A Columbia man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing his stepfather, after an emotional eight-hour plus sentencing hearing where the victim’s family was deeply divided.

Boone County Circuit Judge Joshua Calvin Devine has sentenced 23-year-old Samuel Brotherton to 20 years for second degree murder and five years for armed criminal action for discharging a weapon while intoxicated. Brotherton will get credit for 579 days that he’s served in the Boone County jail. By pleading guilty to second degree murder in August, Brotherton admits killing his stepfather Rollin Thompson in March 2022.

939 the Eagle News was in the courtroom for Friday’s marathon sentencing hearing, which began at 9 am and went past 5 pm.

During the sentencing, Missouri Assistant Attorney General Tristin Estep played Brotherton’s 911 call to Columbia Police that night. Family members in the courtroom sobbed as Brotherton told the dispatcher that night that he was drunk and shot his stepfather in the chest with a 38-special after an argument.

The victim’s sister, Connie Sample, testified on Friday and criticizes Samuel Brotherton, telling him the murder was cruel and violent. Assistant Attorney General Estep also read a short letter from the victim’s 85-year-old mother, who says Samuel Brotheron was lazy and lived off his parents. The elderly mother calls Brotherton a disgrace. However, the victim’s wife and Samuel’s mother, Amy Thompson, disagrees. She sobbed at the witness stand, telling Judge Devine that her husband would be heartbroken to see the family as divided as they are now. She describes her son Samuel Brotherton as kind, loving and sweet, saying he is bi-polar, mentally ill and suffers from serious Chrohn’s disease. She says he drank because of serious pain from that disease.

Ms. Thompson also told the judge that her son had been involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility at one time. The mother says Samuel’s Chrohn’s disease caused pain throughout his life, saying he has ulcers in his colon and that he is sorry for what he’s done. Brotherton’s Chrohn’s disease was a major point at the hearing. Judge Devine has added a docket entry for the Missouri Department of Corrections, saying Brotherton’s Chrohn’s disease is severe and ongoing and that a board-certified doctor testified in court that Brotherton will likely need the care of a specialist to treat his Chrohn’s disease in the future.

Boone County Sheriff’s deputies are expected to transport Brotherton to prison this week.