Springfield man pleads guilty to second-degree murder on eve of trial

A Springfield man accused of fatally shooting another city man inside a grocery store in 2020 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Sangamon County circuit court Friday.

Eugene Jackson, 39, will serve 20 years on the murder count, which is the maximum sentence. Jackson was initially charged with first-degree murder.

He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and was sentenced to 12 years on that charge.

The sentences will be served consecutively. Presiding Circuit Judge Ryan Cadagin handed down both sentences.

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According to police reports, Jackson was in Seven Brothers Grocery in the 1800 block of South 11th Street just before 4 a.m. on June 14, 2020, when Tykeem King, 23, entered the store with his girlfriend. After words were exchanged between Jackson and King, Jackson produced a firearm. King physically assaulted Jackson. Then Jackson shot King twice.

Jackson shot King two more times after fending him off.

Attorney, Mark Wykoff said Jackson had planned to argue self-defense before entering the plea.

The incident was captured on in-store video, though there was no audio.

There was no evidence King had a firearm.

Jackson was previously convicted of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance in Sangamon County in 2004.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield man accused in store shooting pleads guilty; avoids trial