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Father Sentenced for Killing Son
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St. Johnsbury, Vermont - October 19, 2009
A Vermont man who killed his own son in a hunting accident was sentenced today. Kevin Kadamus will not go to jail, as other hunters have, thanks to a plea deal with the prosecutor.
Words probably cannot describe what the loss of a child means to a parent, especially if the parent is responsible for that child's death. Clearly that was the central focus of this case and today the judge summed up his sentence by saying justice is at its best when it's tempered with mercy.
Judge Howard VanBenthuysen said that no punishment would ever come close to that which Kevin Kadamus had already inflicted on himself. Kadamus accidentally shot and killed his 17-year-old son Jacob while hunting last May after mistaking him for a turkey. During the sentencing hearing, county prosecutor Lisa Warren said that justice requires accountability in all cases, no matter how tragic.
"As a society though, we have to abide by laws, the prosecution has to apply the law equally to everybody. We can't discriminate from one to another simply out of sympathy. Sympathy can come at sentencing and that was the point I was trying to make," said Warren.
The community rallied around the Kadamus family after the tragedy urging prosecutors to drop the charges. However, Kadamus ended up pleading no contest to an involuntary manslaughter charge. A charge that in recent years has landed negligent hunters in similar cases behind bars for a year.
"Harvesting game is not the most important aspect of hunting. Being outside, enjoying the outdoors, spending time with friends and family are all much more important than harvesting game," said game warden David Gregory.
In this case, the judge deferred Kadamus' sentence for three years. Meaning no jail time and a clean record as long as he does not get into any more trouble. He did not speak at the sentencing, but Kadamus' son Zachary did speak briefly after the hearing was over.
"The only thing that Lisa said that I didn't agree with is how she said it brings justice for my brother. But, I just know that if he was here he would be the first one to stand up and fight for my dad," said Zachary.
Kadamus will not be permitted to hunt or possess weapons for ten years. He will also have to do 150 hours of community service. The judge said he hope he uses his time serving the community to bring some good to what is clearly a tragic situation.
Adam Sullivan - WCAX News