Brent Bollinger gets life sentence

Bourbon County District Judge Mark Ward handed sentences down Friday morning to Brent Bollinger, who was found guilty by a jury in September of first degree murder, aggravated arson and aggravated endangerment of a child.

Attorneys representing both sides of the case and several family members of the defendant and victim attended the sentencing hearing for Bollinger in Bourbon County District Court. A two-week trial in the case of Bollinger, who was involved in a house fire on Grant Road on Oct. 13, 2011, that left his wife, Brenna, dead and his then 2-year-old son, Bryson, badly burned, ended Sept. 18. Bollinger also suffered severe burns in the fire.

For the count of felony murder, Bollinger received a sentence of life in prison in the Kansas Department of Corrections with the stipulation that he will not be eligible to go before a parole board for at least 20 years.

Bollinger also received a sentence of 61 months in the KDOC for the count of aggravated arson and a 7-month sentence in the KDOC for the count of child endangerment. He is eligible to receive credit for good behavior for the counts of arson and child endangerment, but not the murder count.

Bollinger was also ordered by Ward to pay $6,253 in restitution costs to the victim's family.

Ward ruled the sentences are to run consecutively. He also said the case was given a domestic violence designation.

"This case divided up much of the community," Ward said at the conclusion of the hearing. "Now it's time for the healing process to begin."

Attorneys representing the state recommended the maximum possible sentences under state law for the aggravated offenses.

Three members of Brenna Bollinger's family, including her mother, Ganette Davidson, and stepfather, Kevin Davidson, as well as her grandmother, Karen Stewart, made comments to the judge prior to sentencing and also urged the judge to hand down the maximum sentences for Bollinger.

Bollinger had no comments when Ward told him of his opportunity to speak during the hearing.

"This is a horrible tragedy at the hands of one person," Kevin Davidson said. "He took a life, and injured and disfigured another human for the rest of his life. There's a 4-year-old boy who will never heal from the actions of the defendant. Our daughter is never coming back. Anything less than the maximum sentence ... makes no sense to our family."

As Ganette Davidson was too emotional to speak before the judge, a letter she had prepared for the judge was read during the proceeding. The letter talked about the affects of the crimes on the victims -- Brenna and Bryson Bollinger.

"Brent should pay for what he has done," she said in the letter. "Brent can still have a life, even though he's locked up. His loved ones can hear his voice ... they can still see their child every week for the rest of his life. All we have are photos, videos and memories."

Davidson continued in the letter by saying she could not believe how Bollinger had "showed no remorse or accountability for his actions."

"He covered up everything he did," she said in the letter. "He never mentioned Bryson in the two 911 calls. Brent knows what he did. He only cared for himself, as usual."

She also added, "Brent will stand in front of God one day" and urged the judge to "make him feel the pain my daughter felt."

Stewart, also emotional and teary while standing before the judge, made eye contact with Bollinger while she spoke.

She said she did not know how someone "could do this to another person, especially Brenna, who still loved you."

"You don't know the pain you have caused my family," she said.

Stewart added, "This pain will never go away. She meant a lot to me."

"I have to go through the holidays without Brenna," she said, adding she also had the difficult task of telling her grandchildren that their mother is "not coming back."

"I don't think he (Bollinger) can ever be cured," she said.

Prior to sentencing, Ward said the court had reviewed the pre-sentence investigation reports and also impact statements made by family members. Attorneys on both sides of the case said they also reviewed the PSI and the defendant's criminal history and had no objections.

Ward said the criminal history check indicated that Bollinger had one prior conviction, a misdemeanor.

Paul Morrison, Bollinger's attorney, also had a chance to issue comments on behalf of the defendant prior to sentencing and called the case "a horrible tragedy."

"My client is disfigured and physically disabled, not to mention the scarring," of which he said would last a lifetime. "He's lost the use of one leg below the calf. And his family suffers as well."

Morrison said his client was taken into custody at the age of 25 and has "given up his youth as a result of this conviction."

Morrison told the judge he has tried or been involved in more than 50 homicide cases and it is rare that the defendants in such cases are granted parole. He said Bollinger would "at the earliest be in his 50s" if and when he is allowed an early release from prison.

Attempts to reach members of Brent Bollinger's family for comment were unsuccessful.

Bollinger will remain in the custody of the county until he is transferred to the KDOC. As of Friday, Bollinger has served 665 days in the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center. He was arrested and booked on charges in January 2012.