Both women convicted by a jury of abuse against infants at the First United Methodist Church Daycare in late 2018 and early 2019 received the maximum sentence Wednesday morning in Christian Circuit Court.
Defense attorney Eric Bearden argued for leniency for Allison Simpson, who was convicted of 12 counts of first-degree criminal child abuse, three counts of second-degree child abuse and 12 counts of third-degree criminal child abuse, saying none of the victims required medical treatment for injuries.
While the jury came to a verdict on the charges, they could not agree on a sentence for the felony counts and Circuit Judge John Atkins was left to determine the punishment.
Special prosecutor Blake Chambers called Simpson a “cold, abusive person” and asked for 20 years.
Judge Atkins sentenced Simpson to one year for the misdemeanor counts and a total of 20 years for all of the felony counts—which Bearden says he will appeal.
Meanwhile, co-defendant Nina Morgan was found guilty of a single count of criminal abuse in the third-degree—a misdemeanor—and the jury was also unable to agree on a sentence for her. Judge Atkins imposed the maximum sentence of one year in jail.
Sentencing had initially been delayed after a member of the jury emailed Judge Atkins expressing concerns that have not been detailed in open court. Judge Atkins told the attorneys he had looked into the concerns and found no reason not to proceed with sentencing, adding that neither attorneys for Morgan or Simpson had filed any motions related to the email after having been given time.
Michael Thompson represents Morgan and verbally asked to be able to call witnesses Wednesday and expressed concerns about the email.
Thompson contacted WHOP News after the proceedings and said he interviewed jury members and believes 11 of the 12 didn’t want Morgan to serve any jail time.
Thompson says he plans to file appeals.
Bearden plans to appeal Simpson’s sentence directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court and called the outcome a “miscarriage of justice.”
He believes Simpson will eventually be awarded a new trial.