CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Michael Kehoe was a hardworking man.
The 48-year-old Chicago native was a father of two: a now 16-year-old daughter and a 25-year-old son.
He was a veteran who served in the U.S. Army for four years and went to Afghanistan.
He was a gentleman, kind and loved helping people, his brother, Keith Reynold’s said.
And although he was shot and later died from complications of his injuries, Reynold’s’ said at the trial of Tanner Burgess, his brother was painted as a villain, instigator, and aggressive person.
On September 24, 2017, around 5:14 a.m., Clarksville Police responded to a shooting at 1538 Cherry Tree Drive. When they arrived they found Kehoe across the street with a gunshot wound to his hip and thigh area, according to an arrest warrant.
Witnesses said that Tanner Burgess hit Kehoe, which resulted in two other men hitting Burgess. Burgess then said he was going to “get an AK,” returned and shot Kahoe, the warrant said.
Kahoe died two weeks later following a fall in his home.
Burgess was originally charged with Kehoe’s murder but was found guilty of a lesser charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter following a bench trial in Judge William Goodman’s court.
Reynold’s said despite what was said in court, his brother was not instigating the fight, but breaking it up.
“In court, they kept saying he was 6’3 and 270 pounds. He was, but he was a teddy bear. I always told him he was too nice and to stop speaking to people and helping, but that’s just the way he was. Anyone who knew him will tell you he was not a violent person,” Reynolds said. “In court, they tried to make him a villain and say he was angry and aggressive. He went to break up the fight in the middle of the road.”
Breaking up the Fight
Reynold’s said while various accounts of what happened that night were expressed during the bench trial, his understanding of what occurred did not involve his brother fighting at all, but breaking up a fight.
Reynold’s said a fight between two women, one of them Tanner’s fiance, was occurring on Cherry Tree Drive, where Tanner, Kehoe and he all lived.
At some point, Tanner hit Kehoe and one of Reynold’s relatives hit Tanner in retaliation, he said.
When Tanner threatened to go get a gun everyone dispersed, Reynold’s said.
“Michael had dropped his cell phone in the yard and was picking it up when he was shot by Tanner,” Reynold’s said. “… They put my brother on trial, but Michael didn’t fight.”
Although, Kehoe survived the shooting he was in pain and had many complications since the bullet went through his thigh and into his pelvis organs. He had multiple surgeries scheduled before he died.
At trial, a doctor testified Kehoe died from an enlarged heart and a mixture of medications that could’ve stopped his heart.
“Instead of the focus of the trial being him being shot and dying from complications it was his literal heart,” Reynold’s said. “He was working six days a week and overtime before he was shot. He was out playing basketball. My brother was active and had been that large since he got out of the army. They made the whole trial about his heart. If he had not been shot, he wouldn’t have had complications and he wouldn’t have died.”
Burgess remains out on bond. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13.
“I don’t understand how the judge came up with that verdict and let (his shooter) go home,” Reynold’s said. “I just don’t understand it. My family doesn’t feel like justice was served.”
Reynold’s said the outcome of this case creates a big statement in the community.
“People are shooting (and killing) people and doing two or three years here in Clarksville,” Reynold said. “People are (killing) people in Clarksville, because they know they won’t get much time.”