Byron Griffin last week pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter, heat of passion as part of a plea agreement in the case of a 2023 shooting death that has already resulted in a mistrial.

Griffin was accused of shooting and killing 46-year-old Shirray Harris at a Vicksburg Circle K convenience store on Washington Street following an altercation last year. In March, Warren County District Attorney Ricky Smith said the state planned to retry Griffin after his first trial ended in a hung jury. 

According to court documents dated Aug. 2, Griffin withdrew his previous plea of not guilty as part of the plea agreement that knocked the charges down to manslaughter and included a 20-year suspended sentence and five years of supervised probation.

Smith said in March that the jury, after hearing arguments from both the state and Griffin’s attorneys, was unable to agree on whether or not the suspect acted in self defense when he shot Harris during the altercation.

Griffin’s initial charge of murder stemmed from the 2023 altercation which ended with him allegedly attacking Harris with an ax handle, at which time Harris produced a handgun from a vehicle.   

“The facts of the case are that the defendant and the victim got into a disagreement at the convenience store and ultimately the defendant, Byron Griffin, went to his vehicle, got an ax handle and began to chase the victim, Shirray Harris,” Smith said following the mistrial. “Mr. Harris was able to go back to his vehicle, obtain a pistol. But then Mr. Griffin was able to take the pistol away from Mr. Harris and fired some rounds, killing him.”

Griffin’s lawyers argued he was in fear of his life when shot Harris, resulting in his actions qualifying as self defense.