Homeless man sentenced to 22 years in 2009 death

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — A homeless man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the 2009 death of another homeless man.

WBTW-TV reports (http://bit.ly/N03orm) that Bruce Olen Underwood was sentenced Monday after he entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. That means Underwood did not admit guilt but conceded there was enough evidence for a conviction.

Underwood was arrested in 2009 and charged with murder in the death of George Pennell. Police say Pennell was found beaten to death in woods in Myrtle Beach. Underwood was found about 75 feet away, covered in blood.

Another man, Timothy Haley, was sentenced to 12 years in the case. Authorities say Haley told them Underwood refused to stop beating Pennell after he and a fourth man had stopped.

___

Information from: WBTW-TV, http://www.wbtw.com