A 43-year-old Glouster man convicted for his role in helping cover up a double murder committed by his son was re-sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison.
Brett Knott, of 8768 state Route 78, had previously been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. Knott disposed of a trash bag of bloody clothes -evidence in a double murder investigation against his son, Eric Knott.
The elder Knott appealed his conviction on the grounds that a tape of Eric Knott, taken by a secretly wired inmate in prison, should not have been played out loud in court. On the tape, the younger Knott can be heard bragging about the murders and expressing anger at his father for the botched trash disposal.
Eric Knott was convicted in 2003 of murdering Glouster residents Ruth and Dave Malcolm. He is serving two life sentences at the Chillicothe Correctional Institute.
The Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld the elder Knott's conviction but ordered a re-sentencing.
County Prosecutor C. David Warren said he was happy the original sentence was upheld by Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge L. Alan Goldsberry. Goldsberry had originally sentenced Knott.
That's what he got to begin with
so we're pretty happy with that he said. That's the maximum sentence.
Patrick McGee, the managing attorney for the Center for Student Legal Services, who represented Knott in private practice during Knott's 2003 trial but no longer represents him, said he was disappointed to see the sentence upheld.
But, McGee said, Knott is eligible for judicial release in five years.
My take on that thing is that the judge will maybe consider (judicial release) he said.
Knott's attorney for his appeal, David Winkelmann, could not be reached for comment.
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