Before his September trial, prosecutors offered Brandon Jamell Kiner four years in prison and a three-year suspension of his driver’s license for a 2018 hit-and-run fatality . Kiner declined the deal.
Convicted by a jury of leaving the scene of a crash without rendering aid and involving death, and evidence tampering, the 39-year-old Kiner was in court on Thursday for sentencing in front of Circuit Judge Robert Hodges.
Prosecutor Adam Smith asked the judge to sentence Kiner to eight years in prison. Wearing a red and white jail uniform, a handcuffed Kiner urged the judge not to send him to prison and instead allow him to do community control and probation.
Kiner’s lawyer, Laurie Hall, recommend less than two years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.
Judge’s decision
Hearing from everyone, the judge said Kiner admitted he was driving the vehicle, had the vehicle fixed and the victim’s DNA was found on the vehicle.
Rejecting a plea for a downward departure, the judge said while he doesn’t believe Kiner was trying to kill the victim, he left the man on the side of the road and did everything to cover it up.