Deal is refused for man

A judge rejected a plea negotiation Monday for an Augusta man accused of homicide in his roommate's 2004 death.

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Terris L. Murray's attorney, Peter Flanagan, said Mr. Murray will now take his chances with a Richmond County Superior Court jury.

Mr. Murray, 27, was indicted on weapon and voluntary manslaughter charges for the April 19, 2004, shooting death of Stephen D. Walker.

Investigators believe Mr. Murray and the 24-year-old victim had been arguing over a woman. Mr. Walker retrieved a weapon, as did Mr. Murray, who fired the first shot, Mr. Flanagan said.

The plea negotiation he worked out with Assistant District Attorney Ashley Wright was for Mr. Murray to plead guilty to the manslaughter charge and receive an eight-year prison sentence to run concurrently to the sentence he already is serving.

Mr. Murray, who was on parole at the time of the shooting, has 12 more years to serve in prison for possession of cocaine. His parole was revoked after the 2004 shooting.

Judge Carl C. Brown Jr. rejected the plea negotiation because the concurrent sentencing meant no separate punishment for the homicide, he said.

A new trial date has not been set.

Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.