The Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town on Feb. 4, 2022. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerIn a case the prosecutor said involved “a strong component” of mental illness, Mbyayenge Mafuta pleaded guilty Thursday morning to charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the death of his cellmate at the Northwest State Correctional Facility nearly two years ago.During a brief court hearing in Franklin County criminal court, State’s Attorney Bram Kranichfeld told Judge Alison Arms that the family of the victim, Jeffery Hall, “fully supported” the plea deal that had been reached. That agreement will see Mafuta, 23, serve a 15-to-30 year sentence on the two charges, with all but eight years suspended. With credit for time served, Mafuta will spend six more years in jail, and he will be placed on probation for 25 years when he completes his jail time.“We recognize the fact that Mr. Mafuta has taken responsibility for his actions,” Kranichfeld told the judge. “Our hope is that Mr. Mafuta engages in his treatment” following the probationary period, the prosecutor added, citing a “strong component in this case of mental health and mental illness.”Seated in court between two of his attorneys, Mafuta said little during the 15-minute hearing, other than to respond “yes” in entering the two guilty pleas, and acknowledging he understood the terms of the agreement.Hall’s family chose not to attend the hearing, Kranichfeld said, although they did request to be present for the sentencing portion of the case, which is expected once a pre-sentence investigation is completed within 45 days.On Dec. 22, 2022, Mafuta attacked Hall, kicking him repeatedly in the head in the cell that the two men shared, according to investigators. Mafuta believed Hall had stolen items from other incarcerated individuals, court records indicate.The attack came just three days after Mafuta was returned to the prison’s general population after being placed in solitary confinement when he told guards that he “was hearing voices and they would not stop,” according to a police affidavit filed in the case. At the time, a behavior health coordinator for VitalCore Health Strategies, the private prison medical contractor at the time, reported that a mental health professional “was able to check in with Mr. Mafuta and we feel he is okay to come off full precautions and camera status.”The coordinator said it was determined that Mafuta “had no current thoughts” of doing harm to himself or others, according to a police affidavit.Hall died in March 2023 from the injuries he sustained in the attack, and the medical examiner later ruled his death a homicide, leading to murder charges being brought in the case.In August, Hall’s estate filed a wrongful death lawsuit against VitalCore, as first reported in Seven Days. That lawsuit cites Mafuta’s reported multiple mental illness diagnoses.Mafuta was being held at the Northwest facility after being charged with vandalizing 33 homes in Burlington in August 2022. He was returned to the same facility following Thursday’s court appearance.Alan Keays contributed to this report.Read the story on VTDigger here: Plea deal reached in assault at Northwest correctional facility that led to incarcerated man’s death.