BARTOW, Fla. (AP) — A jury has recommended death for an inmate charged with killing a Polk Sheriff's sergeant.
Jurors took a little over two hours Wednesday to recommend the death penalty for Terrence Barnett, who was convicted last week of killing Sergeant Ronnie Brown in 2009. Prosecutors say Barnett pushed Brown against a wall, causing him to severely injure his back. Brown died a week later.
The defense said Barnett was physically and emotionally abused by his parents and that he carried those scars into adulthood.
The Ledger (http://tinyurl.com/qyn6mk7 ) reports the judge will hear additional evidence from both sides before making a final decision.
That hearing has not yet been scheduled.
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Information from: The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.), http://www.theledger.com
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