Husayn Braveheart, once a teenager implicated in a deadly carjacking that took the life of Steve Markey in northeast Minneapolis, managed to largely avoid further prison time after a recent court plea decision. Braveheart, now 20, entered an amended guilty plea to first-degree attempted assault, which secured him a sentence of 54 months. However, due to the time already served, calculated at 1,647 days, he won't be serving additional time behind bars for this particular crime, as reported by FOX 9.
The sentencing brings to nearly close a chapter that began when Braveheart chose to be an accessory to robbery and violence. This lenient turn of events follows an initial plea deal proposed in October, which was ultimately rejected by Hennepin County District Judge Michael Burns for its failure to properly punish the crime committed when Braveheart was 15. The judge had felt compelled to meticulously follow the set guidelines and couldn't reject a plea that conformed to the offense, as CBS News Minnesota reported.
The plea deal, however, did not sit well with the victim’s family, who claimed they were blindsided by the reduced charge from second-degree murder to first-degree attempted assault. The reduction and the subsequent sentence sparked outrage amongst the family members, with Steve Markey’s sister slamming the decision as 'a pattern of behavior' and a blatant disregard for the victim's rights, as obtained by FOX 9. Markey's family wasn't alone in their discontent; Brian Markey, Steve's brother, voiced his disappointment, telling the Associated Press, "It’s not good enough, and it’s embarrassing."
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, however, supported the court’s decision, saying that "Mr. Braveheart, a juvenile when he committed this terrible crime, has made enormous strides and been responsive to treatment during the past five years of his incarceration." Moriarty believes that continued treatment may help to prevent future crimes. Braveheart's journey through the legal system is still not finished though, as he remains in custody for two pending aggravated robbery cases, with a court appearance scheduled for the following Monday after the sentencing, per CBS News Minnesota.
