Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson both rejected plea offers Friday in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams, continuing to progress to their August trial date.
Prosecutors offered to drop all other charges in exchange for Robinson’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and Neal’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of a rifle, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Bradford said Friday.
The deal required that both men plead guilty or neither would receive the deal.
Neal, 20, is charged with 11 criminal counts, including first-degree murder while armed during an armed robbery and felony murder, in connection with William’s death. Robinson faces charges of first-degree murder while armed during an armed robbery, felony murder, attempted armed robbery, conspiracy, and four related weapons charges for William’s death.
Prosecutors say Neal and Robinson waited with 18-year-old Deandre Shaheed outside of the Deanwood Metro station, saw Williams, and decided to rob him. The men knew where Williams lived and Shaheed confronted Williams near his home with Neal’s shotgun to rob him, according to the prosecutors.
Williams tried to wrest control of the weapon, prosecutors say, but Shaheed shot him in the chest during the tussle. Shaheed pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder while armed for his role Williams’ death.
In court Friday, Neal told Judge Jennifer Anderson that he had not had enough time to consider the deal, though prosecutors say the deal expired Monday. While Neal’s defense attorney Carol Blume noted that she had explained the terms to her client, Neal interjected, asking, “Why? Why?”
Under the deal, Neal would have faced a sentence of three to seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and six to 24 months for possession of a rifle.
The trial is scheduled to begin August 11.
