LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Robert McKissic could be a free man by Christmas Day later this week. McKissic was sentenced this morning in Fayette Circuit Court for his alleged role in the 2017 shooting death of Anthony Carter.
“Justice is not revenge,” said Bridget Hofler, McKissic’s attorney, following the sentencing hearing.
Defense counsel and the Commonwealth’s Attorney agreed to a six-year sentence for McKissic, who agreed to reckless homicide and felony persistent offender charges. McKissic’s murder trial resulted in a hung jury, which likely led to this plea arrangement made three months before a scheduled re-trial.
“We’d already hired our experts again. We were ready to go in March. They offered, we didn’t,” Mrs. Hofler explained of the plea deal.
McKissic jumped at the chance, despite his insistence on being innocent.
“When you’ve sat in jail for four years and have a chance to get out immediately, who wouldn’t take that,” Hofler said.
Carter’s family, while trusting the judgment of the Commonwealth’s Attorney office, still felt betrayed by the process.
“When you take a life, I think your actions should reflect in the sentence. I don’t think this is enough,” said Serena Carter, Anthony’s sister.
Despite knowing this would be the end result before this morning’s hearing, it didn’t lessen the pain Mrs. Carter felt.
“I don’t know how I’d feel if a family member was shot. Yes, I do feel badly for them,” Hofler said of Carter’s family members. “So does Robert.”
McKissic - due to the calculation involved with having served nearly four years of the six-year sentence - is expected to be released very soon. He may even be able to bypass a parole term given the time served and be released in time to spend the holidays with family.
