NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — 36-year-old Joseph Leon Cross Jr. was sentenced on Friday to serve 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the voluntary manslaughter of Jessie Lee Taylor outside a restaurant in 2021, a release states.

On Nov. 17, 2021, Cross shot Taylor in the parking lot of the EZ Inn restaurant at 2727 Azalea Garden Rd. Cross approached Taylor to buy marijuana.

A witness reported seeing the two men leave the back patio of the restaurant and heard gunshots shortly afterward. That witness saw Taylor on the ground and Cross going through Taylor’s pockets.

Police found Taylor with serious injuries and he died before paramedics arrived. There were no witnesses to the events between when the men left and the gunshots.

The police were able to identify Cross as a suspect in the case and charged him with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm.

After being arrested, Cross waived his right to remain silent and gave the police his account of the events.

After leaving the patio, the men walked to Taylor’s car, where Cross gave him money to purchase the marijuana previously discussed, Cross said. However, Taylor didn’t produce the amount of marijuana quickly enough for Cross, and he demanded his money back. A fist fight broke out and Cross shot Taylor in what he claims was self-defense. Cross rifled through Taylor’s pockets, took back the cash, and ran from the parking lot.

Cross entered an agreement on June 11 to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and shooting a firearm in the commission of manslaughter, and Cross agreed to face a maximum active sentence of 12 years.

Judge Mary Jane Hall accepted Cross’ plea agreement, and on Friday sentenced Cross to serve 12 years with another three years suspended on the conditions that Cross be of uniform good behavior and comply with supervised probation for three years.

“As I said at the time of Mr. Cross’s guilty plea, the only witnesses to who was the aggressor in this incident were the defendant and the victim, and so we agreed to a guilty plea to manslaughter,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The 12-year sentence in this case is consistent with what we were able to prove when it comes to Mr. Cross’s actions. He did not act in self-defense, and he must serve a sentence commensurate with his crime.”