Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin appeals 60-day jail sentence in family court case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB+WAVE) — Less than a week into his 60-day stay at Louisville’s jail, former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin appealed his sentence.

Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Angela Johnson ordered Bevin back to jail Sept. 4 to serve 60 days without bond on a contempt charge out of Jefferson County in his ongoing family court case.

“He has over and over again demonstrated a complete disregard and utter disrespect for this court,” Johnson said during the Sept. 4 hearing. “You have done nothing to show the court that you are willing to act in good faith, and I cannot reward that with a reduced sentence or an alternative sentence, or some form of relief for you because you have shown this court that you are not going to do what you are ordered to do, because you don’t think it should be this way.”

In an appeal filed Wednesday, Bevin argued Johnson didn’t follow the proper procedure in imposing the sentence for the contempt charge, claiming she gave him no way to appeal the sentence. He’s asking the Court of Appeals to stay his sentence until his arguments can be heard in court.

Bevin was booked into Metro Corrections in Louisville after his Sept. 3 arrest in Paris, Kentucky, on a warrant. According to a 911 call obtained Friday, a woman called dispatch and told the operator Bevin was “working on a Hallmark movie set” there.

The active bench warrant against Bevin was for failing to turn over financial documents related to his ongoing child support case involving his adopted son, Jonah Bevin, who is seeking retroactive child support.

Bevin is due back in court Monday morning.

This story may be updated.