Inmate guilty of manslaughter, not murder

MEADVILLE, Pa. (AP) — An inmate has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter, not the third-degree murder charge prosecutors sought, in the death of a northwestern Pennsylvania county jail guard.

Monday’s verdict against 25-year-old Gregory Brown, of Meadville, means he’ll face up to five years in prison, not up to 40 years as prosecutors hoped. The jury also acquitted Brown of aggravated assault and assault by a prisoner in the alteration with 49-year-old guard Gary Chapin last Oct. 13.

Chapin died from his injuries on Nov. 15, and District Attorney Francis Schultz sought a murder conviction, claiming Brown purposely slammed Chapin onto his head.

Brown claimed he and the guard merely tripped and that he never intended to kill Chapin.

Brown’s attorney Gene Placidi says the verdict shows Brown “never intended to hurt” Chapin. Schultz says the jury rejected Brown’s “fantastical” version of events.