DETROIT, Mich. – A 55-year-old Detroit man has been sentenced to prison for the fatal beating of his roommate after a dispute at a boarding house earlier this year, prosecutors confirmed.
From Murder Charge to Manslaughter Plea
Mark Newsome pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the death of 72-year-old Dale Francis Mitchell, who died after being assaulted during an argument that began over a Taco Bell meal.
Newsome was originally charged with second-degree murder, but prosecutors dropped the charge after he entered the manslaughter plea. He was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison, with credit for 581 days already served.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The incident occurred in January at a boarding house north of Detroit where Newsome and Mitchell lived with other roommates.
According to prosecutors, Mitchell was accused of stealing a taco from another roommate. The commotion woke Newsome, who confronted Mitchell…