CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A teenager pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in the deadly shooting of a beloved college baseball player.
Channel 9 was in court two weeks ago when Demonte McCain asked for more time to enter his plea.
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His co-defendant, Jah'zian Wilson, pleaded not guilty in a surprise move that day.
[Slain baseball player's family heartbroken after suspect's court hearing]
[PAST COVERAGE: Mother of slain baseball player: 'We are broken']
Investigators said Zachary Finch was shot and killed when he tried to buy a phone through the LetGo app last summer.
The prosecutor said McCain wasn't the shooter, but that he admitted helping set up what was supposed to be a robbery that went wrong.
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On Thursday, McCain pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He also agreed to testify against Wilson.
“It's been very hard,” Zachery Finch’s mother, Tara Finch, said in court Thursday.
Finch once again shared the pain and anger of a mother who lost a son she treasured.
“You don't move on,” Finch said. “You don't move through this. This is part of who we are every day for the rest of our lives, and I want those two (who are) responsible to realize that.”
McCain agreed to testify against the gunman, who was 15 years old at the time. McCain will be sentenced after that case is finished.
The prosecutor said McCain signed the plea deal that would have him spend no more than 11 years in prison.
Finch said that hurts even more.
“I don't know if I could call it justice,” the mother said. “At least he's going to jail. Eleven years is not enough, but at least I know he's going to jail.”
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