Rome murder suspect Robert Coffin rejected a plea offer in Oneida County Court Tuesday. The offer from the Oneida County District Attorney's Office: a guilty plea to 2nd degree murder in exchange for a recommended sentence of 23 years to life in prison. The maximum exposure at trial is 25 years to life.

"I'm not pleading guilty of murder because it's something I'm not guilty of," said Coffin, during the brief proceeding.

Also in court, friends and family of victim, 25-year-old Thomas Shepherd. Shepherd was shot to death outside Sammy G's, in Rome, August 19th. Coffin eluded police for roughly two weeks, eventually surfacing in Las Vegas, where he was taken into custody.

Next, the attorneys will file motions, which are standard pre-trial requests of the court. Coffin is due back in court December fifth, at which times attorneys may argue those motions