Mr. Henderson was at Patrick's bar in Granite City October 2025. He had just walked in and ordered some drinks. Another intoxicated patron started yelling at him and took a swing at him. My client did not fight back but instead exited the bar. The intoxicated person then followed him outside trying to get him to fight. There was a large crowd of the intoxicated person's friends that followed him outside and chased my client. My client showed a firearm to them to get them to stop trying to attack him. It worked. He then drove off. He returned to the bar 20 minutes later to speak with the owner about getting a refund on his drinks as he never even picked them up before he was attacked. The bar owner refused. At that time the other intoxicated person approached my client and punched him through the car window that my client was seated in. There were three other people that were friends with the intoxicated person surrounding the side doors of my client's vehicle at that time. My client shot one time and drove off. That single shot killed the intoxicated person. My client called police and turned himself in.
We negotiated a second degree murder plea per an open plea. Second degree murder carries the possibility of probation or 4-20 years at (50%). Keep in mind first degree murder carries 45-natural life at 100%. So quite a substantial drop in potential penalty. At the sentencing hearing my client received 6 years at 50%. So he will serve 2.5 years less the 200 days he has already served.