By Joan Hershberger
Two wearing “R.I.P. Kris” t-shirts watched quietly Friday as Shavontia Bullock, 25, the third man accused in the death of Kristopher L. Cook, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Very few other than court staff attended the hearing.
Cook’s life ended during a shooting the week before Christmas 2014. Cliffdeon Minor, 22, sustained an injury in the leg, was treated and released.
Bullock stood before Judge Robin Carroll of the 4th Circuit Court with his attorney Bill McLean as deputy prosecutor Jeff Rogers read the charges. Bullock is charged with acting and assisting others on Dec. 18, 2014 during the fray on Cedar Street and a death by shooting.
In answer to Judge Carroll’s questions, Bullock agreed with that. The original charge of capital murder was reduced to murder in the second and the battery in the first charge was nolle prossed.
Bullock was sentenced to 25 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction and given credit for 269 days of pre-trial incarceration. His co-defendants Cedric Hollis, 27, and Billy Ray Jones, Jr. 24, both pleaded guilty in July.