An East St. Louis man halted his trial on Wednesday when he pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of his next door neighbor in 2010.

Terry J. Morgan, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder of his neighbor Rolandus J. Carter, 20.

A jury was seated and hearing testimony when Morgan accepted a deal to plead guilty in exchange for an agreement that the sentence would not exceed 40 years.

St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook will sentence Morgan on Feb. 19.

According to testimony at the trial, Carter and Morgan got initially got along, but the relationship soured. The two had not spoken for months before Nov. 1, 2010, when Carter and his girlfriend were on the sidewalk in front of Morgan's house. A witness aid Morgan threatened Carter.

The threats later turned into a fight that became deadly when prosecutors said Morgan stabbed Carter.

Carter died from stab wounds the morning of Nov. 1 in the front yard of his grandmother's home in the 2500 block of Douglas Street in East St. Louis. Carter's grandmother was blind and neighbors said he helped care for her.

Carter was convicted in St. Clair County of felony unlawful possession of controlled substance in 2007 and three counts of misdemeanor battery in 2006.

In St. Clair County, Morgan was convicted of felony obstruction of justice in 1999.

Contact reporter Beth Hundsdorfer at bhundsdorfer@bnd.com or 239-2570.