Cody Fohrenkam was sentenced to 38 and a half years in prison for the February 2022 murder of 15-year-old DeShaun Hill. At his trial last month in Minneapolis it took the jury less than an hour to reach its verdict.
Fohrenkam was found guilty on all counts, second-degree murder with intent, not premeditated, and second-degree murder while committing a felony, in the shooting death of Hill.
Hill, a quarterback at North High School, had left school in the middle of the day during a school-allowed release in February 2022. While Hill was out of class, he was shot and killed by Fohrenkam.
The shooting was caught on multiple surveillance videos presented by prosecutors in the case.
Hill's family called it a hate crime. His mother, Tuesday Sheppard spoke with the media after the sentencing.
"Because he knew he got beat up in a story by a white guy, a white man, and then he killed DeShaun Hill, a Black 15-year old kid," said Sheppard. "And he's not even from our neighborhood."
Sheppard and Hill's other family members were removed from the courtroom for a time due to repeated outbursts. They are pushing for legislation that would give defendants over the age of 25 two life sentences for killing a child.
Hill and his Polar football teammates were featured in a Showtime documentary.
The max penalties for second-degree murder in the state of Minnesota is 40 years behind bars.