Just days before opening statements at trial, Kevin Charles pleaded guilty last week to voluntary manslaughter while armed and conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in connection with the December 2011 shooting death of Steven Curtis Moore, according to court documents. Charles is scheduled to be sentenced August 30.
Charles and co-defendants Johnnie Harris and Stanley Moghalu were scheduled to stand trial in the case this month. Court documents say that Harris and Moghalu will continue trial as scheduled, with opening statements expected to be heard Monday.
Court records do not indicate whether Charles is required to testify against Harris and Moghalu. Documents say, though, that in exchange for Charles’ guilty plea prosecutors will dismiss all other charges against him, and will request no more than 10 years in prison at sentencing.
Moore was found shot in the 1100 block of 21st Street Northeast on the evening of December 3, 2011.
Charles, Harris and Moghalu, along with Anthony Hatton and Jekwan Smith, are suspected of being members of a crew called “21st and Vietnam.” As members of the group, they are suspected of taking part in a series of attacks that took the lives of Moore, Tyrell Fogle and Isaiah Sheffield.
Harris, Moghalu, Hatton and Smith are expected to resume trial Monday morning in front of Judge Henry Greene.
Available plea documents have been added to this post.
