Accused Gunman in Short Hills Mall Carjacking Reinstated as Defendant in Civil Suit

Hanif Thompson of Irvington, one of the accused men named in a fatal carjacking in 2013 at the Mall at Short Hills, has been reinstated as a defendant in a civil suit regarding the attack, according to a NJ.com report.

As he has maintained, Thompson denied any involvement with the Dec. 13 murder of Hoboken attorney, Dustin Friedland, according to court documents.

Thompson is currently in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2 million bail, the report stated.

He is one of four men indicted in connection with the carjacking, in addition to Basim Henry, 33, of South Orange, Karif Ford, 32, of Newark, and Kevin Roberts, 35, of Newark.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Friedland was fatally shot in an upper level parking deck of the mall, when the four men allegedly attempted to carjack the attorney and his wife as they entered their vehicle. [See related story]

Send news tips to eric.kiefer@patch.com