A Columbus murder suspect is going to trial in a 2021 killing. His family says it’s too soon
The mother of a 2021 Columbus murder suspect says her son’s case is being rushed to trial before it’s ready.
Carolyn Hensley is the mother of Ruben Hensley, who faces multiple felony counts in the Sept. 25 death of Marjester Thornton, 37, found shot in the 3200 block of Urban Avenue in east Columbus.
Police called at 9:33 p.m. found Thornton wounded, and medics were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead there about 30 minutes later, authorities said.
Investigators accuse Hensley of killing Thornton out of jealousy, alleging he believed Thornton was courting his wife. Police also have charged Hensley with burning his own car to destroy evidence.
Hensley was arrested in December 2021 in DeKalb County, Georgia.
Besides murder, he’s set for trial this week before Judge Bobby Peters on felony charges of aggravated assault, first-degree arson, and using a gun to commit a crime, and one misdemeanor count of tampering with evidence.
Were he convicted on all those charges, he could be sentenced to life without parole plus 26 years, said Assistant District Attorney Meghan Bowden, the prosecutor.
Hensley is 32 years old.
Too soon?
He’s going to trial too soon, before his attorney Jennifer Curry has enough time to adequately prepare his defense, as she just received a critical piece of the “discovery” or evidence against him, his mother said.
She said Curry needs more time to find an expert to counter expert testimony from the prosecution.
The prosecution’s expert is an FBI agent expected to testify to cell phone data linking Hensley to Thornton’s shooting. Curry needed an expert for the defense, but has not found one who can critically review that evidence before the trial.
Carolyn Hensley said she told the judge at a pretrial hearing, “I know you’re trying to clear your docket. My concern is my son’s having a fair trial.”
She has contacted ministers and others to enlist their support in advocating for her son, she said.
Jury selection was to begin Monday morning, but it was postponed until Tuesday to give Curry more time to question the FBI expert and prepare a defense to that testimony.
Curry said she got the federal agent’s report on the cell phone data at 5:15 p.m. March 4.. A defense expert she asked about reviewing it told her that would take 90 days, she said.
She received other evidence from the prosecution in December, but it included only two pages of cell phone mapping, not the agent’s full report, she said.
Bowden declined to comment on a pending trial. Peters said he also is not at liberty to comment on a case he’s to hear.
Thornton’s family also declined to comment.
This story was originally published March 11, 2024 at 12:58 PM.