NEWARK — A Newark man who opened fire on police during a high speed car chase could see a lighter punishment following the appeal of his 32-year prison sentence.

Khaalid Fate, 40, was convicted in 2013 on two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer after stealing a parked 2001 Dodge Caravan and shooting at cops as he took them on a 10-minute chase through city streets two years earlier. Fate ran stoplights and drove "like there was no law," before hitting a pole and ending the pursuit, according to a summary of his case by a state appellate court.

On March 28, 2014, Fate was sentenced to 32 years in prison on seven counts, including two counts of aggravated assault, weapons offenses, eluding, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.

Now three years later, the appellate court has ordered a re-sentencing for Fate, whose defense attorney, Carolyn Murray, argued was given an unfair trial and excessive 32-year prison sentence.

In the appeal, Judges Amy O'Connor and Mary Gibbons Whipple decided the court did not provide a justification for barring his parole for 12 years, the maximum allowed. The court also erroneously listed Fate's conviction for resisting arrest as a third-degree offense rather than a disorderly persons offense, the appellate court ruled.

Fate has spent more than 10 years in New Jersey State Prison. He has eight prior arrests and three prior felony convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of drugs with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and weapons offenses.

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