Minneapolis man sentenced to 30 years for death in robbery gone wrong
A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting a man in a robbery gone wrong, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Tuesday.
James Moore pleaded guilty late last month in the death of Malik Smith, 21. According to the criminal complaint, Smith was lured to an apartment on Dec. 19 expecting to sell marijuana. Instead, Moore shot Smith in his vehicle.
Police responded to the shooting on the 1700 block of Russell Avenue North. They were diverted to a vehicle crash in front of a home, a short distance from the shots fired call. Smith was behind the wheel of the vehicle with two shots in his back. He died a short time later.
According to a witness, Moore and a co-defendant, Tyreik Perkins, walked up to Smith’s vehicle and tried unsuccessfully to open the door. Moore then shot into the vehicle.
Moore and Perkins then ran into a nearby apartment on Golden Valley Road, which belonged to Moore’s girlfriend, Destiny Bradshaw. Police obtained a warrant for Bradshaw’s apartment, where Moore and Perkins were found.
Moore and Perkins were ordered to come out and were arrested. Police also found two handguns and a magazine with live rounds in the apartment.
A grand jury indicted Moore, Perkins and Bradshaw in July for first-degree murder while committing aggravated robbery and second-degree intentional murder.
Moore later pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder three days into jury selection. As part of his plea, Moore will receive 340 days of credit and more than $4,000 in restitution.
Bradshaw’s next court appearance will take place early next year. Perkins, who has not entered a plea, will likely face trial in mid-2021, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
