Conviction upheld for Warren woman’s murder charge following incident at local nightspot
On Dec. 24, the Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals upheld the conviction and 15-year to life prison sentence of a Warren woman who was found guilty by a Trumbull County jury a year ago of felony offenses in her involvement in the November 2022 death of a woman who fell off the hood of a vehicle driving at high speeds on Parkman Road NW, according to a Trumbull County Prosecutor press release.
The release stated the Trumbull County jury on Thursday, January 18, 2024, found Kenyanna Pennock, 38, guilty of three felonies – murder, felonious assault, and reckless homicide -- connected to the death of Jesare’e Harris, 36, outside of a Parkman Road nightspot. Pennock was sentenced by Judge Andrew D. Logan.
Testimony during the two-day trial showed that Harris suffered major head injuries after traveling on the hood of Pennock’s Dodge Dart for about 2,495 feet along Parkman Road for at least 34 seconds at speeds averaging about 50 mph. Six days later, Harris succumbed to her brain injuries, according to the release.
In her appeal, Pennock and her attorney assigned the following errors in the trial:
- The trial court erred and abused its discretion by refusing to give defendant’s requested jury instruction on self-defense
- The evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s guilty verdicts and the failed to establish the required mens rea elements for the offenses
However, the appellate court, led by Judge Robert Patton and joined by Judges Mary Jane Trapp and John J. Eklund, decided the assignment of errors were without merit.
Assistant Prosecutor Michael Burnett represented the state at trial, while the appeal was handled by Assistant Prosecutor Ryan J. Sanders.
Pennock will continue to serve her life sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 2:06 PM