Court Report

Conviction in Death That Sent Wrong Man to Prison

A jury convicted a man of the 1986 killing of a mother of four, a crime for which another man served 20 years in prison before being exonerated by new DNA tests. The New Haven Superior Court jury found 47-year-old Kevin Benefield, formerly of New York City, guilty of murder and felony murder during its second day of deliberations. Both charges carry a penalty of 25 to 60 years in prison. Sentencing is set for March 23. Jurors found that the former Bronx resident killed 30-year-old Barbara Pelkey, whose nude body was found at a manufacturing company where she worked in her hometown of Wallingford. Authorities said Pelkey was raped. Read more...
Posted by Webmaster at January 19, 2012 01:55 AM