Cedar Rapids teen pleads guilty in fatal shooting of fellow teen

CEDAR RAPIDS - A 14-year-old admitted in court Tuesday that he shot and killed 15-year-old Aaron Richardson following text message and social media threats made between their rival groups in September.

Robert Humbles Jr., a ninth-grader, kept his head down and in a soft-spoken voice pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, reckless use of a firearm resulting in serious injury and going armed with intent.

Humbles was facing a first-degree murder charge, but The Gazette reported Nov. 25 that he would accept the plea deal.

In the plea, Humbles admitted to shooting Richardson as the groups met Sept. 6 in the 300 block of 16th Avenue SE. He also admitted to being provoked and having a firearm when the two groups met that day after both exchanged threats on Facebook and through texts.

A criminal complaint stated that Richardson and another youth were yelling and had a gun as Humbles shot Richardson. Assistant Linn County Attorney Nic Scott said last month that Humbles fired his gun multiple times. Richardson was struck once in the abdomen.

Richardson ran to a house in the 300 block of 16th Street SE for help, but died after surgery, police said.

In court Tuesday, Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Patrick Grady explained to Humbles that he faces 25 years in prison, but he's being prosecuted as a youthful offender so he will go back to juvenile court for sentencing.

Grady also asked his mother Nicole Robertson, who was in court, if she agreed to the plea agreement and she said yes.

The juvenile court judge will likely send him to a juvenile facility, such as the Eldora State Training School for Boys, until he turns 18. Humbles will then be sent back to adult or district court and a judge will decide whether to release him or sentence him to serve out the remainder of his 25-year sentence in prison, Grady said.

Humbles also was ordered to pay courts costs and possibly restitution of $150,000 to Richardson's estate, which is civil penalty in murder cases.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter said during the hearing that the state will not make a recommendation at the time of sentencing, as part of the plea agreement.

Johnson County Public Defender Peter Persaud, one of Humbles' defense attorneys, said he and Rachel Antonuccio, a assistant public defender, are hoping to have Humbles placed in a less restrictive facility than the training school in Eldora.

Persaud said he couldn't speak for Robert's mother, Nicole Robertson, who attended the hearing, but they spent a lot of time discussing the plea with her and they were all 'pleased with the resolution.

'Robert is a kid who can be rehabilitated, and the fact that he's being treated as a youthful offender acknowledges that fact,” Persaud said. 'We're really glad Robert is returning to the (juvenile center) pending sentencing.'That's the best setting for a child, and he is committed to doing well there and wherever he ultimately ends up after sentencing.

Humbles was transferred back to the detention center after the hearing and will remain there pending sentencing. He had been sent to the Jones County Jail under $1 million bail.

The Linn County Jail can't house juveniles separate from adults, which the law requires. The juvenile center has a policy that restricts it from housing juveniles charged as adults with first-degree murder, but since Humbles is now under youthful offender status and convicted of lesser charges, officials agreed to hold him, Antonuccio said last month.

Scott said last month the plea was made because there were many issues with witnesses coming forward to tell investigators what happened that day.