'American Idol' Season 19 Contestant Caleb Kennedy Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison
American Idol season 19 finalist Caleb Kennedy has been sentenced to 8 years in prison after killing a man while driving under the influence.
On Nov. 18, the 20-year-old pleaded guilty to felony DUI charges resulting in death, as confirmed by Greenville News. In addition to serving a stint in prison, Kennedy will be required to pay a fine of $15,100; three of the eight-year sentence will be served on home detention. The South Carolina native will also spend 5 years of probation upon his release and attend mental health and substance abuse counseling.
Kennedy was initially sentenced on Monday to 25 years in prison with a fine of $25,100 but these were reduced after pleading guilty.
"He's got no record, and he was a minor when this happened," his attorney Ryan Beasley told the outlet. "This wasn't such an egregious act that you see most of the time, where people were drinking and driving then they hit somebody at night or going the wrong way down the road. This was a weird reaction from his prescription medicine and possibly THC."
Beasley continued, "A very good person died, and I feel so bad for the Parris family. Caleb's very remorseful and his heartfelt sympathies are extended to the Parris family. This sentencing starts the healing process for everybody involved in this situation."
In Feb. 2022, Kennedy was driving to his girlfriend's house while allegedly smoking a marijuana vape pen. Kennedy, who was 17 at the time, lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into a home's garage, striking 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris. The man was pronounced dead in the hospital three hours later.
This isn't Kennedy's only controversy. After making it to the top 5 during his season of American Idol, he was kicked off the show after a video made rounds of him hanging out with someone wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit. Kennedy apologized for his actions in a statement shared on social media.
"I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that's not an excuse. I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down," he wrote. "I'll be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me. I'm so sorry! I pray that I can one day regain your trust in who I am and have your respect! Thank you for supporting me."
Read More: American Idol's Caleb Kennedy Receives Pitying Comments From Judges Following Controversial Exit
