Skater Terry Kennedy Released From Prison After Avoiding Murder Charge

After receiving a prison sentence in 2022, skateboarder Terry Kennedy is a free man.

His conviction comes after he was found guilty of two counts of aggravated battery stemming from a heated altercation with fellow professional skater Josiah Kassahun that led to the 23-year-old’s death.

Kennedy was initially charged with first-degree murder, but during the bench trial, the judge dismissed it.

Prosecutors say in 2021, Illinois police were responding to a report of battery at a motel in the Oakbrook Terrace area on July 27. Court documents allege that Kennedy, his then-girlfriend, and Kassahun were leaving the motel and walking to his car when Terry suddenly became angry. Kassahun tried to calm him down, but in a fit of rage, Kennedy punched him in the face, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement.

He suffered a concussion, fractured skull, and multiple internal injuries, which the medical examiner’s office determined led to his death.

By the time cops arrived at the motel, Kennedy fled the scene. When they eventually got him in custody, his outburst continued while he was being booked, as he reportedly threatened to kill the cops nine times.

“I will kill one of you police. We kill police where I’m from,” he said before mentioning a cop killing in his native California. “We killed ya’ll in Whittier, California. We killed ya’ll b-tch ass.”

Kennedy was ultimately arrested and booked on multiple charges, including aggravated battery in a public place, threatening a public official, and, because he’d been arrested just weeks earlier, a charge of violation of bail bond was attached.

He was ultimately sentenced to two five-year sentences “to be served consecutively at 50 percent.” Now released, he’ll remain on supervised release until June 30, 2026.

Commonly known as TK or “Compton Ass Terry,” Kennedy is one of the pro skateboarders who helped make the sport more mainstream in the early 2000s, earning spots on several MTV shows. He even had his own short-lived reality series,  Being Terry Kennedy, and was featured in skateboard video games.

Response to his release has been mixed. See the reactions below.