N.J. man knocked out car burglar with one punch. Now he’s charged with manslaughter

A Union City man who knocked out a car burglar with one punch on a Jersey City street is facing a manslaughter charge after the victim died from his injuries four days later, authorities said.

Robert Stevens, 40, was initially charged with aggravated assault days after the Aug. 2 incident on Bergen Avenue near Snyder High School. But when Anthony Passero, 51, died at the Jersey City Medical Center on Aug. 6, an autopsy was performed and the charge was upgraded to manslaughter.

According to a criminal complaint and statements made during a detention hearing Wednesday, Stevens saw Passero, of Bayonne, reaching into Stevens’ Jeep at 10:20 a.m. on Aug. 2 and ran toward Passero. When close enough, Stevens punched Passero in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground.

According to Jersey City closed circuit television footage cited during the detention hearing, Stevens stood over the bleeding and unconscious Passero for 21 seconds before getting into his vehicle and leaving. Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Eric Vivino pointed out during the detention hearing that during that time Stevens failed to call 9-1-1 or render any type of aid.

Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale released Stevens with conditions after the detention hearing Wednesday.

Stevens told police in an interview that he went into “defense mode” and claimed that Passero had become irate, Vivino said at the hearing. The assistant prosecutor said video of incident refutes that claim, and instead shows that Passero never saw Stevens coming before the punch. Vivino also noted that Passero was not armed.

“The defendant didn’t just get mad. He got violent. Rather than confront Mr. Passero, he attacked him,” Vivino told the court. “He went from zero to 100 in 10 seconds.”

DePascale questioned Vivino on the incident: “Why would this not be a justifiable use of force (under the defense-of-property statute)?”

Vivino answered that under the statute, a person is required to ask the person to desist before using force. “There was no request here. There was no time for that. He ran up to him and punched him in the head.”