A Greene County grand jury on Monday indicted a Mohawk-area man for second-degree murder in connection with a July 1, 2007, shooting death.

In indicting Ronald Lee Bible, 59, of 3440 Mt. Hope Road, for second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of James David Branch, the grand jury rejected a possible charge of first-degree murder, according to court records.

Bible had been arrested on July 6, 2007, at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the July 1 shooting death of Branch, also of Mohawk.

The indictment said Branch was shot with a 9-mm handgun.

The fatal shooting followed an altercation between the two men at Branch's Josie Road residence, according to a Greene County Sheriff's Department report.

Sheriff Steve Burns later said the altercation resulted from a disagreement over money.

Bible said he shot Branch in self-defense, Sheriff Burns said in 2007.

But that version of the events was sharply disputed by a woman who identified herself as Branch's wife. She told The Greeneville Sun in July 2007 that she witnessed the actions that resulted in her husband's death.

Sheriff's Deputy Michael Jones wrote in his report that he found Branch lying on the ground face up in front of his garage.

The report said Jones responded to a neighbor's report to the Sheriff's Department at 11:35 p.m. on July 1, 2007, that a shot had been fired.

Burns said a gunshot entered Branch's left abdomen and exited from the right side of his back.

Bible was injured in the fight, treated at Laughlin Memorial Hospital overnight, and released, Burns said in 2007.

Other indictments returned by the grand jury on Monday included those against:

* Billy Ray Hale, 20, of 898 Ricker Road, Boones Creek, on charges of theft over $1,000 in connection with the Aug. 28, 2008, theft of a 1996 GMC pickup truck owned by the Sevier County Board of Education; driving on a suspended license; failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility; violating the registration law; and violating the seat-belt law;

* Johnny Helton, 25, of 341 Locust St., on a charge of criminal trespassing at 218 Ross Blvd. on June 15, 2008;

* Ashley N. Gunter, 25, of Whitesburg, on charges of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud from Atchley Drug Center on June 25, 2008, and attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud on June 26, 2008, from Atchley Drug Center;

* Gary Lee Ranney Jr., 20, of 103 Kingsley Ave., on charges of theft over $1,000 by exercising control over a 1990 Toyota belonging to Dennis Cox of Car City and driving without a license on Oct. 3, 2008;

* Totti L. Simms, 30, of Memphis, on a charge of fraudulent use of a credit card on July 30, 2008, at Quick Stop No. 1;

* Willie Mae Perkins, 30, of Memphis, on a charge of fraudulent use of a credit card on July 30, 2008, at Quick Stop No. 1;

* William David Babb, 35, of 1070 Tyne Gray Road, Afton, on two counts of theft over $1,000 in connection with the Jan. 19, 2008, thefts of a 1977 Chevrolet pickup truck and a 1996 Pontiac GrandAm;

* Wayne Marcard Goode, 38, of 40 Haney Park, on two counts of forgery in connection with the passing of two $464.73 checks at a Food City supermarket here on March 26 and March 28, 2008;

* Dennis Michael Richardson, 45, of 2300 Kennytown Road, on a charge of aggravated assault filed in connection with a Nov. 7, 2008, incident in which he allegedly struck Roger Lee Hockenberry in the ribs with the muzzle of a loaded 12-ga. shotgun;

* Johnny Wesley Helton, 25, of 341 Locust St., on a charge of theft over $1,000 in connection with the Feb. 7, 2008, theft of a 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse owned by Lawson Mountain Mazda;

* Rebecca Louise Caldwell, 48, of 635 S. McKee St., on a charge of violating the implied consent law on May 29, 2008;

* James Allen Brooks III, 50, of 1420 W. Vann Road, on charges of DUI (6th offense), driving on a revoked license (5th offense), violating the implied-consent law and violating the seat belt law on July 9, 2008;

* Charles Michael Reed, 44, of 1815 Liberty Hill Road South, Limestone, on a charge of aggravated assault in connection with a Sept. 11, 2008, incident in which he allegedly struck Roby Randolph while displaying a handgun;

* Kela M. Woodfin, 28, of 6920 East Andrew Johnson Hwy., Chuckey, on a charge of aggravated assault in connection with a Sept. 11, 2008, incident in which she allegedly struck Roby Randolph while displaying a handgun; and

* Ernest Anthony Horton, 37, of 356 South Pruitt Road, on a charge of violating the sexual offender registration law on Jan. 9, 2008, by failing to register with the Greene County Sheriff's Department within seven calendar days of his birthday.