Woman gets 21 years in shooting of Spartanburg man

GAFFNEY, S.C. (AP) — A woman has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for the 2008 shooting of a Spartanburg man.

Prosecutor Barry Barnette says 38-year-old Wanda Denise Brown of Gaffney was sentenced Monday in Spartanburg. She pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter earlier this year, saying she acted in self-defense.

Brown originally was charged with murder in the shooting death of 53-year-old Richard Bryant. Authorities said Bryant was shot once in the chest with a .22 caliber rifle and died at the scene.

Authorities say Brown told them Bryant was at her home, had tried to choke her and had hit her repeatedly. Investigators say Brown had walked past an exterior door to grab the gun and could have chosen to leave instead of shooting Bryant.