A 42-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the 2022 shooting death of another man outside a Homewood restaurant.

Jerry Jewayne Jones was initially charged with capital murder in the slaying of 35-year-old Andres James Taylor Johnson. The charge was capital because Johnson was killed in the presence of his young daughter, who was in the restaurant.

Jones on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a reduced to charge of murder before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Kechia Davis.

Davis sentenced Jones, of Center Point, to 23 years in prison.

Jefferson County Deputy District Attorneys Jennifer Wilson and Dianah Ellis prosecuted the case.

Jones was represented by attorney Leroy Maxwell Jr.

The gunfire erupted at 11:53 a.m. Friday, June 3, 2022, at Seafood King Cajun Style restaurant on State Farm Parkway.

Police said Johnson was a patron of the restaurant and was with other people.

Some kind of altercation took place in the parking lot, and the victim was shot one time in the chest.

Johnson was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police were given a description of the suspects’ vehicle, which was a Ryder box truck. Officers spotted the truck on West Valley Avenue, and a brief chase pursued.

Officers stopped the truck on Barber’s Court and West Valley Avenue and took Jones into custody. A second person who was in the truck with him was not charged.

Following his guilty plea, Jones was booked into the Jefferson County Jail to await transfer to the Alabama Department of Corrections.

“I had hoped go to trial because I believe Jerry acted in self defense,” Maxwell said. “However, I understand his decision to plead and avoid the possibility of dying in prison.”