Jury begins penalty phase Tuesday in Bennie Adams’ murder case

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Bennie Adams

YOUNGSTOWN — The jury will likely begin deliberating early Tuesday afternoon whether Bennie Adams should get a life or death sentence for the 1985 murder of Gina Tenney, said Lou DeFabio, Adams’ lead defense lawyer.

The hearing in the penalty phase of Adams’ trial begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday before Judge Timothy E. Franken of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The same jurors who convicted Adams on Wednesday of killing Gina Tenney will return today to hear testimony in the penalty phase. As they were earlier, the jurors will once again be sequestered in a hotel during any overnight breaks in their deliberations.

The jurors found Adams guilty of the Dec. 29, 1985, aggravated murder of Tenney with a death-penalty specification.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.