'15 Years Is Not Justice': Maplewood Parents Outraged At Plea Deal For Teen Son's Killer

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Despite protests and "weeping" in a courtroom from supporters of a slain Maplewood teen on Thursday, an Essex County judge accepted a plea deal for a 15-year sentence for the man who killed Moussa Fofana in June 2021.

Fofana, 18, was walking through a school athletic field on the night of June 6, 2021 when he was shot to death by Yohan Hernandez, 20, of Newark.

In August 2021, Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

On Thursday morning, Hernandez pleaded guilty before Essex County Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler to three charges: first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree aggravated assault, and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun.

At the hearing, Wigler accepted the Essex County prosecutor's plea for Hernandez to spend 15 years in state prison in exchange for his guilty pleas.

The plea is pursuant to the No Early Release Act, which means Hernandez must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

Wigler said that since Hernandez is not a U.S. citizen, he will probably be deported after he serves his time.

Family Weeps

Hawa Fofana, Moussa Fofana's mother, said in the courtroom on Thursday that a 15-year sentence would not be long enough.

"Fifteen years is not justice. He took my son's life. I'll never see him again," she said.

According to a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office, Fofana's father also spoke, saying he'd be 50 years old in a few months and he'd dedicated his life to helping his son realize the dream of playing professional soccer in Europe.

The Fofanas had come to the hearing with supporters, many of whom were "weeping," said a spokesperson for the Prosecutor's Office, Robert Florida.

Florida said Thursday that Judge Wigler said he sympathized with the family, and that he had never allowed a family to speak at a plea hearing, only at the sentencing. But he'd made an exception.

The Crime And Sentencing

Maplewood police were called to the scene in the area of Underhill Field on Garfield Place in Maplewood at approximately 9:38 p.m. on Sunday, June 6, 2021, where they found Fofana, 18, and another Columbia High School student with gunshot wounds.

Fofana was pronounced dead at the scene. The second teen was treated at an area hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Friends said Fofana and the friend may have been crossing through the field to go watch a boxing match.

According to news reports, Hernandez has claimed he shot the pair while defending his younger brother from bullying, a claim Fofana's mother has disputed.

Hernandez is scheduled to be formally sentenced on Nov. 16 at 9 a.m.

Read prior reporting here.