Judge Accepts Plea Arrangement In Relation To July 2017 Seneca Homicide; Defendant Pleads Guilty To Voluntary Manslaughter
(Seneca, SC)——–Yesterday at the Oconee County Courthouse in Walhalla, Judge Scott Sprouse heard arguments in regards to a plea deal arrangement in relation to a homicide that occurred in Seneca back in July of 2017.
31 year old Keena Jerome Brown was charged initially with Murder and Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime in the shooting death of 28 year old Ricky Antonio Nickles at the Seneca Gardens Apartment Complex on July 6th, 2017.
The plea deal, negotiated between the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the attorney for Brown, reduced the Murder charge to a charge of Voluntary Manslaughter, a charge for which Brown pled guilty to. The Seneca Police Department, who investigated the case, was represented in court by Captain Casey Bowling, who responded affirmatively when asked by the judge if the Department supported the plea deal.
Judge Sprouse not only heard from the Solicitor’s Office and the attorney for Brown but also from an attorney for the Nickles family as well as several of Nickles’ family members.
After a recess to review evidence supplied by the Solicitor’s Office and Brown’s attorney, Sprouse returned to court and announced that the court would accept the plea arrangement.
Sprouse sentenced Brown to 15 years in a South Carolina Department of Correctional facility. Brown will also get credit for 753 days of time served.