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Murder victim’s family speaks out over plea deal with no prison
Steve Markey, 39, was killed when two teen suspects tried to carjack him in June 2019. One defendant received 21 years in prison, the other could receive probation.
MINNEAPOLIS — A proposed plea deal in Hennepin County has a murder victim’s family speaking out.
Steve Markey was shot to death four years ago, as two teens allegedly tried to carjack him. One teenage suspect received 21 years in prison. The other, if the plea goes through, will receive probation.
Markey’s family says they didn’t learn of the proposed plea deal from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office until Friday, and the plea was supposed to go through at a Monday morning hearing.
But at Monday’s hearing, Judge Michael Burns delayed the plea until Friday Aug. 4, at which point he’ll allow them to speak in court before suspect Husayn Braveheart pleads.
Steve Markey was a paralegal who worked for his mom, criminal defense attorney Catherine Markey.
“I always say he was my fun child. So that’s always nice to have someone fun in your office,” Catherine said.
The 39-year-old who specialized in helping low-level offenders get their records expunged was growing his hair out for Locks of Love when he was killed in June 2019 in Northeast Minneapolis.
“We always say we wish we all were shot. It would have been better if they shot us too, than to live without him,” his sister Susan Markey said.
Jared Ohsman, who was 16 at the time, was certified as an adult, pleaded guilty to murder in 2020, and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
But the Markey family learned Friday that Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is offering a plea deal to Husayn Braveheart, who’s now 20, but was 15 when charged with murder.
Under the proposed deal, he would receive five years probation with a suspended prison sentence hanging over his head if he violates the terms.
“She repeatedly told us he is a different person than the person that murdered my brother, which is one of the most insulting things I’ve ever heard because we are all different people in a fundamental and horrible way that I hope no one else has to experience,” Susan said.
“I feel very much for the family. I talked to them at great length on Friday. I felt their anger, I felt their grief – and – my job is to listen to them but ultimately do what is in the best interest of public safety,” Moriarty said.
Braveheart’s case has been delayed for the last four years as it was appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which ruled he should be certified as an adult.
Moriarty says that in those four years, Braveheart has turned his life around by receiving programming while incarcerated.
“It’s really important that we not disrupt that progress in that treatment, and I think that’s in the best interest of public safety,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty says sending Braveheart to prison would ultimately be a bigger threat to public safety once he’s released than continuing treatment while on probation because the Minnesota Department of Corrections would not be able to offer the same kind of rehabilitation treatment that was ordered by a judge during Braveheart’s certification hearings.
But Markey’s mom and sister — both attorneys robbed of a life with Steve — don’t believe the public will be safer with one of Steve’s alleged killers released.
“If you can get to be a killer at age 15, you don’t magically become someone else a few years later,” Catherine said.
According to the criminal complaint, Braveheart fired at Markey but it was a shot fired by his co-defendant, Jared Ohsman, that killed him.
The attorneys for the public defender’s office representing Braveheart said in a statement: “This plea agreement reflects the specific facts of this case, our client’s extraordinary efforts towards rehabilitation, and well-established evidence on adolescent brain science.”
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The 10 wettest and warmest years on record have all happened since 1997, according to University of Minnesota Extension Educator Suzi Clark.
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — It’s hard to miss Degler Farms — one of the last in Chanhassen that’s now focusing less on the crops that are getting harder to grow.
“We went to an agri-tourism, trying to rely more on what we can control,” said owner Gayle Degler.
At the farm, people can expect pumpkins and hayrides and even a spin atop a converted combine that brings customers around Degler’s now harvested soybean and corn fields.
The unique experience is part of Degler’s future plans as climate change continues to affect agriculture.
“I mean, back in the 1930s it took almost a decade to get out of that drought where now you can do it in six, eight or 10 months,” said Degler.
The shifting weather is happening more quickly, according to Dr. Suzi Clark, who studies and teaches climate adaptation and resilience at the University of Minnesota.
“We can no longer assume that we know what’s going to happen in the next season based off of what happened in this season and so we have to be prepared to adapt quickly,” said Clark.
She says the patterns are also warmer and wetter. In fact, the top 10 years on record have now all happened since 1997.
“But there’s a big caveat to that wetter because it’s not happening uniformly across the year, and in fact, we’ve also seen larger swings from really wet to really dry,” said Clark.
Take this year, for example, when less than half the normal amount of snow fell in winter. There was also extraordinarily warmer temperatures that added to an already persistent drought. Then, summer rains relieved that, but the record-setting amount led to flooding. Now, we’ve experienced the driest September, driving the state back into a drought.
The dirt in Degler’s field is so dry he can hardly till it, which is something he prefers to do in the fall. The snow and varying temperatures help break it up and get ready for spring planting.
“I’ve heard of people breaking equipment,” said Degler. “Right now, there’s cracks in the ground that I haven’t seen in quite a while.”
Degler’s yields are average at best this year, but he’s hopeful his new venture will be more stable than some of our changing seasons.
While Clark says, the future depends on us.
“It’s just something you have to try and prepare for, you’re going to have to live with it one way or another,” said Degler.
“It’s our choice in this day and age to decide, not only how we change our behavior, but how we respond now,” said Clark.
She says some of those things should be implemented at a state level to right in your own backyard and include installing irrigation, watering trees and capturing and storing large rain amounts. That can range from rain barrels at your house to creating rain gardens that slow runoff and improve water quality.
Those involved say the Artspace Northrup King Building Lofts will give artists a new, affordable place to live.
MINNEAPOLIS — Construction has officially started on what will be “affordable artist lofts” in the Northeast Minneapolis Art District.
The Artspace NKB Lofts will be located on the Northrup King Campus. From ceramics to music, there already are 350 artists, creative small businesses and nonprofits based in studios within the campus’ Northrup King Building, which is considered the largest art complex statewide.
The campus started as a seed factory and includes at least 10 buildings today. It’s where Pete Vanni creates steampunk-style art.
“I feel supported here,” Vanni said. “If I need a hand, I can always find somebody. I mean, I do sculptures so I need muscles.”
Artspace Projects acquired the buildings five years ago. Providing a place for artists to work was the first phase of a larger vision for the 13-acre property. Now it’s time for the second phase: providing income-qualifying artists a place to live.
Those involved held a groundbreaking Thursday afternoon to celebrate what will be 84 units for those earning 30 to 80% of Area Median Income. They say rent will be affordable.
“This project provides a variety of housing options for artists, including one-, two- and three-bedroom units with rents available to all income levels,” said Zack Avery, principal planning analyst for Hennepin County Economic Development.
“It has historically been a very exclusive space and it’s through projects like this and investments like this that are making this a more accessible future for so many more people,” said council president Elliott Payne, who also represents Ward 1.
“This type of redevelopment is no small feat but its impact can be significant especially when demand for affordable housing is at an all-time high,” said Dan Miller, director of community finance for Capitol One National Association.
Part of the construction involves an innovative stormwater system to protect the environment and enhance green spaces.
“Insidious chemicals like phosphorus will be eliminated in that process,” said Kevin Reich, executive director of Mississippi Watershed Management Organization. “It’s a big win.”
They’re also adding a new bike path and bike racks, as well as a fix-it station. It’s a $62 million project Vanni says will be worth it.
“It will be more of a community I think than it is now because people will be living here,” the sculptor said. “It’ll just increase the possibility of connection and all that, and support the arts, which is good. So I’m all for that.”
The arrest comes days after Sutherland pleaded guilty to charges alleging he pulled a gun and threatened to shoot his girlfriend last June.
ST PAUL, Minn. — A celebrity chef is in jail Thursday after he allegedly violating a no-contact order, days after pleading guilty to charges alleging he threatened to shoot his girlfriend.
St. Paul Police told KARE 11 Justin Sutherland was arrested after the woman who was the victim in his assault case called authorities. Officials say she reported Sutherland was following her near the Target and the Spirit Halloween in St. Paul Thursday afternoon.
Two days ago, Sutherland pleaded guilty to one count of threats of violence – reckless disregard. According to the criminal complaint in that case, St. Paul Police responded to an apartment in June. There, a woman claiming to be Sutherland’s girlfriend told police he pointed a gun at her and then hit her in the chest with it, allegedly saying “don’t come back here or I am going to shoot you.”
The chef and reality television star received a 360-day suspended sentence, which he would have to serve should he violate the terms of the agreement.
He is arrested on suspicion of gross misdemeanor violation of protection order, St. Paul Police told KARE 11. New charges will be determined by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.
Sutherland competed on Season 16 of “Top Chef” and won Iron Chef America.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and needs help, call 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 to be connected with someone from the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline includes more options for support and identifiers of abuse on its website.
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