RICHMOND, Va. β A Hanover County man accepted a plea deal Monday morning for a lesser charge in connection with a fight in Scott's Addition that left a Chesterfield County man dead.
Nico Rivera pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the death of 27-year-old Jacob Baldwin. The charge is a downgrade from the second-degree murder he was initially facing, and the case was supposed to begin a five-day jury trial Monday.
Prosecutors said they would have proven at trial that Rivera threw a single punch at Baldwin in the early hours of October 12, 2024.
Baldwin was knocked to the ground, near the intersection of West Marshall and North Sheppard streets, causing a head injury that later proved fatal.
Watch: New information in deadly Scott's Addition fight (April 2025)
The two men didn't know each other before that night but were in groups that began partying together at a bar in Scott's Addition, prosecutors said.
They were seemingly getting along until an argument started between them, with Rivera being the primary aggressor, prosecutors said.
When the judge asked if prosecutors were downgrading the charge for evidentiary and legal reasons, they confirmed yes.
They also admitted Baldwin's family was aware of the plea but didn't agree with it.
Baldwin's family said they were told about the plea deal approximately two weeks ago.
"They didn't seem to have much faith in jury pool," Jacob Baldwin's father Jeff Baldwin said outside court Monday morning. "At this point, we're just going to wait and be hopeful that the judge gives us a sentence that is justified."
Watch: Richmond judge certifies second-degree murder charge after Jacob Baldwin's death (March 2025)
Rivera's attorneys said their client is remorseful and never intended to kill Baldwin, calling the plea his way of accepting responsibility.
They said they believe prosecutors made the right decision.
"We hope to be able to present a fuller picture for the judge who has to decide here about the actions of everyone that night," defense attorney Doug Ramseur said. "While it's been tragic and awful, Mr. Rivera is worthy of some mercy and leniency here."
The plea did not include agreement on Rivera's sentence, which can range from zero to 10 years.
The judge will make that decision during a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 23.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
