Christopher Derrick Hobgood pled guilty Monday to second-degree murder in front of Fifteenth Circuit Court Judge Anthony Mozingo for the death of James Thurman Hall, Jr. Mozingo will sentence Hobgood on Oct. 21.
The original charge was aggravated assault after Hobgood was accused of striking Hall in the head with his fists and a firearm after a card game at 57 Wesley Rd. on April 23. The charge was upgraded when Hall passed away from injuries he allegedly sustained that night.
At the preliminary hearing, the only witness to testify, Marion County Sheriff's Office Investigator Glenn Lowery, told the court that witnesses stated Hobgood and Hall got into a war of words, and Hall pulled out a pistol. Witnesses said that Hall relaxed and put the pistol in his lap, then Hobgood walked behind Hall and hit him in the head. After a struggle, Hobgood got possession of the gun and hit Hall with it in the head as well as using his fists, according to Lowery.
Hall was able to return home on his own but was found unconscious the next day by his wife. Hall was taken to the hospital and never regained consciousness before passing away on April 27. An autopsy showed he died of a blunt force head injury.
The District Attorney's Office has recommended a sentence of 25 years with 12 years to be served for Hobgood.
Mozingo said he most likely will follow the recommendation but would look at the impact on the victim's family and whether Hobgood can be rehabilitated before rendering a sentence. Mozingo is not bound by the recommendation, a fact which was explained to Hobgood before he entered a guilty plea.
The charge is usually second-degree murder when the murder is not premeditated, but the accused could clearly ascertain that their actions could lead to death. According to Penal Code 97-3-21, a conviction carries a life sentence if fixed by the jury during a separate sentencing proceeding. If the jury fails to agree on life imprisonment, the court then decides on a sentence between 20 and 40 years in prison.
Shirley Baldwin and Michael T. Kuykendall are the attorneys for Hobgood.
