By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
April 12, 2001
DECATUR Kalandros H. Brassfield, a Newton man indicted for murder in the death of his wife, Monica Brassfield, has been allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
District Attorney Ken Turner negotiated the plea agreement.
Monica Brassfield was killed at the Brassfields' home on West Railroad Street in Newton on June 21, 2000.
Newton police officials presented the case to a Newton County grand jury, Turner said.
Two men indicted by the same grand jury last week for armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Spencer Whitfield Jr. of Lawrence and Marcus M. Montgomery of Newton pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon.
Newton police arrested the two men, both 17 years old at the time, shortly after they allegedly robbed Mexico Lindo, a restaurant at 117 Church St., on Nov. 25, 2000.
Newton Police Chief Harvey Curry reported the men struck the restaurant owner and one of his friends three or four times across their heads with a stick.
Newton County sheriff's officials said all three men will remain in custody at the Newton County jail until transfer to state prisons.
A Newton County grand jury last week handed down 20 indictments. They declined to indict in seven cases, and four were continued.
The grand jury toured the county courthouse and jail and inquired about the treatment of prisoners. In their final report, they said they found the buildings' maintenance and the inmate treatment satisfactory.
They investigated the management and administration of 16th Section land and found it to be legally and satisfactorily administered. They found no abnormal outbreak of forest fires in Newton County and said they believe fire protection measures in the county are adequate.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.