Yohan Hernandez sentenced to 15 years in deadly shooting of 18-year-old Moussa Fofana in Maplewood
NEWARK, N.J. -- A man who killed a New Jersey high school student and promising young soccer player last year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday.
Back in the fall, Yohan Hernandez pleaded guilty to the killing of 18-year-old Moussa Fofana in Maplewood.
But as CBS2's Nick Caloway reported, the victim's family does not believe justice was served.
"It breaks my heart," mother Hawa Fofana said.
As she faced her son's killer, Hawa Fofana was understandably emotional. She was processing grief most people could never fully understand.
"And my world came crashing down June 6, 2021, and it has not been the same," she said.
Moussa Fofana was shot and killed by 21-year-old Hernandez in a sports complex in Maplewood in June of last year. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office has not released many details, but Moussa Fofana was reportedly harassing Hernandez's brother, possibly threatening him.
That's when Hernandez showed up and started firing. He claimed self-defense, but pleaded guilty in September.
Moussa Fofan's family, including his father, has more questions than answers.
"I want to speak to this guy a little bit. What happened? If he could talk to me, what Moussa did to make him shoot my son like that?" Yasse Fofana said.
Hernandez did not turn and face the Fofana family at his sentencing hearing. He just kept his head down and listened to an interpreter.
READ MORE: Community fumes over plea deal in fatal shooting of Columbia High School student Moussa Fofana
His negotiated plea deal was recommended by prosecutors and approved by the judge, a deal that angered Moussa Fofana's parents.
"This is America, where when someone do something to somebody and he comes to the law to get justice. In this case, we did not get justice at all, and I don't understand how we didn't get justice, because 15 years, to me, that's not justice for my son," Hawa Fofana said.
Prosecutors said the sentence is appropriate, considering the circumstances of the case.
Hernandez will serve more than 12 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. In court, the judge said it was unfortunate that Hernandez did not have the courage to turn and acknowledge his victim's family.