CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Judge William Goodman sentenced a Clarksville man to 9 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections for shooting a man and causing his death.
During the sentencing hearing for Tanner Burgess, the family of the victim- 48-year-old Michael Kehoe- and Burgess’s family testified how September 24, 2017 changed all f their lives.
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 Michael Kehoe with a gunshot wound to his hip and thigh area, according to an arrest warrant.
Kehoe identified Tanner B. Burgess as his shooter and it was determined a fight had occurred before Tanner said he was going to get a gun, returned and shot Kehoe.
Kehoe, 48, died two weeks later from complications of his injuries. During the trial, his cause of death was an issue argued by medical experts.
Tanner Burgess, 28, was found guilty of attempted voluntary homicide, aggravated assault and employing a firearm during the commission of a felony following a bench trial in October. Under the law, he faced a maximum sentence of 10 years for the Class C (3 to 6 years) and D (2 to 4 years) felonies.
Burgess testified that he wishes he could take back that night.
“I feel very sorry for his family and the pain I caused. I wish I could take it back,” Burgess said. “It was stupid that it even happened… I think about what happened. I think about all of this. I have spent a lot of time with my kids and try to spend as much time as possible with them. I think about he had children. I think about his brother…It’s so sad seeing (my family) worrying about me…I wish I could take everything back.
…I’d like to apologize to the family again and hope one day ya’ll could forgive me for all the pain I’ve caused. I’m really sorry.”
Family Testimony
Keith Reynold’s, the brother of Michael Kehoe, and Kehoe’s 16-year-old nephew Keondre testified that the death of Kehoe devasted everyone in their family, causing sleepless nights, high anxiety, and deep grief.
“My brother was a loving person, a Christian. He was a father trying to make a living and they tried to say he was violent,” Reynolds said. ” I can’t understand how ..it’s hard.”
Reynold’s said Kehoe’s two children, now 16 and 25 years old, are grieving and having a hard time coping.
“Everyone loved him. He used to check on everyone. They tried to make him into a villain and he wasn’t. He wouldn’t hurt anyone. He was a kind guy,” Reynolds said. “It’s still so hard on us.”
The family of Burgess testified as character witnesses about Burgess’s past, his personality and how he’s changed.
His mother, Pamela Burgess, offered a tearful apology to Kehoe’s family.
“First of all, I want to tell the Kehoe family how sorry I am…that night changed all of our lives forever,” she said through tears. “…I can’t sleep. I think about it all the time. I think about Tanner being without his children. My heart just breaks that (Tanner’s three daughters) will have to go through this. I feel for Mr. Kehoe’s children because they lost their father and it’ a terrible thing to lose your father… It’s just so hard. Everything is so hard.”
She concluded asking for leniency.
“We all need Tanner. I know this is horrible. I know they need Michael too and it was such poor judgment and it can’t be taken back.,” Pamela Burgess sad. “I ask that you be as lenient as you can, but we understand. …I honestly think Tanner thought he was defending his family.”
Assistant Public Defender, Crystal Myers asked for the minimum sentence citing Burgess’s remorse and his minor criminal history which included a DUI and juvenile burglary conviction.
Dan Brollier, Assistant District Attorney asked for 9 years citing the laws for sentencing for the convictions and said ‘the court’s hands were tied’ in this case.
“This is a tragic, tragic situation. It’s a tragedy that comes about and I’ve said this before from the fixation our society has on guns, “Judge Goodman said. “I understand we have the right under the U.S. Constitution, but society has become obsessed with guns. They use guns at the wrong time,” Goodman said before reciting the law and sentencing Tanner to 9 years in prison.
