11-year prison sentence in fatal shooting
Court documents: Wheatland man shot another at close range after 2017 fight
A Wheatland man was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his involvement in a fatal shooting last October near the Longbranch Saloon in Linda.
Randall Todd Harris was arrested Oct. 27 and charged with murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and manslaughter. As part of a deal with the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office, he pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter June 27 and the rest of his charges were dropped.
Superior Court Judge Julia Scrogin sentenced Harris to the upper term of 11 years in state prison on Monday.
The charges stem from an incident outside the Longbranch between Harris and the victim, referred to in court documents as Russell R. (no last name given).
Harris owned the property where the bar was located, as well as a residence on the same property the victim had been living in for a few months.
Harris told investigators he was standing in the back parking lot of the bar when Russell R. walked out of his residence and asked Harris for a cigarette, which he denied.
Russell R. allegedly became angry and threw a barbell at Harris’ vehicle window before taking out a machete and moving toward the defendant, according to court documents.
Harris told detectives that when Russell R. came at him, he took out his revolver and shot at the victim.
After that, Harris went back into the bar and Russell R. retreated to his residence.
After some time, Harris went to the residence to check on him. Harris found him lying next to the refrigerator, where he shot him again at close range, according to court documents.
Deputies were called to the 5800 block of Lindhurst Avenue at 2:43 p.m. to conduct a welfare check at the residence.
When they arrived, they located the victim, dead and lying against the refrigerator. Detectives reported the victim was lying on the floor face up with a gunshot wound to his right temple area.
Harris allowed detectives to search his residence for a gun he told them he owned, but law enforcement was unable to locate it at his home.
Later that day, Harris’ son provided a .22 caliber revolver to detectives, according to court documents.
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