Hans Madave withdraws guilty plea in Plymouth teen's shooting death
PLYMOUTH, Minn. — A man charged in connection to the 2022 shooting death of a 17-year-old Plymouth boy withdrew his guilty plea on Monday during what was supposed to be his sentencing.
In November last year, Hans Madave, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Yaseen Johnson on Nov. 14, 2022. He originally pleaded not guilty in May 2023.
Now, Madave has withdrawn his guilty plea against the advice of his attorney, insisting on his innocence.
In January, Madave's alleged co-conspirator, Augustus Sirleaf, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for Johnson's death.
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According to charging documents, Sirleaf recruited Madave to rob two people during a shoe sale. They met the buyers at a parking lot and got into the back of their car. Johnson was in the passenger seat, while another man was in the driver's seat.
Johnson gave the suspects money for the shoes, but Sirleaf asked for one of the shoes back. When Johnson refused, Sirleaf took out a gun and shot him several times.
In court on Monday, Madave claimed the shooting death was not a foreseeable consequence of the robbery.
Madave had been on the run for months following the shooting before he turned himself in two months later.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 1.
