ATLANTA — The suspect accused in the murder of a teen killed while selling water in Midtown appeared before a Fulton County court on Thursday, where he rejected a plea deal. The case will now move forward with a jury trial.
In June 2020, 18-year-old Jalanni Pless was shot and killed while selling bottles of water along 8th Street in Midtown. Police said he was shot over a $10 bill.
At the time, the teen's mother said friends told her Jalanni was selling water to a customer when a teen from a different group tried to sell to the same person.
Allegedly, Jalanni was given the money, and the other teen, Terrell Anderson, came back with a gun and began shooting, killing him.
On Thursday, May 23, Anderson appeared in a Fulton County Court, where he rejected a plea deal. The state had offered a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in exchange for a guilty plea.
Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams said she hopes to set a trial in early June.
"Trial is not something we're prepared for... Why continue to take us through this? It's been four years. It's been prolonged for four years," said Jalani's mother, Meka Pless. "Not only did he take Jallani's life, he took all of our lives and now we have to sit through trial and listen to what happened to Jallani all over again."
'I still wake up at five in the morning as if he’s here'
Last year, 11Alive spoke with Jalanni's mother, Meka Pless, about her journey following the death of her son and how she is attempting to honor his legacy.
Pless said her son was the love and the light of her life. She celebrated all his milestones, not knowing her son’s lifespan would be cut short.
She said her son graduated from Douglas High School and had a full-time job and a side hustle selling water bottles on the streets of Atlanta.
The city's so-called "water boys" are known for selling bottled water to drivers stopped at red lights - usually in larger, higher-traffic areas.
Story continues below gallery.
Photos: Jalanni Pless
A few miles from their home, the teen's headstone rests amongst trees.
“I just hate that he’s not here,” Pless said in that interview back in 2023. “I had to go sit at a cemetery. I’m just looking at his headstone.”
Since Jalanni’s death, his mother has tried to move forward, honoring his legacy while raising awareness about what happened and why selling water for Atlanta youth is much bigger than the water bottle.
But when asked about what intervention young people need, Pless remarked, "To me, it starts in the household."
She wants parents to be aware of their children selling water in Atlanta.
11Alive has taken a deep dive into the multi-layered lived experiences of the Atlanta "water boys," from successes and struggles to those looking to give the youth more hope. To view the special, click here.