Anderson gets life sentence for death of infant

A local man convicted of felony murder and child abuse in May was sentenced Friday morning in Bourbon County District Court.

Bourbon County District Judge Mark Ward handed down a life sentence with no possibility of parole for at least 25 years on one count of first degree felony murder, and a sentence of 34 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for one count of abuse of a child, to Anthony M. Anderson during a sentencing hearing.

A jury found Anderson guilty on both counts following a four-day jury trial in May. The case centered around the death of 6-month-old Aiden J. Osborn in April 2015.

Anderson, who had been remanded back to the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center to be held on no bond following the trial and verdict, was present for sentencing with his attorney, Robert Myers, a Columbus lawyer.

The prosecution in the case was represented by Adam Zentner and Lee Davidson with the Kansas Attorney General's Office, and Bourbon County Attorney Justin Meeks.

On the murder charge, an off-grid person felony, Ward sentenced Anderson to life in prison with no parole possible prior to at least 25 years of imprisonment. Ward said that sentence is "not to be reduced by the application of good time credit."

For the child abuse charge, a level five person felony, Anderson was sentenced to 34 months in the KDOC. Ward said that sentence would run consecutive to the first count and Anderson would be eligible on that count for 15 percent good time credit.

Anderson will be required to register as a violent offender. He was also assessed $4,230 in fees, compensation and restitution costs related to the case. Ward said the court-appointed attorney fees would be waived.

Anderson has the right to appeal the sentence within 14 days, Ward said.

Anderson was remanded to custody of the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office to await transfer to the KDOC.

The hearing also included impact statements from members of the infant's family, and consideration of a motion filed by Myers for judgment of acquittal, or in the alternative a motion for a new trial. Ward said he had received and reviewed the motion. The state did not object to the motion.

Ward denied the motion, adding that anyone with a "reasonable mind might fairly decide (the defendant) is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." Ward also judged Anderson to have received a fair trial.

"The court finds after looking at the record ... a reasonable jury would find (the defendant) guilty, and there was substantial evidence to sustain a conviction," he said.