The Latest: Jury To Hear From Mother Of Slain Scholar
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — The Latest on sentencing hearing for man convicted in death of Chinese scholar:
1:15 p.m.
A federal judge will allow jurors at the sentencing hearing of a former University of Illinois doctoral student to watch videos made by the mother and friends of the Chinese scholar he was convicted of kidnapping, torturing and killing.
During a Monday morning hearing ahead of the penalty phase of the trial, U.S. District Judge James Shadid said prosecutors can play clips of calls that Brendt Christensen made from jail in which they say he asserts his innocence. The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that prosecutors want to use the clips to show Christensen's lack of remorse.
Prosecutors want to convince the same jury that last month found Christensen guilty in the kidnapping and slaying of Yingying Zhang to decide that he should be put to death. Christensen's attorneys hope jurors will sentence him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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10:41 p.m. Sunday
The same federal jury that last month convicted a former University of Illinois doctoral student of kidnapping and torturing a scholar visiting from China will now be asked to decide if the man should be executed.
Prosecutors will argue Monday that Brendt Christensen should be put to death and attorneys for the 2017 kidnapping and death of Yingying Zhang. Defense attorneys will ask that Christensen be sentenced to life without parole.
The proceedings will unfold as kind of a mini-trial that will include opening statements, exhibits, testimony and closing arguments.
The 30-year-old Christensen might testify. And in an effort to save his life, he could possibly reveal what he did with Zhang's body, which has never been found.
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