A 20-year-old man pleaded no contest today to involuntary manslaughter today for accidentally fatally shooting an 18-year-old friend with a shotgun at an East Oakland apartment last year.
By entering his plea, Isaiah Powell admitted that he shot Frank Franz in the back of the head with a shotgun in the 2700 block of E.C. Reems Court at about 12:40 a.m. on July 21, 2015. Powell was 19 at the time.
Powell's father called police and said his son had accidentally shot another man, according to a probable cause statement by Oakland police Officer Kris McClain.
Responding officers found Franz suffering a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He died at the scene, McClain said.
Powell admitted to police investigators that he shot Franz while playing with the shotgun, according to McClain.
Powell, who also pleaded no contest to grand theft in an unrelated case, faces 7 to 10 years in state prison when he's sentenced by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Kevin Murphy on Aug. 18.
Powell's attorney, Timothy Murphy, who's unrelated to the judge, said the shooting was "a complete accident" and was "a tragedy" for both Franz and Powell.
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Murphy, who has been practicing since 1988, said, "This is the saddest case of my career."
A group of Franz's family members and friends were in court today for Powell's plea but didn't comment on the case.
Powell entered his plea just before Judge Murphy was to rule on whether prosecutors had presented enough evidence at his preliminary hearing,which was held several months ago, to have him ordered to stand trial.
