UNION – The man convicted earlier this year of killing one Hermann policeman and severely wounding a second will face formal sentencing on Thursday, June 18, in Franklin County Circuit Court.

Kenneth Lee Simpson of Warren County in February was found guilty by a jury of Greene County residents of capital murder in the March 2023 death of Hermann Det. Sgt. Mason Griffith and of first-degree assault of Hermann Patrolman Adam Sullentrup. The two policemen were shot on a Sunday night as they confronted Simpson after learning he has named in arrest warrants issued by neighboring counties.

20th Circuit Presiding Commissioner Craig E. Hellmann is set to begin Simpson’s formal sentencing hearing at 1 p.m. in Courtroom 302 of the Franklin County Justice Center. After finding Simpson guilty of murder after four days of testimony, the jury recommend a death sentence. Final sentencing is up to the judge.

Meanwhile, Hellmann has issued another lengthy decorum order for the sentencing proceedings. This order is similar to the one that was in place for the trial:

“The Court enters this Decorum Order pursuant to its inherent authority to control the proceedings and maintain order and decorum throughout the sentencing process.

The Order establishes standards of conduct for those attending formal sentencing scheduled for June 18, 2026, at 1 p.m. The Court requires strict adherence to standards of decorum to preserve respect for the rule of law and the rights of all parties, including victims, the Defendant, counsel and Spectators.

“To achieve these objectives, the Court Orders the following:

“1. This Order (and any amendments or attachments) shall govern the conduct of all court personnel, attorneys, news reporters, family and/or friends of the defendant or the victims, and members of the public attending the trial.

“2. The term “courtroom” as used in this Order refers to courtroom 302 in the Franklin County Judicial Center.

“3. The terms “Spectator” or “Spectators,” as used in this Order, shall include all persons attending the proceedings, including members of the media, but excluding court personnel, counsel and their staff, and security personnel.

“4. Courtroom 302, although a larger courtroom, has limited seating. The number of occupants shall not exceed courtroom capacity of 155:2

“a. The first row behind the prosecution table shall remain unoccupied,

except for security personnel;

“b. Seating in rows two, three, four and five behind the prosecution table shall be reserved for family members appearing in support of the victims, members of the prosecution team and Spectators, if seating is available;

“c. The first row behind the defense table shall remain unoccupied, except for security personnel.

“d. Seating in rows two and three behind the defense table shall be reserved for family members appearing in support of Defendant, members of the defense team, and Spectators, if seating is available;

“e. Seating in row four behind the defense table shall be reserved for members of the media, and Spectators, if seating is available;

“f. The remaining rows shall be open to general seating for Spectators.

“5. All individuals entering the courtroom shall be subject to search.

“6. Entering and exiting the courtroom shall occur without disruption or distraction.

“7. While Court is in session, anyone who leaves the courtroom for any reason shall be barred from returning until the next recess. This does not apply to court personnel, counsel or staff, or security personnel.

“8. No electronic devices, cell phones, smart watches (including, but not limited to Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and similar devices), smart glasses or wearable augmented-reality devices (including, but not limited to Google Glass, Meta/Ray-Ban glasses, or comparable devices) or any device capable of recording, transmitting, or live-streaming audio, video, still images, or text, regardless of form or brand are permitted in the courtroom. This does not apply to court personnel, counsel or staff, or the security personnel. Additional exceptions may be granted only upon written authorization of the Court. Authorized individuals must ensure that any device is set to airplane mode, disabled from recording, and used solely for court-approved purposes.

“9. No private cameras are allowed in the courtroom.

“10. There will be no drinks, food, or gum allowed in the courtroom. This does not apply to court personnel, counsel and staff, the jurors, witnesses and security personnel.

“11. All Spectators shall be quiet and orderly.

“12. Victim impact statements and statements made in support of the Defendant shall be received in an orderly manner as scheduled with the Court. Individuals presenting statements must confine remarks to permissible content and avoid inflammatory or disruptive conduct.

“13. No Spectator shall make audible comments of any kind during the trial or related proceedings, other than victim impact statements permitted under paragraph 12.

“14. No Spectator shall engage in provocative, disruptive, distracting, or uncivil behavior of any kind.

“15. No Spectator shall be permitted to pass the bar or enter the well of the courtroom without judicial authorization.

“16. If, for any reason, a Spectator is or has previously been escorted from the courtroom, they shall be barred from the courtroom for the entirety of the proceedings.

“17. Copies of this Order shall be posted outside the courtroom and be made available through the Franklin County Government Website.

“18. All Spectators shall read and comply with the terms of this Order.

“19. As with all of this Court’s Orders, anyone who violates the terms of this Order shall be subject to contempt sanctions. Contempt may be classified as:

“a. Direct Contempt – occurring in the presence of the Court and subject to immediate sanction;

“b. Indirect Contempt – occurring outside the Court’s presence and subject to notice and hearing.

“20. The Court may impose one or more of the following sanctions as permitted by law:

“a. Monetary fines;

“b. Incarceration for a determinate period; and,

“c. Any other lawful sanction authorized by statute or inherent judicial authority.

“21. The Court’s Media Order remains in full force and effect.”

The prosecution of Simpson was handled by a team from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. He was defended by attorneys with the Missouri Public Defender’s Office.

The formal sentencing means Simpson will no longer be an inmate of Gasconade County. After first being housed in Crawford County Jail, Simpson was transferred to the Franklin County Jail after his case was moved from Gasconade to Franklin.

Because this is a Gasconade County case, this county is responsible for reimbursing Franklin County for all the costs associated with conducting the case. That includes the selection, transportation and lodging of the 12 jurors and six alternates from Greene County. Final cost figures could be delivered to Gasconade County after the formal sentencing, which ends the local involvement in the case.