Kernich murder suspect faces three more assault charges
Ronald Kelly, the suspect charged with the attack on Kent State student Christopher Kernich, has been indicted on three more counts of misdemeanor assault.
Kelly, who is also facing two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, was indicted by a Portage County grand jury. According to the Record Courier, Kelly allegedly assaulted three other Kent State students on the night of the Kernich assault.
In the early morning hours of Nov. 15, Kernich was nearly struck by a car driven by Glenn P. Jefferson Jr. Kelly and co-defendant Adrian Barker got out of the car and allegedly assaulted Kernich, who died a week later from his injuries at Akron City Hospital.
Kelly’s arraignment for the new assault charges will be at 1 p.m. March 29 at the Portage County Common Pleas Court. His trial is set for May 4 in front of Judge John A. Enlow.
Barker will be re-arraigned at 9 a.m. Wednesday after a grand jury amended two of his charges Friday. He has been indicted with two counts of murder and a count each of felonious assault and obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony. His trial is set to begin April 13 in the courtroom of Judge Enlow.
Jefferson has been indicted with two counts of obstructing justice, a third-degree felony. His trial is set for May 25 in front of Judge Laurie J. Pittman in the Portage County Common Pleas Court.
— Josh Johnston