Plea deal in Army reservist's beating

JONESBORO - A white man accused of beating a black Army Reservist in front of her daughter and yelling racial slurs was sentenced to six months in prison Friday after negotiating a plea deal.

Troy Dale West could have faced more than 44 years if convicted on three felony charges in the beating of Tasha Hill. The charges were reduced to misdemeanors as part of the deal struck during West's trial over the September 2009 attack outside a metro Atlanta Cracker Barrel restaurant.

West's attorney Tony Axam tried to paint Hill as a calculating, combative person with a history of provoking confrontations.

West testified Friday that he was holding a door open for her when she told him she was a soldier, threatened to kill him and then spit in his face. West said he countered with a punch and then she "came back" at him several times. He said she kicked him repeatedly after she fell to the floor.

Hill, meanwhile, denied spitting on West during her testimony. She told jurors West should be locked up for the attack.

"I didn't ask you to hit me," she said, sobbing. "You beat me down, and you need to pay for it," she said. "You need to go in jail and you need to stay in jail."