A Lawrence man pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to voluntary manslaughter related to a February beating death of a 62-year-old Lawrence man.

Jerod Buffalohead, 36, agreed to plead guilty in Douglas County District Court to a lesser charge instead of facing a jury trial later this month for reckless second-degree murder.

Chief District Judge Robert Fairchild accepted Buffalohead’s plea in the beating death of Jerry L. Deshazer, 62, Feb. 2 at Deshazer’s home in southeastern Lawrence after a night of drinking.

Co-defendant Shanna Friday, 37, faces a Nov. 3 trial for reckless second-degree murder in the case. Prosecutors have accused both Buffalohead and Friday of striking Deshazer, who bled to death.

Depending on his criminal history, Buffalohead now faces anywhere from 4.5 years to 20.5 years in prison. If convicted of reckless second-degree murder, the maximum sentence was 41 years.