Killer of Young Mother in North Philadelpha Gets Light Sentence and Stern Warning
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 30-year-old man who pleaded guilty in the murder of a new mother in North Philadelphia in 2005 got a huge break at his sentencing today.
As part of a plea deal, defendant Antoine Moye was sentenced to 6-15 years in prison for the murder of 21-year-old Hadiyah McIver, who was shot in the head as she crossed a street near Temple University.
Authorities say it was a case of mistaken identity -- Moye was gunning for another woman.
Prosecutors made the deal for the relatively light sentence reluctantly. Assistant Philadelphia district attorney Carlos Vega says they accepted a shorter sentence rather than risk an acquittal at trial.
"Although we had several witnesses who stated the defendant had admitted doing the shooting, all those witnesses have come forward and changed their testimony, stating they did not say that," Vega notes.
The judge also added five years' probation to the sentence, and a stern warning: no more violence, no violations, or she will impose the full third-degree murder sentence, 20 to 40 years, without blinking an eye.
