A man who fatally shot his friend in April 2014 was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison under a plea agreement between his attorneys and prosecutors.

James Jeffrey Stubbs, 53, of B. Stubbs Road, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter before Bulloch County Superior Court Judge F. Gates Peed.

He admitted guilt in shooting Keith Wesley Brannen, 43, of Plantation Mobile Home Park, on April 22. Stubbs was originally charged with malice murder and felony murder, as well as aggravated assault, two counts of terroristic threats, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, six counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, false imprisonment, first-degree cruelty to children, simple battery, hindering emergency phone calls and discharging a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.

Represented by Statesboro attorney Sims Lanier and Atlanta attorney Brian Steel, Stubbs entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter instead of the malice murder charge and asked that charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, false imprisonment, simple battery and hindering emergency phone calls be "nolle prossed," or dropped.

Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Michael Muldrew told the court that Brannen and Stubbs had argued and were physically fighting when Stubbs went inside his home and grabbed a gun. A juvenile witness stated during investigative questioning that Stubbs yelled threats to kill Brannen, Muldrew said. Stubbs then went outside and fired a shot. Brannen, critically wounded, was later found by relatives. When Bulloch County sheriff's deputies arrived, they found Stubbs passed out in his bed, Muldrew said.

Peed sentenced Stubbs to 20 years to serve for voluntary manslaughter, five years to serve consecutively for terroristic threats and five years to serve consecutively for possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

He sentenced him to five years to serve concurrently for the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, five years to serve concurrently for the cruelty to children charge, and 12 months to serve concurrently for discharging a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.

For a more in-depth account including further details of this case, see Wednesday's Statesboro Herald.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.