Federal hate crime charges against Dion Marsh in Lakewood, NJ

The man who went on a violent rampage in Lakewood and Jackson on April 8 was charged with federal hate crimes Wednesday as he made another profanity-filled appearance in court.

Dion Marsh, 27, of Manchester, was charged with four counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking in connection with the attack that started with the carjacking of a vehicle he used to run over three pedestrians over the course of several hours. All three victims were Orthodox Jews.

The complaint against Marsh recounted the events of that Friday hours before the Jewish Sabbath. The attack hospitalized all three men with serious injuries. One lost a large amount of blood after being stabbed in the torso with a steak knife.

Marsh explained his actions as something that "had to be done" because Hasidic Jews are "the real devils," according to the complaint.

Under the Byrd Act, Dion is charged with willfully causing bodily injury to four victims and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to three of them, all because they were Jewish.

Each hate crime charge carries a statutory maximum term of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was named in honor of two men killed in 1998. Shepard was gay while Byrd was beaten to death by white supremacists. The act passed in 2009 expanded the scope of hate crime laws.

Car involved in a carjacking in Lakewood 4/8/22 (The Lakewood Scoop)

New charges from the Ocean County prosecutor

The charges came as Marsh was in Ocean County Superior Court for a profanity-filled detention hearing where he was formally charged with terrorism, attempted carjacking, attempted kidnapping and three additional counts each of bias intimidation and attempted murder.

Judge Guy P. Ryan had to mute Marsh as the defendant told him to "shut the f**k up," dropped several F-bombs and talked over the judge.

He told his public defender to leave when she appeared during the hearing, according to the Asbury Park Press' coverage of the hearing.

"Call Dion, call Tyrone, call Simpson. I’m done with this bulls**t," Dion yelled at the judge during his online appearance.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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The 2002-2003 New Jersey Nets: The last time the NBA Finals came through NJ

In 2012 the Nets made their Brooklyn debut, but before that, New Jersey was the home of the Nets dating back to 1977.

The franchise was born in 1967, under the name the New Jersey Americans. They played their games in Teaneck as part of the American Basketball Association. One year later they moved to Long Island, becoming the New York Nets.

It was there the team won two ABA championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76. The very next year the Nets, along with three other basketball franchises, were absorbed into the NBA as part of a merger deal, abolishing the ABA.

When the Nets first moved to New Jersey, they played their home games at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway. Then in 1981, they moved into the home many of us remember them in the most, the Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford (later named the Continental Airlines Arena, then Izod center).

After years of losing, The Nets made it to two straight NBA Finals in 2001-02 and 2002-03. In 2002-03, the final time they sniffed the championship, the team lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

It would be the last time the Nets sniffed the title, but their efforts added them to New Jersey lore forever.

These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey

A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.

From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.

Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.

If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.

Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.

You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.

Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.

If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.

Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.

I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions: