Opinion ID: 7089211
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: 140B Defendant's Evidence in Mitigation

Text: {¶ 295} Tench called ten penalty-phase witnesses, all but one are friends, acquaintances, or relatives of his. {¶ 296} Tench's uncle Gregory Tench testified that Tench had had ongoing issues and problems with his father, James Tench Sr., who died in April 2012. According to Gregory, Tench's father had been pretty hard on Tench. Gregory described James Sr. as a short-tempered man, prone to fly off the handle in response to a minor situation. Tench often asked Gregory to mediate between him and his father, to calm him down, get him in a better frame of mind.  {¶ 297} In contrast, Gregory testified, Mary's attitude toward Tench was [a]lways positive, very good. The last time Gregory saw Mary, she was very proud of Tench because he had been promoted at work. {¶ 298} Mary Pat Glover was a first cousin of Tench's father. She drove from West Virginia to Medina to testify that she cared about Tench very much and saw him as a very fine young man. {¶ 299} Felicia Fedarko had been Tench's friend since seventh grade. She said he had always been there for her. When she was 15 and he was 16, he drove her to summer school; when she moved out of her mother's house at 18 and had nowhere to go, Tench persuaded his parents to let her stay with them. Felicia's mother, Diane Fedarko, said Tench was always a gentleman, and she praised his big heart. {¶ 300} Brett Gilley testified that he has known Tench since 2005, when they both lived in Georgia. They were coworkers at a restaurant and became friends and roommates. Gilley also ran a plumbing business, and he hired and trained Tench to help with plumbing jobs. Tench left Georgia, but he moved back in 2012. In the interim, Gilley and Tench frequently visited each other and traveled together. According to Gilley, sometime in 2012, Tench received a phone call from his mother relaying test-result information and Tench was upset and immediately moved back to Ohio to take care of her. Gilley regarded Tench as a brother and drove up from Tennessee to testify for Tench because his life was at stake. He said: I would give him anything he needs because I know I'll get it back and get it back better. {¶ 301} Sierra Mason, who lives in Georgia, has known Tench since 2012. When she met Tench, he was sleeping on Gilley's couch; Mason offered him the extra bedroom in her apartment, and he stayed about four months. She testified that Tench was overall a good guy: funny, caring, respectful, hardworking, and generous. He paid his bills on time and was trusted around Mason's young daughter. Mason regards Tench as a brother, trusts him, and-despite knowing  what he had been found guilty of-does not think he has a bad bone in his body. {¶ 302} Father Neil Walters, the Cuyahoga County jail chaplain, interacted with Tench every week or two during the three to four months Tench was jailed there. He found Tench friendly, respectful, and a good inmate who presented no disciplinary problems. Tench attended church regularly in jail, which according to Walters is sometimes tough for inmates because attending church subjects them to criticism. Two Medina County jail correctional officers testified that Tench was always respectful, followed orders, and did not create problems. One testified that Tench helped newer inmates and even jail staff and noted that Tench was assigned as a porter, which is considered a privilege. This officer also conceded that while facing trial, Tench had a motivation to be on his best behavior. {¶ 303} Kathleen Kovach, a member of the state parole board, explained to the jury when and if an inmate would get a parole hearing if he were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, if he were sentenced to 25 years to life, and if he were sentenced to 30 years to life. {¶ 304} Finally, Tench gave a brief unsworn statement. He admitted to having made bad decisions in his life that adversely affected the people he loves. He noted that he had lost his parents, his relationships with his sister and her children, and his dogs. He recognized that his mother's death affected many people, not just him.  He described his mother as an angel and said he loves and misses her. He asked the jury to let him live out his life so he could reflect and think about [his] losses and his poor decisions and how they have affected others.