Joseph Bennett, shown here in a booking photo taken last year, was convicted of second-degree murder in Morrill County District Court Monday morning, July 3, at 10:30 a.m. Bennett was accused of shooting and killing his father, Rodney Bennett, following a family dispute at their shared home in Broadwater on Monday evening, Aug. 8, 2022.
Arrested that night and charged with first degree murder, Bennett pled guilty to second degree murder on May 2 of this year. On Monday, District Judge Andrea Miller sentenced Bennett to 20-30 years in prison with credit of 330 days served. He will be eligible for parole and with good behavior, could be out of prison in 10-15 years.
The second charge against him, use of a firearm to commit a felony, was dropped. His lawyer, Kelly S. Breen, requested leniency from the judge, arguing that the state’s requested time for incarceration was too long due to the nature of the situation. Breen stated that Bennett’s father was known for his violent temper when consuming alcohol, and that was what had happened in this case.
