Lexington police officer’s family implores board to keep his killer in prison

Just two years after persuading a parole board to keep Glenn Doneghy in prison, friends and family of Lexington police officer Bryan Durman returned to Frankfort on Monday to try to do it again.

Doneghy is serving a 20-year prison sentence for killing Durman, who was on duty, in April 2010.

Durman’s relatives appeared exasperated at times.

“When do we get to move on?” Durman’s wife, Brandy asked. “Every holiday and event, even good days, are overshadowed by yet another appeal or a parole board hearing on the horizon.”

Durman was struck by a sport-utility vehicle on a Lexington street. Doneghy was convicted in 2011 of second-degree manslaughter, leaving an accident, cocaine and marijuana possession, and assault.

Fayette County’s top prosecutor and police also urged a three-member parole panel Monday to deny Doneghy parole for the second time. He was first denied parole in February 2014 after serving 20 percent of his sentence.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Larson said Doneghy is a serial criminal.

“When he’s on the streets, he commits crime after crime, and when he’s in custody, he doesn’t,” Larson told the parole panel. “It seems to me that we owe more to law-abiding citizens in this state than we do the outlaws.”

Before he was convicted of killing Durman, 27, Doneghy had been convicted of some misdemeanors, according to previous court records. He had never been convicted of a felony, according to his attorney in 2011.

The parole board will hear from Doneghy on Tuesday before making a decision. Of his original sentence, Doneghy has six years and nine months left to serve, according to board chairwoman Lee VanHoose.

Lexington police Lt. Jason Rothermund said releasing Doneghy wouldn’t be fair to Durman’s colleagues or city residents.

Durman’s siblings and mother also spoke. John Day said his family has been traumatized by his brother’s killing. He described his brother’s brutal last moments as they repeatedly replay in his mind.

The family doesn’t benefit from a 2013 law named in Bryan Durman’s honor. It requires anyone convicted of second-degree manslaughter of a clearly identified police officer or firefighter to serve 85 percent of the sentence. Doneghy’s eligibility wasn’t affected because the law was passed after he was sentenced.

“We don’t have any rights in this system; it’s geared to the offender,” Brandy Durman said.

She said her husband loved wrestling and was a coach. Their son Brayden recently competed in a wrestling tournament, she told the board. Her voice cracked when she said Brayden pinned an opponent. She started sobbing.

“Here I am crying, and so his joy was again overshadowed by this loss and by this man’s (Doneghy’s) action,” she said.

Doneghy sued Brandy Durman in April 2014, alleging sLANDER.

Doneghy, who was convicted of manslaughter, objected to Brandy Durman saying in at WKYT interview that Doneghy’s crime was “murder.”

The case was thrown out in August 2014, after Doneghy failed to pay $50 in partial court costs.

Doneghy sued WKYT in July 2014, contending the station edited two statements from his parole hearing “to misconstrue the meanings.”

Judge John Ishmael dismissed the case in October 2014, saying the station’s story was “true and accurate” and that Doneghy never sought a correction. The lawsuit also was denied on appeal.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Lexington police officer’s family implores board to keep his killer in prison."