A New York man charged with slaying a fellow Empire state resident at a Bangor drug house in December 2020 is scheduled to plead guilty to manslaughter Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center in Bangor.
Khalid Harris, 29, of the Bronx borough of New York City, was indicted by a Penobscot County grand jury in October 2021 on one count of murder for allegedly shooting 28-year-old Syies Adams of Brooklyn, New York.
Bangor police found Adams, who was declared dead by paramedics, on Dec. 10, 2020, after receiving a report of a possible death at around 8:30 p.m. that night at a house on Union Street.
Harris, who has been held without bail at the Penobscot County Jail since his arrest in September 2021 in New York, has pleaded not guilty to murder. That charge is expected to be dismissed after he pleads guilty to manslaughter.
Harris’ plea agreement calls for him to be sentenced to 18 years in prison with all but 8½ suspended to be followed by four years of probation. If Harris were to violate his probation, he could be ordered to serve the remaining years.
Justice William Anderson must accept the plea agreement on Monday. If he rejects it, Harrison may withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial on the murder charge.
Adams died of a gunshot wound to the right side of his chest, according to the Maine medical examiner’s office.
A female witness to the incident told police that she heard a gunshot during a fight between Adams and Harris while they allegedly were discussing drug sales.
Harris is a rapper who performs under the name Billz Raw, according to Bangor police.
On the manslaughter charge, Harris faced up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. If he had been convicted of murder at a trial, Harris would have faced between 25 years and life in prison.