Published: February 24, 2006 12:49 pm            

He Asked For It

Boney requests maximum sentence; gets close — 225 years

Charles Boney challenged the judge and taunted the prosecutor Thursday before hearing he would likely spend the rest of his life in jail.

Floyd Circuit Judge Terrence Cody sentenced Boney, 36, to 225 years in prison for conspiring with David R. Camm and the murders of Camm’s wife and children, Kim, 36, Bradley, 7, and Jill, 5, in Georgetown on Sept. 28, 2000.

Boney received the maximum sentence of 65 years for each murder to run consecutively with another 30 years tacked on because the jury found Boney guilty of being a habitual offender with 10 prior felony convictions.

Cody added another 50 years for the conspiracy count, also the maximum permitted under Indiana law, but permitted it to run concurrently.

Before the sentence was handed down, Boney protested his innocence and said he did not conspire with David Camm but then surprised all in the courtroom by asking for the maximum sentence.

“I have no idea what you’re going through. I’d be a liar if I said I did,” Boney said looking at Frank Renn, the father of Kim Camm.

Then, turning towards the judge he added, “The focus today is on closure. I request you sanction me to the maximum sentence of 275 years so the Renns can sleep tonight.”

Boney continued that to do otherwise would be “to depreciate the seriousness of the crime” and pointed out it was an election year and the voters might not be happy with a lesser sentence.

But then Boney turned toward Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson and challenged him.

“You and I will dance again in the big ballroom towards freedom,” Boney said. “But the next time, you will follow my lead.”

Boney’s exhibition of bravado followed the touching testimony of Debbie Karem, younger sister to Kimberly Renn Camm, about the loss and puzzlement she experiences on a daily basis.

“I was up all night trying to think about what I could say to Darnell (the middle name many in the community know Boney by),” Karem said. “But I don’t think anything I could say would have any effect.”

She referred to the expressionless look Boney repeatedly has shown to the public and the sorrow she has experienced and how incomprehensible that of her parents must be.

But then she faced and addressed Boney directly, “By your own words you said you were there that night, correct?”

Boney nodded.

“You said you heard Bradley say, ‘daddy, daddy’, but chose not to render any help,” Karem continued. “I don’t know what you were thinking ... Someday, I would like to hear the truth of the matter.”

When Henderson spoke following Boney’s comments, he quickly refocused the proceedings.

“Let’s call this for what it is. This is nothing more than a convicted killer,” Henderson said. “For his entire adult life he has never figured out a way to stay out of trouble.”

Calling Boney’s suggestions “a broken record,” Henderson urged he be sent to prison and said “his 15 minutes of fame are nearly up.”

“He watched a 7-year-old die before his very eyes and all this person did was run away,” Henderson said. “If a cold-blooded child killer or a coward, or maybe both, for our purposes today it doesn’t matter. There is no place for a person like this in our community.”

In a last attempt in Boney’s defense, attorney Patrick Renn said, “Charles Boney’s claims are all hyperbole that could prejudice this court. He was an accomplice but not the trigger man.”

Renn repeated the defense claim that Boney sold David Camm the supposed murder weapon — a .387 semiautomatic that has never been found — but had no knowledge what would be done with it and no intent the family should die.

Renn pointed to Boney’s positive accomplishments: graduating from New Albany High School, having 32 hours of college credit, always staying helping other inmates in GED programs and with legal aid when he was last in jail.

Lastly, Renn pointed out a likely point of appeal: The jury verdict form only provided for a finding on a murder count without distinguishing if Boney were the shooter, an accomplice or only aided Camm.

Henderson again refocused the court.

“This defendant just doesn’t get it,” Henderson said. “He’s trying to suggest the jury walked out of here wondering what happened. What happened is this jury found him guilty of murder times three, conspiracy and being a habitual offender.”

Judge Cody dismissed Boney’s challenge to think of voters, saying “other factors, not re-election” went into his deliberations.

He referred to the verdicts, a presentencing investigation report, the day’s testimony and state law. He also noted the tragic loss of lives of a mother and her children, that they were violently killed by gunshots to the head and chest and that the jury found Boney a habitual offender.

Cody then read the sentence, advised Boney of his rights of appeal and adjourned the court.

Renn family members expressed relief and chatted with a half-dozen jurors who came to observe the final chapter in Boney’s trial. After the courtroom emptied, Boney and his mother shared encouragements before he was led out.

“The last time you left lipstick on me they called me April or Minnie,” Boney said after his mother kissed him on the cheek. “But it won’t matter. Next time you see me, I’ll be bench pressing 500 pounds.”

One juror who came to observer expressed amazement after the hearing.

“He (Boney) is the only man I have ever met who can try and twist anything at all to his advantage,” Nancy Patterson said.

In the hallway, Keith Henderson expressed satisfaction with the result.

“It’s a good day,” Henderson said. “A natural life sentence; it’s a good day.”

        

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