By HILLARY EDMAN

Staff Writer

Marcus Ball, accused in the Nov. 16, 2000, murder of Tech student Roshawn Terrell, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Dec. 4.

Ball, 26, also of Shreveport, pleaded guilty two days into his second-degree murder trial in the shooting death of Terrell.

His plea was made after negotiations between Ruston Defense Attorney Robert Sharp and 3rd Judicial District Attorney Bob Levy and prosecutors Cliff Strider and Steven Hearn.

Ball was sentenced to 25 years with credit for time already served.

He faced a 40-year sentence if found guilty by a jury.

According to an article from the Dec. 4 issue of The (Ruston) Daily Leader, Sharp said he felt justice was served.

"We didn't know what would have happened had this gone to the jury," Sharp said.

"We were confident of a good outcome but it was time to put this all behind us.

"Both families are good families and it's a shame this had to happen."

In the same article, former Grambling Police Chief Lugene Smith said Ball and Terrell were allegedly in dispute over a stolen couch.

According to police reports, Terrell was shot seven times shortly before 12:30 a.m. while at a party at Sanders Plaza Apartments on Edith Rose Lane in Grambling.

Terrell died at Lincoln General Hospital, located on 401 E. Vaughn.

At the hospital, he had undergone emergency surgery.

According to the article in The (Ruston) Daily Leader, Tasha Dial, a graduate of Grambling State University who now lives in Oakland, Calif., said she was present during the incident between Ball and Terrell.

"I don't know what happened. I thought they were getting ready to fight," Dial said.

"Then I saw Marcus Ball pull out a gun and shoot Roshawn [Terrell] in the chest."

In the Leader article, Lester Ball, the father of Marcus Ball, said it was a waste of two lives.

"It was a waste of [the Terrell family's] son's life and a waste of our son's life in prison," Lester Ball said.

Levy said the outcome of this plea agreement gave closure to the trial as well as the victim's family.

He said, "I am satisfied that the state has removed Mr. Ball from society for 25 years."