Thornton found guilty

"We, the jury ... find the defendant guilty of the crime of attempted murder in the first degree."

That was the sentence Fred Thornton heard after the jury returned to the courtroom Friday afternoon.

Thornton has been on trial since Sept. 29, with the verdict coming shortly before 2 p.m. Friday at the Bourbon County Courthouse. Thornton was found guilty of attempted murder in the first degree as a result of his participation in the Sept. 15, 2008, incident in which Carol Keele was nearly beaten to death in her Bronson home. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 653 months, based on prior criminal history. Thorton was also found guilty of aggravated battery, violation of a court order, and criminal trespass.

"I believe in our jury system and the jury in this case listened to the evidence and made their decision based on the evidence," Bourbon County Attorney Terri Johnson said.

Thornton and his daughter, Laura Thornton, were living with Keele when she filed for a protection from abuse order on Sept. 15, 2008, so that the Thorntons would leave her home. Later that night, Fort Scott Police Department dispatchers received a call from a screaming woman, then two more calls from a male caller, believed to be Fred Thornton, saying, "You've got a dead (expletive deleted) out here. Come get it out of my house."

Laura Thornton was arrested on Oct. 21, 2008, for her involvement in the assault. She pleaded no contest to aiding and abetting aggravated battery, a severity level five person felony, after the original counts of aiding and abetting attempted murder in the first degree, aiding and abetting aggravated battery, and domestic battery were amended to the single charge of aiding and abetting aggravated battery. She received a 36-month probation sentence for the crime rather than the original 32-month jail sentence, which was suspended.

The sentencing of Fred Thornton has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30. He has the right to appeal the jury's decision within 10 days of the sentencing.