Co-defendant in 2014 beating death pleads guilty, sentenced to 20 years

The co-defendant in the beating death of an Anna, Illinois, man has pleaded guilty.

Travis Turner, 26, of Dongola, Illinois, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder in the death of James "Jimmy" Morrison in 2014, according to a news release from Union County, Illinois, State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds.

Turner originally pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder.

Judge Mark Boie sentenced Turner to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, the maximum allowed.

"Today's outcome was the result of extensive discussions with Jimmy's family," Edmonds said in the release. "... It was the family's desire to have closure and certainty regarding Travis Turner's sentence. I admire their strength in dealing with such a tragic loss."

Turner's public defender, J. Jeremy Lloyd, could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Turner had been scheduled for a jury trial later this month. According to court documents, Turner hit Morrison in the head with a piece of lumber, and his co-defendant, Jessie Bell, struck Morrison in the head with his fists.

The altercation took place April 12, 2014, after several family members and friends had gathered at a home owned by Morrison.

After an evening of drinking, Morrison asked everyone to leave, according to testimony at Bell's trial, but Bell went back in the house to talk to Morrison about a money issue. Witnesses testified Bell and Morrison got into a fight, which spilled outside, at which point Turner used a 2-by-4 to hit Morrison in the head.

Bell was tried in May and found guilty of second-degree murder. Boie sentenced Bell last week to 20 years in prison.

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