Two young men sentenced to 25 years for their part in the Kevin Bell murder

Bobby Bell Jr. said 25 years in prison wasn't long enough to pay for his brother's life.

“I don't think he should ever get out,” Bobby Bell said in victim impact statement during the sentencing of Gabriel Taylor, 18, of Cedar Rapids.

Taylor and Johven Lee, 21, of Cedar Rapids, in separate hearings were both sentenced to 25 years in prison for their part in a robbery that led to murder of Kevin Bell, 26, of Cedar Rapids, Jan. 11, 2010. They each pleaded guilty in March to first-degree robbery and as part of the plea agreement the state dismissed a first-degree murder charge for which they both had been originally charged.

Lee and Taylor admitted as part of the plea agreement that they went with Denem Null, 18, to Bell's with the intent to commit theft. Null brought a firearm to Bell's that night and is the one who shot him in the head. Bell died the next day, according to court records.

Null, who pleaded in March to second-degree murder and first-degree robbery as part of a plea agreement will be sentenced next Friday.

Taylor and Lee must serve 70 percent of the mandatory 25 years before being eligible for parole.

Bobby Bell also made a victim impact statement before Lee's sentencing, saying his family was talking before about how “this doesn't seem like it phases either one of them” what has happened.

Bell and his family were upset because before the hearing started Lee and Taylor were joking and laughing with their families in the courtroom.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Burns said he hopes the defendants have a real understanding of what they've done.

“They don't seem to have a firm reality of the situation,” Burns said. “They were laughing and carrying on like it was a social gathering. The lack of respect is painful to the Bell family. Kevin Bell was a brother, a son and a friend. He was a real person.”

Tom Diehl, Taylor's attorney, said Burns “mischaracterized” his client's actions. Taylor was just visiting with his family. It had nothing to do with disrespecting the Bell family.

Taylor declined to say anything before the judge sentenced him but Lee said he was sorry for the Bell family and “what we did.” He didn't mean any disrespect to the Bell family, he said.

“My family has a loss too and we were just laughing and talking to them trying to help them accept (this),” Lee said.

The Bell family declined to comment after the hearing.

The defendants will also be ordered to pay restitution but that will be determined later.