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Vilisoni Tuino Angilau — who entered guilty pleas in connection with a 2013 gang-related murder in Salt Lake City — has abandoned efforts to withdraw those pleas.
Angilau, 22, had pleaded guilty to reduced second-degree felony charges of manslaughter and discharge of a firearm causing bodily injury in the shooting death of 19-year-old Sione Fakatoufifita in the parking lot of a Maverik convenience store at 1680 S. Redwood Road on April 13, 2013.
He was originally charged with first-degree felony murder and second-degree felony obstructing justice.
Last August, Angilau asked to withdraw the pleas, claiming he was under emotional distress and not in the right state of mind last year when entered them because of the death of his brother.
Angilau is the younger brother of 25-year-old Siale Angilau, who was shot dead by a U.S. marshal as he lunged at a witness in federal court on April 21.
Vilisoni Angilau pleaded guilty in the homicide case on July 18.
"I felt lost and gave up a lot on life after my brother was killed in the federal court house," Angilau later wrote in a letter to 3rd District Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman. "I felt as if I was being rushed and pressured into taking this plea bargain."
Siale Angilau, a Tongan Crip Gang member who was standing trial in a racketeering case, was shot four times by a marshal as he rushed a witness on the stand in a courtroom of the Salt Lake City federal courthouse. He died later that day at a hospital.
On Friday, Vilisoni withdrew his motion to withdraw his guilty pleas.
He faces up to 15 years in prison on each count when he is sentenced May 15 by Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman.