Jessie Brian Conner will serve the 31 years in prison a Madison County jury recommended following his trial in May, but because of an unclear decision by that jury, Conner will be eligible for parole earlier than expected.
In a calmer fashion than his last court appearance, Conner appeared in Madison Circuit Court on Thursday for his formal sentencing on charges he raped, sodomized and assaulted his now ex-wife after breaking into her Berea home in October 2008.
Conner’s trial ended on May 28 with bailiffs and Berea police officers dragging the 29-year-old from the courtroom after he directed a verbal outburst at the victim.
State sentencing guidelines require that at least 85 percent of a sentence for a violent offense be served before becoming eligible for parole. Conner was convicted of two violent offenses, first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy, and the jury sentenced him to 20 years on each charge. The jury also sentenced him to 10 years for first-degree burglary and five years for assault under extreme emotional distress.
Because the verdict form returned by the jury did not indicate what parts of those sentences would run consecutively or concurrently, prosecutors were required to recommend to Madison Circuit Judge William G. Clouse that the violent offense sentences run concurrently for 20 years total.
The burglary sentence will run consecutively to the 20-year sentence, and one year of the assault sentence will run consecutively to those sentences for the 31-year total.
Conner’s attorney, Eric Ashley, filed a motion before the sentencing asking for a new trial. Ashley claimed testimony presented during the trial about Conner leading police on a pursuit that ended in a standoff was prejudicial toward his client.
Prosecutors had agreed to sever charges of fleeing or evading police, witness tampering and violation of an emergency protective order before the trial.
Clouse denied the motion for a new trial, and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Smith asked the court to dismiss the fleeing and tampering charges.
Conner pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of violating the protective order and was sentenced to 12 months, which will run concurrently with his other sentences.
Ashley also unsuccessfully asked Clouse to run the state prison time concurrently with a 41-month federal prison sentence Conner received for conspiracy to possess oxycodone with the intent to distribute.
Clouse reminded Conner that he will be required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison because of his convictions for rape and sodomy.
Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.
Local News
Conner to serve 31 years
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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