The sentencing phase of Brendt Christensen’s federal death penalty trial will go to the jury Wednesday. There’s only one question the jury at the federal courthouse in Peoria needs to answer, and that’s whether Christensen will receive the death penalty or life in prison, for the 2017 kidnapping murder of University of Illinois visiting scholar Yingying Zhang.
Brendt Christensen’s mother and sister say they still love him, even after learning he kidnapped and murdered U of I visiting scholar Yingying Zhang in 2017. Both family members testified Monday in the sentencing phase of Christensen’s federal trial in Peoria.
The sentencing phase of the Brendt Christensen trial continued Friday in U.S. District Court in Peoria, with testimony from mental health counselors and the defendant’s ex-wife.
The sentencing phase of the Brendt Christensen trial enters its fifth day Friday. Federal public defenders called eight witnesses Thursday in their effort to save him from the death penalty.
Federal public defenders trying to save Brendt Christensen from the death penalty presented emotional testimony from character witnesses Wednesday --- including the defendant’s father.
