A Kokomo man received a 20-year sentence with seven to serve after pleading guilty last week in connection with the 2014 shooting death of his wife.
Jeffrey Manning, 54, appeared in Circuit Court in Poplarville before Circuit Judge Prentiss Harrell last Thursday. He was scheduled for trial in Marion County on Sept. 12.
“He pleaded guilty to depraved heart murder (second degree murder),” District Attorney Hal Kitrell said. “He met with representatives from both sides of the family. They expressed what their thoughts were. It was really a tragic scenario.”
Joe Turney, a Columbia attorney representing Manning, said Manning apologized to all the family in court and described it as a “tearjerker” for everyone involved.
“They’re good people. All of them are good people. It’s a sad situation,” Turney said.
Twenty years is the minimum sentence allowed under state law for second-degree murder.
“That’s what everybody wanted. The kids were losing two parents,” Turney said.
Geraldine Manning, 51, was shot at the Mannings’ residence on Kokomo Road near Conerly Lane in November 2014. At the time, deputies said the Mannings had been married for 31 years and that the incident “appeared to be a domestic situation.” At the scene, deputies recovered a high-powered hunting rifle. The call to Marion County 911 reported that Geraldine Manning had been shot in the chest. The shooting was discovered by one of the Mannings’ daughters.
In court, Jeffrey Manning waived his right to a pre-sentence hearing and Harrell immediately pronounced a sentence on him.
“He was given 20 years with seven to serve,” Kittrell said. “We understand that the seven years will be day-for-day time and that he will serve all seven years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.”
The sentence also included $19,133 in fines and various court costs.
Manning remained in the custody of the Marion County Jail as of deadline Thursday, awaiting assignment to a state correctional facility.
“I think in everybody’s eyes … justice was done,” Turney said.
