CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Kenneth Hudspeth, the man tied by DNA evidence to a 25-year-old cold case murder in Clarksville, was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years Wednesday morning.
Hudspeth, 51, was convicted by a Montgomery County jury in September on first- and second-degree murder charges in the death of 23-year-old Crista Bramlitt in 1996.
The case was reopened in 2019 after a DNA match was made, placing Hudspeth at the scene.
After four days of testimony from experts, investigators and even Hudspeth himself, he was found guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree murder in perpetration of a crime and two counts of aggravated rape.
State’s reasoning
There was no testimony presented by the state or defense at Wednesday’s hearing.
The first to argue for sentencing consideration was the state’s prosecutor, District Attorney General Robert Nash. He asked Judge Robert E. Lee Davies, who presided over last year’s trial as well, to consider several enhancing factors.
“Number one would be the defendant has a previous history of criminal convictions,” Nash said.
In 1988, Hudspeth was convicted of robbery in Texas and was ordered to serve four years. Then in 1990, Nash said, Hudspeth was convicted of battery in the second-degree in Arkansas, which is equivalent to Tennessee’s aggravated assault, and he served a few years in prison before receiving parole.
Nash then asked Davies to consider that a deadly weapon – the knife found at the scene – was used in the crime, that he showed no hesitation in committing the crime, that the crime was exceptionally cruel and that the injury he inflicted to Bramlitt was “particularly great.”
“And regarding consecutive or concurrent nature of these offenses, of course the state presumes that count one would merge into count two, and that is a life sentence,” Nash said, while adding that counts three and four would merge, respectively carrying a 15- to 25-year sentence together.
He asked the judge to sentence Hudspeth to the top of the 15- to 25-year range based on the enhancing factors.
‘Danger to society’
Hudspeth’s defense attorney, John Parker, asked that count two be merged into count one rather than considered independently, and agreed with the state on merging counts three and four.
He asked the judge to sentence Hudspeth at the bottom of the 15- to 25-year range for counts three and four.
The judge noted the particularities of the situation that made Hudspeth’s case unique.
“In this case, it’s also unusual that this crime occurred back in 1996, like a long time ago, and this trial took place in 2021. But between that period of time, the defendant continued with a clear disregard for the laws of our society, and he’s a danger to society,” Davies said before reading his sentencing.
“That’s the reason he was caught in this case,” Davies continued.
On counts one and two, he sentenced Hudspeth to life in prison. The judge merged counts three and four, and handed down 20 years for the combined conviction. The sentences are to be served consecutively.
When asked for comment by Clarksville Now on the sentencing, Hudspeth’s family declined.
“I think like I said after the jury verdict, it’s nice to see justice prevail after such a long time. I think the sentence is appropriate, and I think it’s the same sentence that would have been given had Mr. Hudspeth been apprehended back in 1996,” Nash told Clarksville Now.
But the case will be back, according to the defense.
“We’ll file a motion for a new trial and an appeal,” Parker said.