Lance Tiernan, 18, is seen here on Feb. 9, 2012 in Butler County Juvenile Court in Hamilton. Tiernan, a former Mason High School student,was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the beating death of 16-year-old Anthony Parker at One Way Farm last December. The Enquirer/ Tony Jones
Sheila McLaughlin reports:
Convicted killer Lance Tiernan will be cut loose from jail Saturday because he’s served his 54 days, a Butler County judge said Monday.
Judge Patricia Oney, of common pleas court, said the only way Tiernan would remain incarcerated is if juvenile authorities want to hold him in jail until a sentencing hearing in that court on Oct. 22.
Defense attorney Charlie M. Rittgers said he doubts that will happen because the former Mason High School student will be on intensive probation and will be heavily supervised between the time he is released and when he appears for the juvenile court hearing.
Tiernan, 18, was tried as an adult for murder and faced life in prison in the December beating death of fellow resident Anthony Parker at the One Way Farm group home in Fairfield Township. Tiernan was 17 at the time of the offense.
A jury found Tiernan guilty of a less serious felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum prison sentence of three years in prison.
Oney sentenced Tiernan to 54 days in jail and five years of probation.
However, Ohio’s Serious Youthful Offender law requires the case to be sent back to Butler County Juvenile Court so a judge there can decide whether to sentence Tiernan as a juvenile offender or allow the adult sentence to stand.
That’s what will happen on Oct. 22 before Judge Ronald Craft.
