Brent Hanson, who was charged with the 2021 murder of his brother Clyde Hanson and his pregnant sister-in-law Jessica Hanson, has entered into a plea agreement with the South Dakota State Attorney that will save him from the death penalty—against the wishes of the victims’ family.
Brent will face life in prison with an agreement to take the death penalty off the table.
This is not the outcome the Hanson family was looking for. “We are heartbroken with the State attorney’s brash decision to enter into this plea agreement without the knowledge nor approval of the family,” Hanson’s family said in a statement. “We are displeased with the work of the State Attorney as we had clearly stated to him that we wanted a trial for Jessica, Clyde, and Annika Hanson and made it clear to him that we were seeking justice in the form of the death penalty.”
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The statement continues: “The State attorney’s decision to enter into this plea agreement is not an appropriate punishment in light of the charges and actions of Brent Hanson. In our eyes the State attorney sided with the Defendant by giving him his life back while our family continues to grieve over the stolen lives of our loved ones with no peace in sight.”
Scott Bratland, attorney for Brent Hanson, did not respond immediately to The Daily Beast’s requests for comment.
Brent was arrested and charged on three counts of murder for the deaths of Clyde and Jessica Hanson, as well as their unborn child, in South Dakota. Jessica was nine months pregnant at the time of her death.
The grisly scene unfolded on Dec. 12, 2021, when authorities allege Brent went on a murderous two-day rampage in the home he shared with his brother and sister-in-law. After bludgeoning his brother to death with a baseball bat, the next day, the killer fatally struck Jessica with a machete, leading to the death of her and her baby.
Schwandt reportedly told Jessica’s family after the plea deal had been set, The Daily Beast has learned. He informed them that the decision was justifiable because an on-the-fence juror would not be in agreement with the death penalty, which could result in a mistrial.
Jessica’s family said they were told the deal has been closed, and it’s too late for them to make any further statements on the plea. The plea agreement is currently set to be entered with Grant County on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Veronica Torres, Jessica’s cousin, has established a GoFundMe page for Ty Hanson, Jessica and Clyde Hanson’s son, the sole survivor of the attack. The money will also be used to cover funeral expenses and travel for Jessica’s family not residing in South Dakota.
