Millik King had many theories of how his 15-year-old cousin was fatally shot June 12, 2020, to deflect his responsibility for what happened.
Eventually, though, on Wednesday Dec. 21, King admitted the gun was in his hand and his finger was on the trigger when the gun fired.
King was also only 15 years old when charged with murder in the death of Kyjuan King. A 40-caliber bullet pierced Kyjuan’s back and exited through his chest. The bullet then struck Michael Walker, wounding him.
Millik King tried to claim to Richmond County Sheriff’s investigators that his cousin shot Walker and then shot himself, and he also claimed Walker was the shooter, said Assistant District Attorney William Hammond.
Millik King also tried to explain Wednesday in Richmond County Superior Court that the gun went off when he dropped it, but Judge Ashley Wright told him she wasn’t buying that.
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There was no evidence that Millik King intentionally shot his cousin or Walker, the prosecutor said. There were others in the house when the single shot was fired, and no one heard any argument or noise of a possible fight, Hammond said.
The victim’s mother, Tiffany King, told the judge she doesn’t believe it was an accident.
“He was not playing. My baby didn’t deserve to be killed,” she said.
Millik King’s mother told the judge that he and Kyjuan were more like brothers than cousins. If you saw one you saw the other, Alex King said. They were only five months apart in age, and the only boys in their immediate families. There’s no way Millik would have intentionally done anything to hurt Kyjuan, she said.
Defense attorney Peter Johnson acknowledged the judge’s confusion over the facts of the case. He wasn’t sure what exactly happened either, but he was sure there was no intent to harm. He asked Wright to take into consideration the nearly three years Millik King has been in custody.
Wright accepted the guilty plea in Richmond County Superior Court to involuntary manslaughter. She sentenced Millik King to eight years in prison followed by two years on probation. He will be eligible for parole.
Walker, who brought the gun into the house that day, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to five year on probation in April 2021.
