A teenager accused of shooting and killing a fellow student at Butler High last year has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of about six and a half years in prison.
Jatwan Cuffie, 17, entered the guilty plea Thursday morning in Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Initially, Cuffie faced a charge of first-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Bobby McKeithen, who was shot in a crowded school hallway before the start of classes in October. The charge was later downgraded.
Police have said the shooting stemmed from an earlier fight off school grounds.
Cuffie told authorities that he was in the hallway talking to a friend when McKeithen came up and punched him. The two then began the hallway fight that led to the shooting. After Cuffie shot McKeithen, authorities say he ran and turned himself in to a teacher. He was taken into custody that morning.
The shooting prompted increased security measures at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Prosecutors have not said why his charges have been lessened since his arrest. The sheriff’s office says he’s been out of jail on electronic monitoring since January.
Cuffie could serve a maximum of nine years in prison.