Jury in Young case considers his life or death
YOUNGSTOWN — A nine-woman, three man jury continues to deliberate this afternoon whether Curtis Young should serve life in prison or receive the death penalty for the triple murder the same jury convicted him of committing.
Young, 26, of North Center Street, was convicted May 8 in the July 31, 2007, shooting deaths of Helen Moore, 29, of Cassius Street, who was his ex-girlfriend; her nearly full-term fetus; and her 8-year-old son, Ceonei.
Young was convicted as charged of all aggravated murder counts and all firearm and death penalty specifications.
Jurors may now recommend a sentence of 25 years to life in prison, 30 to life, life without parole or death.
Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who is presiding over the trial, will decide the sentence, but she can’t impose death if the jurors recommend life.
After hearing testimony Monday in the penalty phase, the jurors deliberated for a little over an hour late Monday afternoon before being sequestered in a hotel overnight and resuming deliberations at 9 a.m. today.