Clayton Kelly, 29, a blogger, was accused of shooting cellphone video of Cochran’s wife Rose while she was in her bed at a nursing home. Blogger sentenced to 5 years for taping Sen. Cochran's ailing wife

A Mississippi man who last week pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for videotaping the ailing wife of Sen. Thad Cochran has been sentenced to five years in prison, though he will be released after two-and-a-half years.

Clayton Kelly, 29, a blogger, was accused of shooting cellphone video of Cochran’s wife Rose while she was in her bed at a nursing home. The images appeared briefly online during a particularly competitive Republican primary race between Cochran and state Sen. Chris McDaniel.


According to the Clarion-Ledger, Kelly also faced burglary and attempted burglary charges but avoided those as part of the last-minute plea deal before jury selection that will allow him an early release.

Cochran’s wife died in December at the age of 73 after living in a nursing home for 13 years.The 77-year-old Mississippi senator married long-time aide Kay Webber in late May.

CORRECTION: A previous version of the article misstated when Cochran married Webber.

CORRECTION: Corrected by: Jennifer Shutt @ 06/15/2015 01:40 PM CORRECTION: A previous version of the article misstated when Cochran married Webber.