Photo: Columbia Police DepartmentA South Carolina man was sentenced on Wednesday to 80 years in prison after he drove his car through a group of mourners at a cemetery last year, injuring a dozen of them, PEOPLE confirms.James Kester, 66, had nursed a decades-old grudge against the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, due to issues around the care of his daughter, when he came across a obituary for a former administrative assistant at the department in July 2017.On July 19, 2017, he rammed his Cadillac Seville through a group of mourners at the woman’s funeral and injured a dozen people.The following day, he appeared in front of a Richland County judge and explained his motive, according to the Columbia Police Department.“He stated that he was displeased with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health due to a concern about his daughter,” according to anews release issued at the time.Kester had clashed with officials from the department nearly 30 years ago,according to the Associated Press, after his then-13 year-old daughter was medicated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Kester’s daughter was 38 years old when she died in a 2016 fire that broke out at his home, the AP reports. Several doors were locked inside the home and she could not escape.Police officials stated they did not believe Kester personally knew the former department assistant whose funeral he attacked or the family members gathered assembled to mourn her.• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.Prosecutors argued that Kester, who had a “vendetta” against the mental health department, “intended to kill” as he accelerated his car,The Statenewspaper reports.In his defense, he claimed he “blacked out or something.”Initially, Kester was charged with 12 counts of attempted murder, but on Wednesday, a jury found him guilty of eight counts of assault and battery and acquitted him of attempted murder charges, according the AP.“You engaged in a reign of terror on that day,” the judge told him, the AP reports.At Kester’s sentencing, victims testified about their injuries and how some continue to live in fear.Tanya White told the judge she suffered from a broken leg and struggles with pain, more than a year later.“It is not right for me to live in fear if Mr. Kester ever gets out,” she reportedly said.Kester’s attorney was unavailable for comment.
Photo: Columbia Police Department
A South Carolina man was sentenced on Wednesday to 80 years in prison after he drove his car through a group of mourners at a cemetery last year, injuring a dozen of them, PEOPLE confirms.James Kester, 66, had nursed a decades-old grudge against the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, due to issues around the care of his daughter, when he came across a obituary for a former administrative assistant at the department in July 2017.On July 19, 2017, he rammed his Cadillac Seville through a group of mourners at the woman’s funeral and injured a dozen people.The following day, he appeared in front of a Richland County judge and explained his motive, according to the Columbia Police Department.“He stated that he was displeased with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health due to a concern about his daughter,” according to anews release issued at the time.Kester had clashed with officials from the department nearly 30 years ago,according to the Associated Press, after his then-13 year-old daughter was medicated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Kester’s daughter was 38 years old when she died in a 2016 fire that broke out at his home, the AP reports. Several doors were locked inside the home and she could not escape.Police officials stated they did not believe Kester personally knew the former department assistant whose funeral he attacked or the family members gathered assembled to mourn her.• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.Prosecutors argued that Kester, who had a “vendetta” against the mental health department, “intended to kill” as he accelerated his car,The Statenewspaper reports.In his defense, he claimed he “blacked out or something.”Initially, Kester was charged with 12 counts of attempted murder, but on Wednesday, a jury found him guilty of eight counts of assault and battery and acquitted him of attempted murder charges, according the AP.“You engaged in a reign of terror on that day,” the judge told him, the AP reports.At Kester’s sentencing, victims testified about their injuries and how some continue to live in fear.Tanya White told the judge she suffered from a broken leg and struggles with pain, more than a year later.“It is not right for me to live in fear if Mr. Kester ever gets out,” she reportedly said.Kester’s attorney was unavailable for comment.
A South Carolina man was sentenced on Wednesday to 80 years in prison after he drove his car through a group of mourners at a cemetery last year, injuring a dozen of them, PEOPLE confirms.
James Kester, 66, had nursed a decades-old grudge against the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, due to issues around the care of his daughter, when he came across a obituary for a former administrative assistant at the department in July 2017.
On July 19, 2017, he rammed his Cadillac Seville through a group of mourners at the woman’s funeral and injured a dozen people.
The following day, he appeared in front of a Richland County judge and explained his motive, according to the Columbia Police Department.
“He stated that he was displeased with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health due to a concern about his daughter,” according to anews release issued at the time.
Kester had clashed with officials from the department nearly 30 years ago,according to the Associated Press, after his then-13 year-old daughter was medicated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Kester’s daughter was 38 years old when she died in a 2016 fire that broke out at his home, the AP reports. Several doors were locked inside the home and she could not escape.
Police officials stated they did not believe Kester personally knew the former department assistant whose funeral he attacked or the family members gathered assembled to mourn her.
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
Prosecutors argued that Kester, who had a “vendetta” against the mental health department, “intended to kill” as he accelerated his car,The Statenewspaper reports.
In his defense, he claimed he “blacked out or something.”
Initially, Kester was charged with 12 counts of attempted murder, but on Wednesday, a jury found him guilty of eight counts of assault and battery and acquitted him of attempted murder charges, according the AP.
“You engaged in a reign of terror on that day,” the judge told him, the AP reports.
At Kester’s sentencing, victims testified about their injuries and how some continue to live in fear.
Tanya White told the judge she suffered from a broken leg and struggles with pain, more than a year later.
“It is not right for me to live in fear if Mr. Kester ever gets out,” she reportedly said.
Kester’s attorney was unavailable for comment.
source: people.com
