Mekhi Speed, cousin of Amir Locke, sentenced to 16 years in prison for murder of Otis Elder
MINNEAPOLIS -- Mekhi Speed, the teenager who pleaded guilty to murdering a man earlier this year - and whose investigation led to the shooting of Amir Locke during a no-knock raid - was sentenced Monday to 16 years in prison and must pay $7,500 in restitution.
Speed was charged with two counts of second-degree unintentional felony murder in February.
Otis Elder was the victim.
"He was a loving brother, a loving father, friend. A protector," sister Motika Elder said in an interview with WCCO earlier this year.
According to court documents, Speed admitted to bringing a gun to buy marijuana from Elder. At some point, his plans changed.
Charging documents filed against Speed show that police executed search warrants in connection to the murder on three separate apartments in the Bolero Flats, where Speed lived with his mother.
Speed's brother also had an apartment in the building - his unit is where Locke, Speed's cousin, was fatally shot by police.
Body-camera footage showed Locke sleeping on a couch when the SWAT team entered the living room. He grabbed his handgun and was shot three times by officer Mark Hanneman. No charges were filed against Hanneman.
Locke's death led to protests as demonstrators demanded accountability and change from the Minneapolis Police Department.