Melvin George pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Friday for the beating death of 46-year-old Jeffrey Coleman in May.
Coleman was found unconscious and bleeding from his face in the 2300 block of Pitts Place Southeast. He was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors inserted a catheter into his brain, documents say. Coleman, suffering from multiple facial fractures, never regained consciousness.
According to the proffer of facts, on the night of May 24, 2014, George, who had been heavily intoxicated, was at his girlfriend’s apartment during a party. While there, he began questioning his girlfriend and another woman about their past sexual relationships, and asked to speak with his girlfriend alone in the back room, documents say.
Prosecutors say George then grabbed his girlfriend by the neck and threw her on the bed. She called 911 for help.
According to documents, once the party was over, George began interrogating Coleman about Coleman’s relationship with his girlfriend. Coleman became upset because he believed the girlfriend had given George the wrong impression.
George’s girlfriend suggested that Coleman leave and told him she would deal with George’s insecurity. After hearing the word “insecurity,” George walked back over to Coleman, knocked him to the ground, and beat him relentlessly, documents say.
According to prosecutors, George then proceeded to drag Coleman’s body around in front of the apartment building, at one point partially picking him up and then dropping him on his head.
George is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Jan 30, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Lynn Leibovitz.
A copy of plea documents are below:
Additional reporting by Amelia Rufer.
