Arkansas man gets 60 years in woman's killing at Little Rock home

He was set for murder trial before plea

Jerrold Howard
Jerrold Howard

A West Memphis man who claimed he shot a woman to protect himself and a friend, the victim's girlfriend, has accepted a 60-year prison sentence for the December slaying.

Jerrold Dewayne Howard pleaded guilty on Friday to manslaughter, reduced from first-degree murder, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in exchange for the six-decade prison sentence.

Howard, 31, had been scheduled to stand trial on Monday on the murder charge.

Blair Symone Sims was shot to death on Dec. 28 at the home in the Barrington Hills apartments on Reservoir Road in Little Rock that she shared with her girlfriend, Alexia Stephens.

Prosecutors said Howard shot the 25-year-old woman when an argument between Sims and Stephens over their relationship turned physical. Howard is a close friend of Stephens.

Howard's guilty plea came 10 days after Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza approved showing video of Howard's January arrest in Illinois after he led police on a car and foot chase near Springfield. Howard's lawyers had disputed the legality of the recording.

Howard repeatedly refused to tell Illinois officers his real name despite being asked 17 times.

He claimed to be a man named Eric Underwood and didn't acknowledge who he really was until Illinois police had discovered his true identity.

On one recording, Howard called himself a "criminal" and acknowledged to officers that he has a substantial criminal history. Court records show Howard had prior convictions for aggravated assault, drug possession and first-degree battery.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Howard was carrying a .40-caliber pistol when he was arrested, and Little Rock investigators found a .40-caliber shell casing near Sims' body.

Metro on 09/12/2017

Upcoming Events