Overview

• U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan handed Kelley a life term on July 2 during a Knoxville hearing.
• The court rejected Kelley’s argument that President Trump’s January pardon covered the Tennessee conspiracy and attempted-murder convictions.
• Prosecutors introduced evidence of a “kill list,” plans for car bombs and drone attacks, and recordings of Kelley urging his cohorts to “start it” and make “every hit has to hurt.”
• The Department of Justice’s National Security Division pursued the case after an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force uncovered Kelley’s threats against multiple law enforcement agencies.
• Austin Carter, who pleaded guilty to conspiring with Kelley in January 2024, is scheduled for sentencing in August.