Following compelling arguments from defense counselors Mary Rohrer and Doug Moore, alongside Commonwealth’s rebuttal from Carrie Ovey-Wiggins, 56th Circuit Judge Jamus Redd opted Friday to uphold the jury’s sentencing recommendation for Cadiz woman Keyona Bingham — and denied motions for probation, work release and alternative sentencing.
On July 20, deliberations lasted more than four hours, before jurors found her guilty of two counts for reckless homicide in an April 7, 2020, house fire that claimed the lives of her two children. Class D felonies, the panel recommended five years for each life to be served consecutively, with parole eligibility after 24 months served.
Rohrer stated Bingham had long been determined a low, low risk in both pre-trial and needs assessments, and that her client had recently been building a positive career at T.RAD North America in Hopkinsville.
Furthermore, she said it wasn’t uncommon to see Class D felonies probated.
Moore further mentioned a sentence reduction motion had been filed, and that because she committed on single criminal act, imposing consecutive sentences was “punishing her twice” and that maximum sentences weren’t warranted.
Ovey-Wiggins opposed reduction and work release, pointing to the fact that the jury members vociferously deliberated before rendering verdict.
Ovey-Wiggins also addressed two specific points in the defense’s motions: one where a local mother was asleep, only to wake and find her 3-year-old child had drowned in close-by pond, and another where Bingham’s race as a Black woman had been referenced as a contentious point in trying to find more discovery on this drowning for comparison.
She said the cases weren’t the same, and that the racial reference was “blatantly wrong.” Moore ardently rebutted.
Ovey-Wiggins also further honed her denial, pointing out the fact that while Bingham has already served at least 300 days of jail time — the accused couldn’t even comply with her initial bond requirements.
Redd, then, leaned to the Commonwealth.
Following Redd’s ruling, Bingham was immediately remanded into custody.
