A former Mississippi Highway Patrol officer has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2017 death of a Mississippi State University track athlete but will not face prison time.
Kyle Lee entered the plea Friday in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. Lee faced a culpable negligence manslaughter charge for the death of 22-year-old Kaelin Kersh, who was killed when Lee’s police unit hit the car in which she was a passenger.
Lee was driving 99 miles per hour, without his lights and siren, responding to a suspected DUI call. Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Lee to a suspended 10-year term.
Assistant District Attorney Marc Amos says the sentence was determined after talking with Kersh’s family who believed the most important thing was for Lee to take responsibility for Kersh’s death.
