MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – A defendant involved in a controversial no-prison plea deal for a deadly 2019 carjacking returned to court Monday and was sentenced to one year in the workhouse for two armed robberies committed in the days before the killing.

Husayn Braveheart, who was 15 at the time of the carjacking that resulted in the death of Steven Markey, pled guilty to the robbery cases. As part of his plea deal, he was ordered to serve a year in the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility, also known as the workhouse. Braveheart also received five years of probation with a stayed sentence of 4 1⁄2 years.

The plea deal involved amending the robbery charges from first-degree to second-degree, and was negotiated between prosecutors with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and Braveheart’s public defenders.

Braveheart had been facing charges in Markey’s murder, but a plea deal was reached which amended the charges from aiding second-degree murder to attempted assault. This decision was met with outrage from Markey’s family.

Hennepin County Judge Michael Burns originally rejected the negotiated plea deal, finding it too lenient. However, he later accepted the renegotiated plea deal, expressing concerns about the potential for further harm and whether Braveheart would receive the necessary support out of custody.

Braveheart’s public defenders declined to comment on the case, and the defendant himself expressed deep remorse in court, stating that he is not the same person he was four years ago and plans to follow through with his commitment.

The case has sparked controversy and outrage, with Markey’s family expressing frustration that the murder was being treated less seriously than the robberies. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the potential for rehabilitation and support for the defendant, given his age at the time of the crimes.

The deadly carjacking took place on June 11, 2019, when Braveheart, along with co-defendant Jered Ohsman, attempted to carjack Markey and ended up fatally shooting him. Ohsman is currently serving a 21-year sentence for the murder.

The sentencing and plea deal in this case have prompted discussions about the treatment of juvenile offenders and the balance between punishment and rehabilitation in the criminal justice system.

Braveheart’s probation will be under the supervision of the new Transition Aged Youth (TAY) Unit, which provides specialized supervision for 18- to 24-year-old clients.

The case has drawn attention to the complexities and challenges of addressing serious crimes committed by juveniles, and the debate over the appropriate legal and rehabilitative responses to such cases.

Braveheart’s sentencing for the robberies and the plea deal in Markey’s murder have raised questions about the handling of juvenile offenders, the severity of punishment for violent crimes, and the potential for rehabilitation in the criminal justice system.