I first posted about Jeffrey Lawrence Brooks in January. Brooks is the 25-year old man who appeared on America's Most Wanted and on CMPD's '10 Most Wanted' List in 2005.Brooks was wanted by police for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill. Brooks beat his girlfriend unconscious with a pistol after he heard she was cheating on him in November 2005.
Brooks finished with his girlfriend and sought out the man she was supposedly cheating with. Brooks found the man and shot him five times in the stomach, groin and buttocks. Brooks left him to die.
Brooks turned himself in to police on January 27, 2006. Thirty days later, as his victims were still recovering from their injuries, District Court Judge Philip F. Howerton Jr. reduced Jeffrey Brooks' bail and he bonded out of jail.
One year later, on January 11, 2007, Brooks was arrested after he threatened to kill the man he shot in 2005. Brooks pled 'not guilty' to the charges and didn't want the man to testify against him in court. Brooks has remained in jail ever since.
On March 12th, the trial of 'NC -vs- Jeffrey Lawrence Brooks' began. He was on trial for Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Assault w/deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and Possession of a firearm by a felon. The state rested its case on March 14th.
Brooks' Attorney Bruce Parks requested a last minute plea deal and the state accepted. The state dropped the first degree murder charge and Brooks pled guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Brooks was sentenced to prison for 6 1/2 years (min) to 8 yrs. 8 mos. (max) for the assault charge and one year (min) to 15 months (max) for the firearm charge. The sentences will be served concurrently in a North Carolina prison.