Middle-Schooler Pleads Guilty To Killing Other Teen

BALTIMORE - WBALTV.com

A 15-year-old admitted Thursday to killing another teen outside a Baltimore middle school -- a plea that could get him 50 years in prison.

Timothy Oxendine pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Markel Williams outside William H. Lemmel Middle School nearly a year ago.

Witnesses said they overheard Oxendine say he was going to booking -- meaning Baltimore city's Central Booking -- just before he found Markel.

"It's a tragedy all the way around," said Patrick Williams, Oxendine's attorney.

Williams said his client is accepting responsibility for what happened on Nov. 21, 2008. In court, Oxendine admitted to searching the school for Markel, coming out of a stairwell and stabbing the victim three times at the back of the school.

When Judge Wanda Heard asked Oxendine what he did, he responded, "I stabbed and killed Markel Williams."

Prosecutors said they believe the teens were involved in an ongoing dispute.

"To see these kids go to this level of violence, this level of crime -- it's scary and sad," said assistant state's attorney Patrick Moran.

The plea agreement calls for a 50-year sentence, but the judge can suspend anywhere from 15 to 25 years of it, 11 News reporter Barry Simms said.

"This gives Mr. Oxendine a chance to have a life. There are no winners here, it's just a plea -- a compromise," Williams said.

"They're kids, but unfortunately, this defendant decided to do an adult thing, and Judge Heard decided earlier that this is an adult crime. It's kind of sad. There are no winners," Moran said.

Prosecutors said the plea deal offers closure to the victim's family, punishes Oxendine for a horrible crime and gives him an opportunity to turn his life around.

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