Man in fight absolved in death

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— A man charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of a Jonesboro man pleaded guilty to third-degree battery Friday, a prosecutor said.

Doreus Lamar “Rat” McKinney, 23, of Jonesboro was sentenced to the 150 days he had already served in the Craighead County jail, said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Alan Copelin.

Along with Tyrone Lamont Hall, 24, McKinney was originally charged with seconddegree murder in the death of William Horton, 47, who died five days after an Oct. 16 fight near his Jonesboro home.

Hall pleaded guilty last week in Craighead County Circuit Court to second-degree murder and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Copelin said Horton was involved in a fight with Hall, McKinney and others the night of Oct. 16.

Horton left to call police but later that night got into a second altercation in which Hall struck him, causing Horton to fall and fatally strike his head on the street, Copelin said.

Copelin said witnesses told police that McKinney did not hit Horton in the second altercation and did not cause Horton’s death.

“Upon closer reflection of the evidence, we found that McKinney did not cause the death of Horton,” Copelin said.

Arkansas, Pages 16 on 03/24/2012

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