An Oktibbeha County man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2014 shooting death of Christopher Houston.
After about an hour of deliberation, a jury found Immanuel “Papoose” Manning, 44, guilty of first-degree murder and intimidating a witness. A third charge — receiving stolen property — was retired by the prosecution.
Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Manning to spend the rest of his life behind bars for the murder conviction and two years for intimidating a witness.
Manning was sentenced using Mississippi’s habitual offender law. He was convicted in 1990 for auto burglary and for one count each for sale and possession of cocaine in 1997.
Houston, 35, was shot on March 7, 2014, at the University Hills Mobile Home Park, located east of Starkville on Highway 182. He died of a single gunshot wound.
Manning was arrested later in Rankin County after local law enforcement agents determined he was traveling to the area.
The indictment against Manning states he attempted to influence a witness by engaging in conversation and blowing kisses at the witness after his arrest.
Manning blew a kiss to his supporters gathered at court Thursday and said he loved them before he was escorted back to jail.
Assistant District Attorney Scott Rogillio, who led the state’s prosecution of Manning, thanked the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department for presenting a straightforward case.
“For the family’s sake, I’m just glad to see that this thing is over with so they can move on with their lives and get some closure,” he said. “Obviously, the jury didn’t believe his side of the story. I think it was a good case brought to us by the sheriff’s department, and the judge’s rulings were right on point.”
Manning’s attorney, Ross Barnett Jr., said it was unknown if his client would appeal the jury’s verdict or Kitchens’ sentences.
“The case is 2-years-and-4-months old, lacking three days. It’s been a long time getting to a conclusion, but of course we were looking to get an acquittal,” he said. “There were some errors, I think, made, but I don’t want to discuss them. It’s difficult for a court to hold almost three days of trial and not have some errors somewhere.”
O’Kelly faces sentencing today
Judge Lee Howard will sentence Skylar O’Kelly today after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder Thursday.
He faces up to 40 years behind bars for the murder conviction.
O’Kelly, 23, stood accused of second-degree murder and drug trafficking after 22-year-old Mississippi State University student Parker Rodenbaugh died Aug. 9, 2014, after taking a fatal dosage of 25B-NOMe, a synthetic drug similar to LSD.
O’Kelly, who took to the stand Wednesday, testified he purchased about 450 “hits” of the drug, and provided two doses to Rodenbaugh, despite not knowing if the substance was harmful or illegal.
After taking the drug, Rodenbaugh began to spasm, testimony revealed. O’Kelly said a person at the apartment where the incident occurred asked him and others to leave before calling 911.
He was notified later by Starkville Police Department of Rodenbaugh’s death.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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