Jurors find Cody Fohrenkam guilty of murder in Deshaun Hill's killing
MINNEAPOLIS -- The jury has found a man guilty of two felony counts in the shooting death of 15-year-old Deshaun Hill, who was a standout student-athlete at North High.
Jurors deliberated for all of about an hour before reaching their guilty verdicts for 30-year-old Cody Fohrenkam -- second-degree with intent but not premeditated, and second-degree murder while committing a felony.
Hill was shot and killed on Feb. 9, 2022, when students were encouraged to leave school early and attend a demonstration following the police killing of Amir Locke. Hill had left school, and prosecutors say surveillance video shows Fohrenkam walk past him moments before gun shots rang out.
On Thursday, the defense wrapped up its case, without calling the defendant to the stand for testimony, and the jury was given the case.
It was an emotional day for family members; when the verdict was read, there was clapping and crying in the court room, which the judge eventually admonished.
Jury members said it was a quick decision because the evidence was laid out so methodically.
"There wasn't any doubts whatsoever," said Juror Steve Sobolewski, a manufacturer from Maple Grove. "Everybody agreed it was quick, as it should have been."
"A mom lost her son," he added. "That's weighing on your heart every day, every second you're in court, every time we had to see the gunshot video. It's heavy."
Sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Feb. 28.
His trial was set to begin in November, but it was then delayed to January. Furthermore, opening statements -- which were supposed to start Friday -- were delayed to this week. A judge granted the defense's request to delay, because Fohrenkam was "not in a good place," and needed time to deal with his anxiety and frustrations.
Fohrenkam said he was in the area looking for someone who stole his phone.
Cameras are not allowed inside the proceedings, WCCO's Jonah Kaplan confirmed with court sources that footage from several home and business surveillance videos were shown in court.
Earlier this month, Minneapolis Public Schools agreed to a $500,000 settlement with Hill's family.
