NORWICH – The Chenango County Courthouse was a scene of repentance Tuesday as a Sherburne man pleaded guilty in the shooting death of his friend and asked the family for forgiveness.

Joshua T. Story, 24, was arrested Feb. 23 for the second degree murder of Kallin P. Richards, 24, of New Berlin.

Supreme Court Judge Kevin M. Dowd sentenced Story to 15 years in prison for pleading guilty to first degree manslaughter Tuesday.

Richards was shot and killed by Story at around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 23 at Sherburne Meadows Apartments as he attempted to drive away in his 2000 Ford Explorer.

The two men were involved in a physical fight just prior to the shooting in which Richards choked Story to near unconsciousness. The fight began when Story, who was also drinking, believed Richards had too much to drink and shouldn’t drive.

“On this particular night, Mr. Story thought Mr. Richards had consumed too much alcohol and thought he was doing the right thing by preventing him from driving. Unfortunately, Judge, that led to an altercation that Mr. Story lost,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride.

Story recovered soon after and as Richards was attempting to leave the scene, Story retrieved a loaded shotgun from inside his residence and shot the victim through the driver’s side window in the parking lot, killing him instantly.