A Lakewood felon's bid to overturn his murder conviction has failed on appeal.

Razear Muldrow, Jamil Parson (top) and Rahim Loyal
Razear Muldrow, Jamil Parson (top) and Rahim Loyal (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)
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Judges Tuesday upheld the decision that placed Jamil N. Parson, 31, behind bars for as many as 40 years for the execution-style murder of a Lakewood 17-year-old in 2009, according to information from the office of Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.

The panel dismissed defense arguments that Parson had not been given his Miranda warning during interviews by then-Ocean County Detective Carlos Trujillo-Tovar and Lakewood PD Detective Jason Pederson, authorities said.

The Miranda rule refers to the advisory that is required to be given to an arrestee to preserve fifth-amendment rights against self-incrimination while under direct questioning or its equivalent.

The U.S. Supreme Court's Miranda v. Arizona decision also ensures an arrestee's right to legal representation. Statements obtained without Miranda warnings cannot be used to incriminate a defendant in court.

Parson, along with Razear Muldrow, 28, of Lakewood and Rahim Loyal, 32, of Newark, were suspected of ritually killing the teen and shooting the victim's 16-year-old cousin in December 2009.

All three were indicted in July 2010 on seven first-degree counts related to murder, conspiracy, assasult and weapons possession, and a second-degree charge of witness-tampering conspiracy.

Four days before proceedings were scheduled to begin in September 2011, defense attorney Mark Fury entered guilty pleas on all counts, open-ended, for Parson.

According to Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor E.F. Chowdhry, after a court accepts a guilty plea, a judgement of conviction is entered at sentencing. Prosecutors entered no plea offer or recommendation in representing the State, and in such instances could potentially seek the maximum terms.

He was subsequently sentenced to 40 years, with a stipulation to serve at least 85 percent of the time, or 34 years, before parole eligibility, in compliance with New Jersey's No Early Release Act.

Loyal and Muldrow are serving 17-year prison terms for their guilty pleas to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Parole considerations for each begins in 2024, authorities said.

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