Daron Bell entered an Alford plea to first-degree manslaughter in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon, in relation to the February shooting death of Gregory Burse.
Bell had been indicted for first-degree murder, but he entered an Alford plea—which functions as a guilty plea—to first-degree manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Andrew Self says that comes with a 20-year prison sentence, with parole eligibility after serving 85 percent of that sentence.
An Alford plea is a guilty plea where the defendant maintains their innocence, but recognizes that there is enough evidence that if the case went to trial it would likely end in a conviction.
Bell would receive credit for time served and Judge Self also chose to revoke his probation that he had been serving on a different case, with that time to run consecutive to the 20-year sentence.
Final sentencing was waived Wednesday, so Judge Self went ahead and sentenced Bell to 20 years in prison. Hopkinsville police say Bell admitted to shooting the 36-year old Burse in the upper torso. Burse was pronounced dead at Jennie Stuart Medical Center.