Sixteen-year-old Brendan Barnes, left, and his cousin Antonio Henry, 25, are charged in the death of Rev. David Strong.A judge moved a hearing Monday to decide whether two cousins charged in the beating and stabbing death of a local pastor should have separate trials.
Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole moved the hearing to Dec. 15 because Executive Assistant District Public Defender Karla Gothard was sick and unable to attend Monday’s hearing.
Poole was to rule on motions for separate trials from both Gothard, who represents Brendan Barnes, 17, and Dan Ripper, appointed attorney for Antonio Henry, 26.
On Monday, Poole announced he would rule on the trial separation and set a court date at the next hearing.
Poole gave attorneys two potential dates for a trial — March 6 and April 17.
Barnes and Henry have been charged with first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in connection with the death of a 55-year-old David Strong.
Ripper requested and was granted a mental health evaluation for Henry to determine his competency to stand trial and to determine his sanity at the time of the offense.
The defense attorneys disagree with Executive Assistant District Attorney Neal Pinkston on some pretrial evidence and want Poole to limit statements the defendants made to police early in the investigation.
Police found Strong’s body in his home days after a beating and stabbing attack. Officers arrested Henry and Barnes.
The pair told police they beat Strong on Oct. 5, 2010, at his 404 Glenwood Drive home. But each blames the other for the 29 stab wounds found during Strong’s autopsy, according to court documents.
Henry told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in the interview last year that he “snapped” when Strong asked him to masturbate in front of him while he and Barnes were at Strong’s home, smoking marijuana.
An autopsy showed both alcohol and THC, marijuana’s active ingredient, in Strong’s blood.
Contact staff writer Todd South at 423-757-6347 or tsouth@timesfreepress.com.