Man pleads to lesser charge in slaying of Cape teenager

An Illinois man accused of killing a Cape Girardeau teenager has pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the slaying.

During an appearance before Circuit Judge William Syler Monday, Bernard P. Richards, 19, of Ullin, Ill., pleaded guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor leaving the scene of a shooting.

He was accused in the Jan. 25 shooting death of Jacob Bowers, 17, behind Du-Shell's Furniture, 2103 William St. in Cape Girardeau.

Richards was originally charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and tampering with a witness. Those charges were dropped with he agreed to a plea deal offered by Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

A jury trial had been scheduled for Aug. 22.

According to Swingle, Bowers attempted to take cocaine from a drug dealer who was an acquaintance of Richards. The shooting victim was armed with a loaded, two-shot derringer pistol, and evidence showed it had misfired.

Bowers likely attempted to fire the gun when he and the drug dealer scuffled during the robbery attempt, Swingle said.

Richards fired his gun multiple times during the robbery, including when Bowers fled from the scene, according to Swingle. A bullet struck the victim's back, piercing his heart and killing him.

"When he started firing, he was justified," Swingle said of Richards. "The problem is that he continued to fire."

Shooting Bowers in the back as he ran away was "excessive force" because Richards' friend was no longer in danger, Swingle said. There was no evidence Bowers pointed his gun at anyone as he ran from the scene, he added.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the armed victim, the robbery and the key witness being a drug dealer, prompted the pursuit of the plea deal, the prosecutor said.

Richards could receive up to seven years in prison, which is amount Swingle said he will ask for. The misdemeanor conviction carries a sentence of up to one year in the county jail.

In an unrelated case, Richards pleaded guilty to felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

During a search of Richards' car following a traffic stop Jan. 5, Cape Girardeau police found 10 grams of cocaine packaged in baggies. He could receive between five and 15 years in prison on that charge.

Syler scheduled sentencing in both cases for Aug. 7.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

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