DA: Sentence sends clear message that Monahan’s behavior is not acceptable 

Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan hopes that the sentencing of Kevin Monahan for shooting and killing Kaylin Gillis in his driveway last April will send a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.   

“I would like to believe that the vast majority of people don’t believe this is OK. You have a handful that do. For some of them, this may correct their behavior,” he said.   

Monahan was sentenced to up to life in prison after being convicted in January of second-degree murder. Monahan had fired at a group of teens that had gotten lost on their way to a party and mistakenly driven up the driveway of Monahan’s Hebron home.  

Jordan said that Judge Adam Michelini’s comments at sentencing summed up what most people think of Monahan’s actions on the night of April 15.  

“It was the act of an angry, selfish male who had no regard for the life of other people,” he said. “When you conduct yourself the way he did, both in the immediate aftermath and throughout the trial. Why would you expect him not to feel like he did nothing wrong?” 

The defense has claimed that Monahan did not mean to fire the second fatal shot, but slipped on his deck. During the night of the shooting, he lied to police who told him they were investigating a noise complaint, saying that he was asleep and that there are hunters out at night shooting.

Jordan agreed that Monahan is a “grave risk to society” if he were to be let out.  

Jordan praised Gillis’ friends who testified during the trial. 

“They sat up there and shared a very personal experience of horror and yet did so with grace through very difficult circumstances. They had to sit on a stand with a bunch of people watching and suffer the emotions of the fear that they had and the loss of a friend and held up against cross-examination,” he said. 

That contrasted with Monahan. 

“Kevin had fiction that he told his attorney and then he had a fiction he told on the stand,” Jordan said.  

“That’s the problem with a fiction. It’s hard to be consistent,” he said.  

Jordan also praised the people in attendance for how they conducted themselves during the trial. They were very respectful.  

When the sentence was handed down, there was a cheer and shouting of “coward” at Monahan when he was led away. Then, there was an outpouring of emotion as people hugged each other. 

“Today they were finally able to show some of their appreciation for the court, but still did it in a respectful way,” Jordan said.  

Jordan understands that there will an appeal – as would expected in this type of criminal case. He believes the judge did a good job presiding over the trial. Jordan is confident that the verdict will hold up.  

One of Monahan’s attorneys, Kurt Mausert, told NewsChannel 13 that he believes there are several issues for an appeal.  

Among the issues that the defense raised at various points in the trial were the jury not being allowed to consider manslaughter as a charge, not allowing testimony as to Monahan’s state of mind and concerns over Monahan being heard on body camera video saying he is calling Mr. Mausert.  

Jordan said he had a chance to speak with the family and knows it is going to be a long road ahead, but this chapter is closed.   

Jordan thanked the work of everyone on this case, saying Washington County should not be defined by this crime, which has attracted national attention. 

“I think what defines Washington County is the response that night and the response throughout,” he said.