Camm sentencing coming Tuesday

Clark County

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March 26, 2006

By Lisa Hurt Kozarovich The News and Tribune Sun Mar 26, 2006, 10:12 AM EST

BOONVILLE — On Tuesday, 5 1/2 years after David Camm reported finding his family brutally gunned down, and after twice being convicted of the murders, the former state trooper will be formally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, with no chance for parole.

Earlier this month, a jury found Camm guilty in the murders of his wife Kimberly Renn Camm, 36, and their children, 7-year-old Bradley and Jill, 5. He was convicted of the same charges in 2002, but that decision was overturned on appeal.

The family was found shot to death in the garage of their Georgetown home on Sept. 28, 2000.

The jury that found Camm guilty earlier this month also recommended he be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Judge Robert Aylsworth, who presided over the case, is required to follow the jury's recommendation.

The sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. EST Tuesday at the Warrick County Judicial Center.

Following a State Supreme Court ruling this week, no cameras will be allowed in the courtroom during the sentencing, according to Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson.

Media representatives had earlier attempted to broker a deal with the judge to allow one camera in the courtroom, but the judge decided against the request when Camm declined to give his consent. The TV show “48 Hours,” which plans to air a special on the trial next month, went on to petition the State Supreme Court to allow cameras at sentencing to no avail.

Henderson said he expects no surprises at the hearing, which should take about a half-day.

Family members from both sides will be allowed to speak in open court prior to the sentencing, if they choose. Frank and Janice Renn, Kim's parents, will decide Monday if they or someone else from their family, will speak, Henderson said.

Defense attorney Katharine “Kitty” Liell couldn’t be reached for comment, but she vowed earlier that she would file an appeal “within 30 minutes” of Camm’s sentencing. The defense must wait until after sentencing to file an appeal.

The appeal, Liell said following the verdict, would largely be based on prosecutors’ comments to the jury linking Camm to the alleged molestation of his daughter without any evidence.

Following Camm’s first conviction, a state appeals court ruled that in the second trial prosecutors couldn’t directly point the finger at Camm for the molestation without more evidence. Henderson said new medical evidence proved Camm was the only one who could have abused his daughter in the time frame experts said it had to have happened.

Another factor in the appeal is that defense attorneys weren’t allowed to present evidence that Charles Boney, Camm’s convicted co-defendant, had his own motive to commit the murders. Boney is also appealing his recent conviction.

Henderson isn’t worried.

“This was a very clean trial. I don’t see any issues that give me reason for concern. That’s equally true with Boney’s case. But I’m even more confident with Camm,” the prosecutor said.