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A Milwaukee man who used his legal, concealed handgun to kill an acquaintance who started a fight with him was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison.

A jury last month rejected Phillip K. Green's claim of self-defense in the fatal shooting of Ernest Banks during a men's night out in May and found him guilty of first-degree reckless homicide while armed.

Other witnesses confirmed that Banks, 26, had initiated the fight and was the aggressor, but also that he was unarmed and two other men in the group had tried to get between him and Green when Green, 40, fired a single fatal shot.

Banks' family had asked Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner to impose the maximum sentence of 40 to 45 years. Banks' brother, mother and wife spoke movingly about his role as provider and father to four boys.

Assistant District Attorney Grant Huebner said it was "not a max case." He said the fact Green has no criminal record, called 911 after the shooting and cooperated with investigators suggested a sentence of 20 to 25 years would be appropriate.

Green's attorney, Dennis Coffey, said a far lesser sentence would be appropriate because the unique facts of the matter were not likely to be repeated, and Green was not a further threat to the community, didn't need deterrence — in fact, he could no longer legally have a gun.

He disputed the family's characterization that going to trial with a legitimate defense showed a lack of remorse or refusal to accept responsibility.

"The jury rejected self-defense," Coffey said, "but it was a matter that ought to have been decided by the community."

Green tearfully apologized to Banks' family.

"I understand the anger, but I never intentionally tried to hurt anyone," he said.

Wagner noted "there are lots of nevers in a case like this" and seemed to question Green's decision to carry a concealed weapon during a night out with friends and acquaintances.

"If there was no gun, what do you think would have happened?" the judge asked.

Green replied, "I don't know. I just wanted to go home."