Man sentenced for Porterdale Bar and Grill shooting death

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William Brown (Newton County Sheriff's Office)

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Newton County man will spend over a decade behind Correcting to prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to the shooting death of a man at a Porterdale bar.

Mistrial leads to voluntary manslaughter plea

What we know:

According to the Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, William Brown pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. 

The charges stem from a July 27, 2024, shooting of Kyle Fowler at the Porterdale Bar and Grill on Broad Street.

The case originally went to trial last week, where prosecutors argued Brown's actions constituted murder. However, after two days of deliberations, the jury remained deadlocked, leading to a mistrial this past Friday. Following the hung jury, attorneys spoke with jurors to understand their perspectives before negotiating the plea deal.

What we don't know:

While the sentence has been handed down, officials have not released the specific special conditions of Brown’s 10-year probation. 

It also remains unclear exactly what evidence caused the jury to remain split during the initial murder trial.

 Kyle Fowle (Alcovy District Attorney's Office)

Judge settles non-negotiated sentence

What they're saying:

District Attorney Randy McGinley noted that the tragedy stemmed from a "needless escalation" of an argument. "I hope this serves as a reminder that anger and split-second bad decisions can lead to horrible and tragic consequences," McGinley said.

During the sentencing, the court heard victim impact statements from Fowler's family and a statement from Brown himself. 

The plea was "non-negotiated," meaning both the state and defense argued for different terms while leaving the final decision to the judge.