Father of toddler who fatally shot man in Twin Cities home pleads guilty to manslaughter
MINNEAPOLIS — A 23-year-old Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday as part of a plea deal in a case involving his two-year-old son, who police believe shot and killed a man in September of 2022.
Marlon White was charged in January with two counts of second-degree manslaughter. His trial was supposed to begin on Monday, but he submitted a guilty plea. As part of the deal, he only pleaded guilty to one of the manslaughter counts, and the other will be dropped.
Court documents say the victim was shot inside a Brooklyn Park residence but died at the hospital. In a statement to police, White told investigators he brought a gun to the residence and put it under the victim's couch, because he did not want the victim's brother to see it. He then left the residence to get his 2-year-old son, and the two returned to the victim's residence.
White told police that he was speaking with another friend on FaceTime when he heard the gunshot, charges say. He was not sure who moved the gun from under the couch.
The friend White was on FaceTime with later told investigators he heard gunfire, and soon after White told him his son had "just shot him," according to the criminal complaint.
The two manslaughter counts against White cited "culpable negligence" and "neglect or endangerment of a child" as grounds for the charges. He pleaded guilty to the culpable negligence charge.
White's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3.
