By Associated Press - Wednesday, September 30, 2020

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - One of two men accused of fatally shooting a teenager during a drug robbery in Rapid City has changed his plea to guilty.

Andre Martinez, 20, entered the plea to first-degree manslaughter in Seventh Circuit Court Tuesday for his role in the shooting death of 17-year-old Emmanuel Hinton in February 2019, KOTA-TV reported.

Prosecutors said Martinez came up with a plan to rob the dealers who were selling marijuana and recruited Cole Waters, who earlier pleaded guilty to the same charge.



Court documents say Martinez and Waters met Hinton and another man in an alley before Waters shot the victim.

Waters contended his arm got caught in the door of the vehicle in which Hinton and the other man were seated and that accidentally discharged the gun he was holding.

The maximum penalty for first-degree manslaughter is life in prison and a $50,000 fine. Both men have their sentencing date set for Dec. 16.

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