MANHATTAN — A teenage boy accused in the stabbing death of Barnard College student Tessa Majors has been sentenced to 18 months, a judge ruled Monday.
He’ll be in the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services for that time period, officials said. After the teen serves at least six months in a limited secure facility, ACS has the discretion to release the juvenile and monitor his progress in the community. His placement may be extended until his 18th birthday.
Despite not being accused of actually stabbing Majors, the 14-year-old boy was initially charged with second-degree felony murder as a juvenile.
Earlier this month, the teen pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of first-degree robbery for the fatal incident.
When Family Court Judge Carol Goldstein asked a city lawyer at the time why the city was accepting the plea deal, assistant Corporation Counsel Katrina Vetrano said, “Based on the evidence, including the respondent’s confession, he was not the main actor.”
Majors, 18, was killed during a robbery while walking through Morningside Park on Dec. 11, according to police.
After she was stabbed, she stumbled up a flight of stairs to street level seeking help and collapsed near a campus security booth.
The boy, 13 at the time, was arrested shortly after Majors’ death and told police one of his friends grabbed Majors from behind and another friend stabbed her, before taking items from her pockets.
Two other 14-year-olds were arrested in connection with the case in February.
The suspected stabber, Rashaun Weaver, was charged with two counts of murder in the second degree, including one count as intentional murder and one count as felony murder.
The other suspect was charged with one count of murder in the second degree as a felony murder.
Both this suspect and Weaver have pleaded not guilty.
