COVINGTON, Ga. — Jalen Brown pleaded guilty but mentally ill Monday morning to felony murder and multiple related charges related to the 2022 killing of his co-worker at the General Mills plant in Covington.
Brown received a sentence of life in prison plus five years for the offenses, which also include three counts of aggravated assault and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Under Georgia law, a “guilty but mentally ill” plea results in the same sentence as a standard guilty plea.
However, the classification allows the Department of Corrections the ability to refer someone for temporary hospitalization to a secure facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, provided the defendant meets the legal definition of mentally ill.
Authorities said Brown showed increasing signs of paranoia before the crimes. This was linked to mental health issues made worse by his drug use.
On May 29, 2022, Brown brought a handgun to work. Supervisors at the plant approached Brown to address his behavior.
He ran to a different area within the General Mills plant, got his firearm from a bag and shot and killed Zachary Foster, a co-worker.
Brown fled the facility, with another co-worker pursuing him to maintain sight. Another person saw Brown running down the road with a firearm and responded by stopping their car and backing away.
Brown fired shots at both the pursuing co-worker and the person in the vehicle.
Covington officers quickly arrived and took Brown into custody shortly after. Brown admitted to shooting Foster during an interview with law enforcement.
He also told them about auditory hallucinations and paranoia about events that had not actually happened.
Two days after the shooting, a bag was found near the General Mills plant. In it was more than 14 ounces of marijuana along with several forms of identification belonging to Brown.
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