Convict’s sentence life-plus

Published 12:03 am Saturday, November 5, 2011

Vidalia — Bryant Bethley told the judge who sentenced him to life in jail plus 90 years that he was not sorry for the murder of a Ferriday man.

Instead, Bethley clung to his innocence Friday and called those who testified against him liars.

Bethley was convicted Oct. 21 in the Seventh District court on one count of second-degree murder and three counts of attempted second-degree murder in the death of Reginald “Chucky” Green.

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The charges stemmed from an April 3, 2010, incident in which Bethley was accused of firing shots into a parked Chevy Blazer. Green was killed and passengers Myesha Leonard, Kevin Carter and Kenneth Leonard were unharmed.

Judge Kathy Johnson told Bethley he showed no remorse throughout his trial or his sentencing.

“Remorse for what?” he asked Johnson. “All the lies that came up here?”

Johnson asked Bethley if he thought everyone who testified against him lied during the trial.

“Yes, I do,” he said.

Before he was sentenced, Bethley, dressed in a red and white striped jumpsuit with his hands and feet shackled, turned to his family sitting in the courtroom and told them to keep their heads up and stay strong.

“Y’all know if it took lies to get me here, y’all know,” he said.

Bethley said nothing to the murder victim’s mother, Lisa Green, who sat in the front row in the courtroom.

Green said, after the sentencing, she believed Bethley’s sentence gave her son justice. Green said she knew Bethley was her son’s killer.

“He’s the one lying,” she said. “There were no lies. He did it.”

Johnson said Green’s murder was a “senseless killing.” She said Bethley was a violent person who had absolutely no regard for human life.

“You’re not sorry for anything you’ve done, Mr. Bethley,” she said.

“No, I’m just sorry all these lies got me in jail,” Bethley said to Johnson.

Bethley has several prior convictions and served 12 years for an armed robbery conviction in 1994. Bethley was released on parole in 2006.

Johnson said given Bethley’s violent history, there is an undue risk that he would commit another crime.

Johnson sentenced Bethley to 25 years for each count of attempted murder against Myesha Leonard and Carter and 40 years for the attempted murder of Kenneth Leonard. There is no possibility for parole, probation or suspension for any of the sentences, which are to be served consecutive to one another.

Bethley’s attorney, Derrick Carson, said he did not agree with the sentence and plans to file an appeal.

“Some facts and circumstances of evidence and factual information used for sentencing bring up some issues,” he said.

Concordia Parish District Attorney Brad Burget said he was very pleased with the sentence. Burget filed a bill under the Louisiana Habitual Offenders Act on the count of second-degree murder of Kevin Carter that could extend the sentence that Bethley will serve.

The hearing for the bill is set at 1:30 p.m on Jan. 18.

“Since his crimes are so egregious, we think that’s the appropriate mechanism to go after him,” Burget said.