Plea bargain to be made in shooting death

Friday, Oct. 22, 1999 | 10:55 a.m.

Two men charged with murder in the shooting death of an apparent accidental victim during a confrontation with another man have agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges.

Alans Hopkins, 18, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder, knowing that he will have to spend at least 10 years in prison before he will be eligible for parole.

Anthony Lucas, 17, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, but did so under a provision that does not require him to admit actual responsibility. He faces a sentence of one to 10 years in prison at the Dec. 2 sentencing.

Both originally were charged with first-degree murder and, if convicted, would have faced a minimum sentence of 40 years to life in prison.

Leonard Harvey, 35, was killed on May 26 after bullets were fired at Houston Coleman, who was hit by one of the rounds but recovered.

Deputy District Attorney Bill Hehn said Hopkins and Lucas went to the shooting scene a short time after Coleman is said to have threatened Lucas.

Hehn said Lucas provided Hopkins with a pistol and encouraged the shooting.