Jesup man convicted of manslaughter

JESUP, Ga. (WSAV)—A Jesup man was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter by a Wayne County jury on Wednesday.

Lanis Brown, 32, of Jesup was convicted on the charges of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to a press release from the District Attorney’s Office (DAO) in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. The charges stem from the death of Zakkary Johnson, 24, also of Jesup.

The jury took three hours to return their guilty verdicts. Brown was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.

According to the DAO, the evidence presented at trial showed that Brown had been on a three-day methamphetamine binge when he and Johnson got into an altercation which led to Johnson’s death. Brown traveled to a shed located on Community Circle in Jesup prior to the altercation where he used methamphetamine with a female and two other people.

When Johnson arrived, they began arguing and became physical with each other. After separating from the physical altercation, Johnson continued to argue with Brown when Brown proceeded to take out a handgun and shoot Johnson in the chest, according to the DAO.

Johnson was fatally wounded, and Brown fled the scene soon after. Brown was arrested four days later.

The DAO said that Brown admitted he had shot Johnson but claimed he had acted in self-defense when interviewed by law enforcement.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Presley and Assistant District Attorney A.J. Smart. The lead investigator was Investigator Bruce Williams of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).