A murder trial scheduled to start Monday in St. Paul was called off now that the defendant has agreed to plead guilty and accept a sentence of more than 19 years.
Kemarri M. Roan, 19, of St. Paul, entered his plea in Ramsey County District Court in connection with the death on April 26, 2022, of Michael A. Pleasants, also of St. Paul. Pleasants was killed shortly after midnight in the 200 block of Bates Avenue in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood.
Under the plea agreement between the prosecution and defense, Roan would get credit for time in jail since his arrest and serve roughly 12 years in prison followed by the balance on supervised release. His sentence is scheduled for July 19.
Codefendant Traivon D. Campbell, 22, of St. Paul, pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to the same count. He agreed to a term of 10 years and eight months. With credit for time in jail since his arrest, he can expect to serve about six years in prison and the balance on supervised release. His sentence is scheduled for July 11.
According to the criminal complaints:
Police arrived at the scene to find Pleasants dead on the ground from a gunshot to the head. A nearby surveillance camera recorded Pleasants standing by the car with two men before it panned away. When it panned back, Pleasants was on the ground.
Pleasants had been texting shortly before the shooting with Campbell, who was asking about buying marijuana.
After his arrest, Campbell initially denied involvement in the shooting. But when told of the texts and surveillance images, he admitted he was at the scene. However, Campbell said, Roan was the shooter.
Roan initially denied any involvement in Pleasants' death. He also denied writing a note found by investigators in his home that read, "I had to earth a [man] last night." Roan's girlfriend said the note was in his handwriting.
