Murder trial remains on May 5 docket
YOUNGSTOWN — The trial of Bennie Adams, who could get the death penalty if convicted, remains on schedule to start May 5 in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, even though the judge hearing the case has been changed because of scheduling conflicts.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum announced at a hearing Friday that Judge Timothy Franken will hear the case against Adams, 50, of Hollywood Avenue.
Judge Krichbaum said scheduling conflicts pushed the date of the aggravated murder trial of James A. Hall of Youngstown to May 5 — the same day Adams’ trial was set to begin before Judge Krichbaum. Hall is accused of killing a man in Austintown in October 2006.
Adams is charged with aggravated murder with a death-penalty specification, rape, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.
Adams was linked to the death of Gina Tenney, a 19-year-old Youngstown State University student, by DNA evidence gathered from Tenney’s body at the time of her death in 1985 and DNA collected from Adams.