Lance Tiernan, 18, is seen here on Feb. 9, 2012 in Butler County Juvenile Court in Hamilton. Tiernan, a former Mason High School student, is on trial for the beating death of 16-year-old Anthony Parker at One Way Farm on December 19, 2011. The Enquirer/ Tony Jones
Three Mason High School teachers testified Wednesday morning in the murder trial of Lance Tiernan.
Tiernan, 18, is accused of killing a fellow resident at a Fairfield Township group home last December. He previously attended Mason High School.
The teachers described Tiernan as someone who was respectful, kind, shy, was a good student and worked hard.
“Lance is probably my favorite student of all time,” said Jessica Krohn, an intervention specialist at Mason High School.
Krohn’s testimony was taped and played for the jury.
Enquirer reporter Paul McKibben has more details from the courtroom:
In the two-day trial, prosecutors only called three witnesses, with a Hamilton County deputy coroner being the state’s final one against Tiernan.
Dr. Jennifer Schott, a forensic pathologist and deputy coroner, told jurors that 16-year-old Anthony Parker suffered from brain swelling and a fracture to part of his skull. She said Parker being slammed to the ground by Tiernan caused the fracture to that bone.
Prosecutors showed jurors graphic photos of Parker’s head with all but one of them depicting a bloody skull.
Tiernan was 17 on Dec. 19 when prosecutors say he beat up Parker at One Way Farm. Parker died nine days later. Tiernan is charged with one count of murder and faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted. He is being tried as adult in Butler County Common Pleas Court.
Tiernan’s aunt and uncle took him to Warren County Children Services on Nov. 30 after he returned from running away. The relatives no longer wanted to care for Tiernan, who was abandoned by his mother when he was in the sixth grade.
The defense began its case by calling a former official from Warren County Children Services and the three Mason High School teachers to the stand.
