Ronald Kelly, who is charged with the murder of Kent State student Christopher Kernich, is scheduled to appear in court today for a hearing. Kelly was one of two men charged with murder after Kernich died from injuries sustained in a beating on Nov. 15 off campus.

A Portage County jury found Adrian Barker, who went to the University of Akron with Kelly, guilty of murder and felonious murder, among other charges, on April 23. Kelly’s roommate at Akron, Glen Jefferson Jr., was a key witness in Barker’s trial. Jefferson admitted he had lied previously to police and a grand jury to protect Barker and Kelly, but now said he was telling the truth by implicating the two in the murder.

Jurors took less than three hours to convict Barker after a two-week long trial.

Kelly’s hearing is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. today at the Portage County Common Pleas Court. His trial is scheduled to start tomorrow.

— Thomas Gallick