A 17-year-old admitted Monday to beating a 50-year-old homeless man to death and taking $5 from him to buy alcohol.

Andre Zedrick Steward Jr., of Richfield, pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the death of Harry Lee Brown. Steward is expected to be sentenced Oct. 15, and is expected to receive the recommended sentence of 12 1/2 years in prison, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

In court on Monday, Steward said he and 23-year-old Willis Esposito Richardson of Minneapolis were looking for a person to rob on the night of June 29 and eventually spotted Brown at about 9 p.m. walking along 18th Street North, near Bryant Avenue.

According to the criminal complaint, Richardson hit Brown in the legs with a baseball bat. When Brown fought back, Steward said he punched the homeless man in the face, knocking him down. Brown fell and hit his head on the sidewalk.

Brown remained on life support until July 8, when he died. According to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office, Brown died of blunt force injuries.

Richardson is scheduled to be in court on Oct. 11.

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