Lear questioned the fairness of the process and the accuracy of the statement given, considering several of the witnesses had alcohol on their breath.

Urleck, who oversees the preservation and storage of video and audio materials, including 911 recordings. 

Lear brought into question a letter his office sent requesting that all video and audio involving Barker be preserved.  Urleck responded, explaining that the tapes were part of an on going investigation and would not be released. 

When a motion was granted in December the tapes in question had already been destroyed.  

Several more witnesses were called before the court broke for lunch, including one of Kernich’s close friends, Christopher Padaky.

Padaky was with Kernich the night of the attack.  He re-caped the events that led up to the fight and described the fight itself.  

He explained that he, Kernich and two other friends were walking back to their houses when a white Honda Civic nearly hit them while they were walking along the road.  A few words were exchanged and a fight ensued. 

The prosecution presented Padaky with a poster board containing the booking photos of Barker, Ronald Kelly and Glen Jefferson.  

Padaky said he recognized Kelly and Baker, but not Jefferson.  Lear questioned the accuracy of Padaky’s testimony, citing inconsistent comments he made to an officer on the scene the night of the incident. 

Padaky testified that he saw one of the male assailants stomp Kernich’s head. Padaky then demonstrated what he saw for the jury.

Padaky said that it was disbelief and reaction all at once. 

The trial will likely continue Monday morning in the Portage County Court of Common Pleas
For more news updates, head on over to Black Squirrel Radio.com and KentWired.com

From the Franklin Hall newsroom, I am Betz Rund and that was your Kent Crime update in a nutshell.