A Milwaukee man has entered a no-contest plea in a deadly Valentine’s Day shooting that rattled the city’s MLK corridor, admitting no legal guilt but clearing the way for a homicide conviction in the killing of 64-year-old Carl Thurmond. The shooting happened on Feb. 14, 2025 near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Concordia Avenue. Prosecutors say surveillance video and physical evidence tied the defendant to the scene. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13 in Milwaukee County Court, and while the case is moving toward closure on paper, Thurmond’s family and neighbors say they are still looking for emotional answers.
Liquor store cameras capture the shooting
Security footage from a liquor store at the intersection shows a man walk up behind Thurmond, fire a single shot as Thurmond falls, then fire a second shot before calmly walking away. According to CBS 58, the shooting took place around 5 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2025 and that Thurmond was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators used that video as their starting point, canvassing the Harambee neighborhood for more footage and witnesses. Neighbors told reporters the images were difficult to watch but crucial in helping detectives piece together what happened.
Phone on porch, winter coat and shell casings
Police say officers recovered two fired .40-caliber casings near Thurmond’s body, and later found a black cellphone on a nearby porch that matched what appeared in additional street video, as reported by WISN. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators say notifications on the lock screen pointed to a Facebook account listed as "BOO MAC," which detectives linked to a man identified as James Mann Jr. According to the criminal complaint, authorities arrested Mann on Feb. 16, 2025 at an address on N. 22nd Street and later reported finding ammunition, a state ID and a long winter coat that they say matched the jacket seen in the surveillance video.
No-contest plea cuts short a trial
On Moday, Mann entered a no-contest plea to first-degree reckless homicide. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a separate count of possession of a firearm by a felon and have that charge read in for sentencing purposes, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. A no-contest plea means Mann did not formally admit guilt but agreed not to contest the evidence. The case now heads straight to a March 13 sentencing hearing in Milwaukee County Court, where the judge will weigh arguments from both sides before deciding how much prison time Mann will face.
What first-degree reckless homicide means under state law
Under Wisconsin law, first-degree reckless homicide applies when someone causes the death of another person through reckless conduct that demonstrates complete disregard for human life. It is classified as a Class B felony, according to FindLaw. The charge is different from first-degree intentional homicide, which centers on proof of an intent to kill, while reckless homicide focuses on conduct that is extremely dangerous and indifferent to human life. When the case returns to court in March, prosecutors and the defense are expected to present sentencing recommendations, records and other materials as the judge weighs the appropriate punishment within that framework.
