Philly Man Gets 35-70 Years in Police Cadet Deaths

A second Philadelphia man charged in the mistaken-identity killings of two teen police cadets has been sentenced to 35 to 70 years in prison.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 21-year-old Derek Barnes pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder on Monday, the day his trial was to start.

Prosecutors say Barnes and co-defendant Anthony Satchell mistook the victims for rival gang members.

They say Barnes pulled out a gun, but had it deflected by a girlfriend. Authorities say Barnes, then 19, told Satchell to shoot, and he did.

Satchell is serving a life term in the 2009 deaths of 15-year-old Harvey Lewis and 17-year-old Dominique Smith, both Philadelphia Police Explorer Cadets.

Lewis' mother has said her son was killed as he tried to walk home before his curfew.