Career Offender sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder of homeless man
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – James Roosevelt Kinsler III, 47, has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison after pleading to second-degree murder and robbery.
On May 1, 2020, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to the 5600 block of SW 35th Drive, a wooded area behind Circle K) and initiated an investigation into the death of Troy Brigman. Kinsler was identified as a suspect and was arrested on February 12, 2021, and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. The sworn complaint that led to the arrest warrant is still sealed.
Kinsler, a Career Offender with eight felony convictions (four violent) before the 2021 arrests, was also charged with multiple offenses related to the possession and sale of cocaine after undercover officers purchased cocaine from him on two occasions near the Phoenix Neighborhood Playground at 2611 SW 31st Place.
Kinsler pled to the drug charges in June 2022 and was sentenced to 14 years in state prison. He was scheduled for a jury trial this week on the murder and robbery charges but entered a plea during the pre-trial conference yesterday.
Judge Phillip Pena presided over the judicial proceeding and sentenced Kinsler to 40 years in prison. Assistant State Attorney Rich Chang led the prosecution team in the case.
40 years? Why not life? He does not deserve to ever see the light of day again.
Right 40years maybe for taking another persons life and with a rap sheet like his?
He thought he was gonna get a sweet plea 😂😂 not
What will his 40 year prison sentence really end up being? 10 or 12 years? Still time for more crime.
He’ll do almost 35 years if he’s a good boy. FL prison inmates are required to do 85% of their time as of now.
It is my understanding the 85% minimum prison sentence is for Federal crimes not state convictions. That’s why most states have a revolving door when it comes to actual time served.