GOSHEN, N.Y. (AP) - A 20-year-old Hudson Valley man has pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the stabbing death of a volunteer firefighter.
The Middletown Times Herald-Record reports that Jauntae Brown pleaded guilty Wednesday to the manslaughter charge in the death of Justin Speights in exchange for a promised sentence of five to 15 years in prison.
Brown admitted he recklessly caused the death of the 20-year-old Speights, who was stabbed early on Jan. 1, 2016 while trying to break up a fight at a New Year’s Eve house party.
Police spent 11 months tracking down leads and interviewing witnesses before arresting Brown, a SUNY-Delhi student, in December.
Brown is to be sentenced in May.
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