TROY - A man who admitted his role in the killing of two women and two children in Troy wanted the judge to cut the sentence he faces, but the judge said no.

Rensselaer County Judge Debra Young rejected Justin Mann's bid to cut his expected sentence of 25 years to life in prison shortly after signing an order Monday that forbids his alleged accomplice in the late 2017 Troy slayings from contacting him.

Young was blunt in her rejection: "It isn't happening," she said.

Mann said he thought he should serve a shorter sentence, telling the judge he didn't carry out the actual slayings. But he added "I don't want to make myself go to trial."

Mann, 26, is expected to be a key witness at the upcoming trial of James White, 40, who faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder, the top count he faces, in the Dec. 21, 2017 stabbing deaths of Brandi Mells, 22; Shanta Myers, 36; and Myers' two children, Jeremiah Myers, 11, and Shanise Myers, 5, on Dec. 21, 2017 in their Lansingburgh apartment.

Last year, Mann pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder as part of a plea deal tied his cooperation. He had previously suggested he wanted to take back his guilty plea.

Both defendants are being held in the Rensselaer County jail and prosecutors asked for a restraining order Monday that forbids White from communicating with Mann in person, by mail or through an intermediary.

People familiar with the case say prosecutors fear White will try to influence Mann's testimony or convince him to back out of his cooperation agreement. District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly said there were no known threats made against Mann by White, calling the restraining order a protective step.

White's trial, scheduled to begin Jan. 21, may be put on hold. On Monday, White's attorney, Kurt Haas, asked to be removed from the case because he had taken a position with the Albany County Conflict Defender's office.

Young reserved her ruling on that request. Haas is White's third attorney. White wanted his two previous lawyers to be removed but seems satisfied with Haas' representation. White said he did not want to replace Haas and was willing to wait until he was available.

Though they were killed on Dec. 21, 2017, the bodies of the four victims were not discovered until the day after Christmas of that year. City police and detectives have described the crime scene as the most horrific one they had ever encountered.

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