Three adults charged in the murder of 23-year-old Zaria McKeever appeared in Hennepin County District Court on Wednesday to set a joint trial date for 2024. Erick Haynes, 23, is accused of being the mastermind behind a home invasion in Brooklyn Park in November. He enlisted two teenage brothers, with the youngest accused of firing the fatal shots at McKeever, who had a child with Haynes. Haynes’ sister, Eriana Haynes, and her husband, Tavion James, are also charged with felony aiding an offender after the fact. Prosecutors filed charges against them in March.
The trial is expected to last up to three weeks and is scheduled for April 1, 2024, with a pre-trial hearing set for February 5. The accused teen shooter, who is 15 years old, will have a separate trial in February to determine whether he should be certified as an adult. The other brother, 17-year-old John Kamara, accepted a plea deal in March and is currently serving a two-year sentence at a juvenile correctional facility.
Prosecutors argue that a joint trial is in the best interest of justice, as all charges stem from the same offense. The evidence includes text messages and surveillance video from various locations, creating a timeline of events leading up to and following the murder. District Judge William Koch ordered a joint trial, considering the impact on victims and witnesses and the significant media interest in the case.
The trial has generated outrage over a controversial plea deal offered to the juveniles involved, prompting Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, to intervene in the case. Governor Tim Walz reassigned the case to Ellison at his request after pressure from McKeever’s family and the community.
