Gang member pleads guilty to Brooklyn teen's murder

A member of the Crips gang, Martial H. Amilcar, has pleaded guilty to the murder of a Brooklyn teenager, Samuel Joseph. This confession came after a lengthy legal battle and a case of mistaken identity that saw his younger brother, Martial C. Amilcar, wrongly arrested for the crime. The murder took place in February 2019 when Samuel, only 15 years old, was shot while leaving his apartment. Investigators believe that Martial H. intended to target Samuel's older brother but mistakenly shot Samuel instead. He was captured on surveillance video the day of the shooting. Martial H. Amilcar, now 28 years old, faces a prison sentence of 30 years to life. His sentencing is scheduled for August. Samuel Joseph's family expressed deep pain over the guilty plea. Samuel's mother, Raymonde Figero, stated that the events felt like the day her son was killed all over again. Samuel had dreams of becoming a basketball star, practicing regularly near his home. On the day of his death, he had returned home early because he didn’t have enough money to enter a local event. Initially, police arrested Martial C. Amilcar, the younger brother, for the murder. He spent nine months in Rikers Island and two years under home detention. Charges against him were dropped after it was revealed that he was not the shooter. Martial C. has since been arrested again, facing other charges related to gang activities. The investigation into his connection with the Hyena Crips is ongoing.