Overview
- After a three-day trial in Casey County following a venue change, a jury found 47-year-old Joel Hammack guilty of murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of fourth-degree assault, and possession of marijuana.
- Jurors recommended life in prison for the murder and first-degree assault convictions and the maximum sentences for the remaining charges.
- The jury also found Hammack to be a first-degree persistent felony offender, which enhances the penalties he faces.
- A 14-month Kentucky State Police investigation determined he was speeding and impaired by drugs and alcohol when his Ford F-150 rear-ended a Kia Sorento on the Columbia Bypass.
- The collision killed 7-year-old Rose Morgan and injured four others, and officials emphasized the verdict as accountability and a warning against impaired driving.