"Why'd you want to kill him?" Ramsey County District Judge Kathleen Gearin asked Nathan Durick, who was in her courtroom on Tuesday to plead guilty to the November murder of Joseph J. Sanchez on St. Paul's East Side.

"Nothin' worth dying over," Durick replied.

Durick, 27, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty to intentional second-degree murder. Because of his lengthy criminal history, he faces between 30 and 40 years in prison when he is sentenced April 27.

Earlier, the defendant rejected an offer by prosecutors to plead guilty and be sentenced to 28 years in prison if he would testify against co-defendant Nicholas T. Jackson, 26, of St. Paul. Jackson also is charged with second-degree murder.

His next court appearance is scheduled for April 11.

According to court documents and testimony on Tuesday, Durick and "another person" -- Jackson -- were at a home in the 1100 block of Payne Avenue the night of Nov. 9.

They left between 10:30 and 11 p.m., crossed the street and walked toward Jessamine Avenue. As they approached the alley, they saw Sanchez and began shooting at him.

Durick said he fired nine rounds from a .45-caliber handgun.

The charges said Jackson had a .22-caliber Luger handgun and also fired. Neither weapon has been found.

Sanchez suffered two gunshots wounds, one to the shoulder and one to the chest. Both hit him from the back, the charges said. He bled to death.

Durick said Sanchez "shot one of my best friends back in the day."

PAT PHEIFER