According to numerous news reports, just months after Charles Grant wrapped up the NFL season as a member of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, the former defensive end was on trial for involuntary manslaughter.

Jurors hadn't heard testimony, but they did listen to opening statements by attorneys this past week.

Prosecutors painted a picture of an out-ofcontrol brawl outside a nightclub between two groups of men from rival counties.

It was February 2008, when Grant and a group of his friends traveled from Colquitt to Blakely. The night ended with Grant receiving a stab wound to the neck and a 23-year old pregnant woman dead from a gunshot wound.

Grant's defense said they were confident in their client's innocence.

"Charles Grant maintains his innocence of all charges against him in the indictment and intended to proceed through trial and expected a positive verdict," said Grant's attorney.

Prosecutor Ron Smith claimed Grant and a group of his friends were inside a crowded Pokey's nightclub in Blakely when a fight broke out. The fight, Smith claims, was started over a previous incident involving Anthony Williams and Marshae Stromer.

Smith pointed out that witnesses stated Grant tried to break up the fight before declaring it should move outside.

Witnesses say as many as 200 people were on North Church Street when Grant's group and a group of men from Early County continued the fracas.

During the altercation, prosecutors stated Woodrow Gray stabbed Grant in the neck. Immediately, Laquient Macklin, a friend of Grant's and a former correction officer, pulled a gun from a bag and fired three shots in the air. One of the bullets, prosecutors say, struck and killed Korinda Reed. Reports indicated that there were more shots fired.

Reed, a mother of three, was five months pregnant at the time of her death.

Four Early County men entered plea deals. Grant, MacklinStromer went to trial. Macklin faced charges of murder, aggravated assault, and feticide. Grant and Stromer were charged with involuntary manslaughter.

A fourth defendant, Jarvis Tinson, agreed to a plea deal Wednesday and was fined $1,000 and sentenced to one year probation.

The trial had been expected to last for several days and include expert testimony. Numerous witnesses, as many as 60, could take the stand. Friday, the tone changed to plea deals offered by prosecutor Smith on Friday.

Pataula Superior Court Judge Ronnie Joe Lane heard the plea bargains, and according to several reports, the man who was charged with murdering a pregnant Blakely woman pleaded guilty to a much lesser charge Friday and will not go to prison. Charles Grant from Miller County also agreed to a plea deal.

Macklin pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to a year probation.

Grant was charged with involuntary manslaughter and entered a plea of nolo contendre to affray and was also sentenced to a year probation. Stromer got the same sentence after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and affray.