Anthony Nichols was sentenced Monday afternoon to 620 months — or nearly 52 years — in prison for attempted murder by Chief Judge Meryl Wilson inside the Riley County District Courthouse.
Nichols, a 35-year old Kansas City man and gang member, was connected to the death of 68-year-old Manhattan man John Burroughs. Nichols was sentenced on June 1 in the Geary County District Court and plead no contest in April to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery for the death of 37-year old Anthony Nixon of Junction City the day after Burroughs was killed in September 2013.
Another man, 34-year old James McKenith of Manhattan, was sentenced in May 2014 to life in prison for stabbing and killing Burroughs.
In this case, the prosecution originally sought to convict Nichols for first-degree murder for the gunshot wound after previous testimony indicated Nichols and 51-year-old Christina Love went to Burroughs residence where Nichols shot Burroughs. Later, Love and McKenith — her son — returned to the residence where McKenith stabbed him. Love told the jury that after going to the door with Nichols she was instructed to return to the car. While waiting for Nichols, she said she heard a gun shot minutes later.
Drugs and prostitution were also involved in the case.
Nichols declined Wilson’s invitation for a statement before his sentence was read.
Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson told the judge that Nichols’ criminal history, which includes convictions of juvenile rape, cocaine possession and aggravated assault — along with the 20-plus years he was sentenced to by the Geary County District Court for this very incident — is enough reason to sentence him to a certain death behind bars.
“That’s what this was,” Wilkerson said. “A cold blooded execution.
“Mr. Nichols stands in this courtroom because he decided to live a gangster life.”
Defense attorney Jeffrey Wicks told Wilson Nichols is expected to appeal.
