American Idol 2021 Finalist Caleb Kennedy sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to felony DUI resulting in death
Caleb Kennedy competed on American Idol season 19 in 2021 as a 16 year-old budding singer and songwriter. His ability to pen heartfelt songs showed promise. But his career in music came to a screeching halt after a deadly crash in Spartanburg County South Carolina in 2022. On Monday, Caleb pleaded guilty to a felony DUI resulting in death.
According to FOX South Carolina, Caleb was scheduled to go to trial but entered a guilty plea. He was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of home detention. He will be required to pay a $15,100 fine, receive mental health counseling, and undergo substance abuse counseling.
Caleb was charged with DUI in the crash killing 54-year-old Larry Parris on Feb. 8. On Feb. 9 he appeared in his first hearing and was not given bond. Officials say he traveled 175 yards off the road to a garage where Parris was working when he ran him over. Caleb crashed the truck into a garage while the vehicle continued dragging the man. Parris later died from his injuries.
Caleb was denied bond a second time after appearing before a Circuit Court judge on Feb. 24. Following that bond hearing, a motion was filed requesting his medical record for further details. During the virtual court hearing, new details revealed Kennedy was recently prescribed a higher dose of antidepressant Prozac. Eventually, after several more hearings and evaluations, Eventually Caleb was released on bond and went back home to await trial.
Attorney Ryan Beasley released the following statement: “First of all, Caleb again wants to express his heartfelt sympathies to the Parris family. Caleb fully accepts his responsibility for this accident and hopes for healing for everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Caleb was disqualified from American Idol after racist video surfaced
Caleb Kennedy made it to the Top 5 on American Idol 19 last year based on the strength of his songwriting ability. But before the Top 5 took to the Idol stage to compete, a video surfaced of Caleb sitting next to a male wearing what looked like a white K-K-K hood. Producers disqualified him immediately, and erased all traces of the country singer from their site, including video performances. An original song he recorded never dropped. But He later recorded and released the song, “Raised on Dirt” on his own.
Despite the setback on Idol, Kennedy was lining up Nashville songwriters who were collaborating with the young singer on his next record. His hometown never stopped believing in him, as fans lined up to attend his first concert after leaving the show.
