LIHUE — Jeffrey Scot Simpson, 59, formerly of Kapaa, was sentenced Thursday to serve 20 years in prison for shooting his housemate in the chest and face in October 2016.
LIHUE — Jeffrey Scot Simpson, 59, formerly of Kapaa, was sentenced Thursday to serve 20 years in prison for shooting his housemate in the chest and face in October 2016.
“The victim in this case is fortunate to be alive,” Prosecuting Attorney Justin F. Kollar said. “The suffering will never end for him. He faces a lifetime of challenges because of the defendant’s wanton act of violence. Although nothing can make up for that suffering, we are satisfied that the defendant will now face the consequences of his actions and will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Randal G.B. Valenciano handed down the sentence after hearing arguments from Kollar as well as Simpson’s defense counsel. Simpson asked to be placed on probation instead, but Valenciano denied that request and imposed the prison sentence requested by Kollar.
On Oct. 9, 2016, Simpson broke down the door to his housemate’s room as he slept, and shot him in the chest and the face.
Simpson fled the scene, turning himself in to police the next day.
The victim survived and required extensive rehabilitation on Oahu for his injuries.
The victim made a brief statement at the sentencing hearing.
Following Thursday’s hearing, Simpson was taken into custody to begin serving his sentence. He had been free after posting $53,000 cash bail. That bail money will now be used to satisfy restitution to the victim in the case. Simpson was convicted of attempted manslaughter, a Class A felony.
The lead investigator on the case was Kauai Police Department Detective AJ Morita.
The Defendant was originally charged with Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Reckless Endangering in the First Degree, and one count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony, but pursuant to a plea agreement between Defendant and Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar, Defendant was allowed to plead No Contest to the less serious offense of Attempted Manslaughter and he was also allowed to request probation. Additionally, as a result of that plea agreement, the State could only ask for a maximum of 20 years in prison and gave up the right to request mandatory minimum sentencing. (If Defendant had been convicted of Attempted Murder 2 he faced a mandatory sentence of Life with the possibility of parole with potential mandatory minimum sentencing. If he had been convicted of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony he also faced another 20 year prison sentence). The parole board will decide how much of the 20 year prison sentence Defendant now will serve before he can be released on parole. In a nutshell the Defendant will be out of prison on parole somewhere between one to 20 years.