A Lake Charles man pleaded guilty to manslaughter Thursday in state district court in connection with the shooting death of his mother’s sometimes boyfriend.

Austin Benjamin Cedars, 20, shot and killed Anthony Batiste, 26, after a day of arguing on Dec. 2, 2012. Prosecutor Rick Bryant amended the charge from second-degree murder.

When Batiste entered the residence at 3214 Louisiana Ave. in the evening, Cedars shot him multiple times with a .22-caliber handgun, Bryant said.

Cedars and Batiste lived at the house with other people. Shawna Cedars, Austin Cedars’ mother, reportedly witnessed the killing.

Bryant did not give a sentencing recommendation to Judge David Ritchie, who will sentence Cedars on Aug. 21 after a presentence investigation. Cedars faces up to 40 years in prison.

Likewise, defense attorney Ron Richard did not give a numerical recommendation, but said he will ask for a sentence that takes into account the facts of the case and Cedars’ age.

“(The plea deal) keeps the family from having to relive the events that happened three years ago,” prosecutor Christy Rhodes May said. “It resolves the case and it gets justice.”

Batiste’s family was consulted about the plea deal, May said.

“In light of all the facts surrounding the events of that day, the family, the things that occurred, a manslaughter resolution was probably the fairest and best resolution,” Richard said.

Keenan Wade Cedars, 27, Austin Cedars’ uncle and co-defendant, is to stand trial on a charge of second-degree murder June 15. He has also been offered a manslaughter plea, May said. Both Cedars men fired at Batiste, she said.

They both bonded out of jail in January 2013, but Austin Cedars was arrested for domestic abuse battery in November 2013 and has remained jailed since. Those charges are pending, district attorney’s spokeswoman Holly Carter said.

At the time of Batiste’s death, Shawna Cedars was arrested for drug possession with intent to distribute. The charges are pending, Carter said.

(MGNonline)