FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 19, 2025) ---Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today Kentucky’s Court of Appeals has vacated an order that nearly denied justice in a Lexington murder case.
Cornell Thomas, II, who had been charged in connection to a deadly and violent 2020 car crash, as well as leaving the scene of an accident, will now face prosecution.
The Court of Appeals issued its unanimous ruling Friday, saying the Fayette Circuit Court judge who dismissed the case did so in a way “fraught with legal errors and abuses of both its discretion and its authority.” The 108-page decision, written by a Lexington Court of Appeals judge, vacated the circuit court’s ruling, ordered a new trial, and stated that the circuit judge’s “recusal appears the only reasonable and appropriate solution” going forward. The decision further identified “legal fallacies” in the court’s “errant rulings.”
In 2024, the Fayette Circuit Court Judge dismissed a wanton murder indictment against Cornell Thomas, II, citing lack of evidence and claiming the defendant had been unfairly prosecuted. The Office of the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird, appealed the decision, arguing the Circuit Court exceeded its authority by preventing the case from going before a jury.
According to court documents, Thomas was driving nearly 100 miles per hour in July 2020, when he maneuvered around stopped traffic to run a red light and T-boned Tammy Botkin. Thomas, it is further alleged, did not apply the brakes and Botkin was killed in the violent and fiery collision. Thomas is alleged to have then attempted to flee the scene on foot before being apprehended by law enforcement.
“In our legal system, it’s up to a jury to decide guilt. In a major victory for the rule of law, the Court of Appeals forcefully identified the problems in the Fayette Circuit courtroom that denied the Botkin family the justice they deserve,” said Attorney General Coleman. “As Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird and her team prosecute this case, our Office stands ready to continue to support them in any way possible.”
“As a prosecutor and a Black woman, I was shocked when the judge accused my office, and me specifically, of a racially motivated prosecution. I swore an oath to uphold the law, and to treat every individual fairly and with respect. That’s exactly what I do every day,” said Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird. “I’m grateful to Attorney General Coleman and his staff for their hard work on this appeal, and to the Court of Appeals for their very detailed opinion analyzing the law and the judge’s interpretation of it. My team and I look forward to prosecuting this case as quickly as possible in front of an impartial judge and delivering long-awaited justice.”
The Lexington Police Department investigated the case. Assistant Solicitor General and Director of Capital Litigation Chris Henry handled the appeal.
Read the decision here.
The Kentucky Supreme Court’s rule on trial publicity limits information the Office can provide publicly.
The charges in an indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.