The North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a 40-year prison sentence for Cazmere Haskins, who was 17 years old when he fatally stabbed another young man during an altercation in a Grand Forks apartment parking lot. The court rejected Haskins' appeals in *State v. Haskins* (N.D. 2026), which challenged both the validity of his guilty plea and the constitutionality of his sentence.
On March 7, 2024, Haskins stabbed Anfernee Economy in the chest with a knife during a confrontation between two groups of young people in an apartment building parking lot in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Economy died from the stab wound. At the time of the incident, Haskins was a minor, just 17 years old.
Following the fatal stabbing, the state charged Haskins with murder under North Dakota Century Code Section 12.1-16-01(1). With the assistance of legal counsel, Haskins entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the murder charge.
The plea agreement established specific sentencing parameters that gave both sides some certainty while preserving judicial discretion. Under the terms negotiated between the parties, they agreed to a base sentence of 60 years imprisonment with 20 years suspended. However, the agreement also permitted Haskins to request a downward departure, potentially reducing his sentence to as low as 15 years.
During the plea hearing before the district court, Judge M. Jason McCarthy conducted the required colloquy to ensure the plea was valid. The court explained that a plea agreement had been filed and confirmed that Haskins had sufficient time to discuss the terms with his counsel. When asked how he pleaded to the murder charge, described as a Class AA felony, Haskins responded "Guilty." The court established that Haskins had not been threatened or coerced into pleading guilty and was entering his plea voluntarily.
Despite the plea agreement's provisions allowing for a sentence as low as 15 years, the district court ultimately sentenced Haskins to 40 years imprisonment. This sentence fell within the negotiated range but was substantially higher than the minimum possible sentence under the agreement.
Haskins subsequently appealed his conviction and sentence to the North Dakota Supreme Court, raising two primary constitutional challenges. First, he contended that his guilty plea was not knowing, voluntary, and intelligent because the plea colloquy allegedly failed to satisfy the requirements of North Dakota Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(b). This rule establishes specific procedures courts must follow when accepting guilty pleas to ensure defendants understand the charges against them and the consequences of their plea.
Second, Haskins argued that his 40-year sentence constituted cruel and unusual punishment in violation of his Eighth Amendment rights. This constitutional provision prohibits sentences that are grossly disproportionate to the crime or that violate evolving standards of decency. Given Haskins' age at the time of the offense and other factors, his legal team apparently argued the lengthy prison term was unconstitutionally harsh.
The North Dakota Supreme Court, in an opinion authored by Justice Bahr, systematically rejected both of Haskins' appellate arguments and affirmed the lower court's judgment. The case was heard as Appeal No. 20250091, coming from the District Court of Grand Forks County in the Northeast Central Judicial District.
The appeal was handled by experienced legal counsel on both sides. Assistant State's Attorney Sarah W. Gereszek represented the state as plaintiff and appellee, arguing to uphold both the conviction and sentence. Defense attorney Monty G. Mertz of Fargo represented Haskins as defendant and appellant, challenging the proceedings below.
The court's affirmance means Haskins will serve his 40-year sentence as imposed by the district court. The ruling also establishes precedent regarding the validity of plea procedures and sentencing guidelines for similar cases involving juvenile offenders charged as adults with serious violent crimes.
This case highlights ongoing legal and policy debates about how the criminal justice system should handle cases where minors commit serious violent crimes. While Haskins was 17 at the time of the stabbing, he was apparently prosecuted as an adult, resulting in the possibility of a lengthy adult prison sentence. The North Dakota Supreme Court's decision to uphold the 40-year sentence suggests the state's highest court views such punishment as appropriate and constitutional, even for crimes committed by juveniles.
The tragic incident that led to Economy's death and Haskins' imprisonment underscores the serious consequences that can result from altercations between young people. The case also demonstrates how plea agreements can provide structure to criminal proceedings while still preserving judicial discretion in sentencing within negotiated parameters.