Teen Gets 30 Years for Killing Girlfriend’s Cousin

ST. PAUL (AP) -- A St. Paul man teen has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting a man who was trying to intervene in a domestic assault.

Nineteen-year-old Theotis Thomas earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Mark Franklin, the cousin of Thomas' girlfriend. Four other charges were dismissed at sentencing Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court.

Franklin was killed after trying to protect his cousin from Thomas, who had his hands around her neck. Franklin tried to wrestle a gun away from Thomas, but was shot in the face and died a short time later at the hospital.

Thomas told police he was ``too drunk and stoned'' to recall what happened.