Point,Northfield,Current of Hamilton Township,Absecon,Current of Galloway 
MAYS LANDING – An Atlantic County jury found an Egg Harbor Township man guilty Tuesday, Jan. 29 on all 12 counts in connection with the July 13 shooting that injured two police officers during a routine traffic stop.
Christopher Blank, 29, of Fernwood Avenue was found guilty of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, disarming a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel.
The judge found Blank guilty on the final count, which was possession of a weapon by a convicted person. Blank had been convicted in Atlantic County of possession of drugs in 1998, Housel said.
After a 2½ week trial and approximately five hours of deliberation over two days, the jury reached its verdict at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday.
Blank, whose $500,000 cash bail was revoked immediately after the verdict, could face up to 60 years in state prison on the attempted murder charges alone, of which he would have to serve 85 percent of the term before parole eligibility.
Superior Court Judge Michael Donio is scheduled to sentence Blank at 9 a.m. March 13, Housel said.
In July 2006, Egg Harbor Township Police Officer Christopher Leary pulled over a 1999 Toyota Corolla for a traffic violation on the Black Horse Pike. At the time there was an outstanding Somers Point theft warrant for Blank, according to reports. Officer Clear Costantino reported as backup.
Housel said Blank was ordered out of the car, and as Leary went to handcuff Blank he got into a physical confrontation with the officers and ran from the scene, with the two officers giving chase.
Sgt. Robert Gray, responding to a report of shots fired shortly afterward, found the two officers down.
Blank led law enforcement officers from multiple agencies on a massive manhunt before being apprehended around 5:30 a.m. by Atlantic City Police K-9 Officer James Michael Knights and his K-9, Kato, in a ball field off Coolidge Avenue.
Christopher Blank, 29, of Fernwood Avenue was found guilty of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, disarming a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel.
The judge found Blank guilty on the final count, which was possession of a weapon by a convicted person. Blank had been convicted in Atlantic County of possession of drugs in 1998, Housel said.
After a 2½ week trial and approximately five hours of deliberation over two days, the jury reached its verdict at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday.
Blank, whose $500,000 cash bail was revoked immediately after the verdict, could face up to 60 years in state prison on the attempted murder charges alone, of which he would have to serve 85 percent of the term before parole eligibility.
Superior Court Judge Michael Donio is scheduled to sentence Blank at 9 a.m. March 13, Housel said.
In July 2006, Egg Harbor Township Police Officer Christopher Leary pulled over a 1999 Toyota Corolla for a traffic violation on the Black Horse Pike. At the time there was an outstanding Somers Point theft warrant for Blank, according to reports. Officer Clear Costantino reported as backup.
Housel said Blank was ordered out of the car, and as Leary went to handcuff Blank he got into a physical confrontation with the officers and ran from the scene, with the two officers giving chase.
Sgt. Robert Gray, responding to a report of shots fired shortly afterward, found the two officers down.
Blank led law enforcement officers from multiple agencies on a massive manhunt before being apprehended around 5:30 a.m. by Atlantic City Police K-9 Officer James Michael Knights and his K-9, Kato, in a ball field off Coolidge Avenue.
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