Jurors seated in trial of mom for child's death

8/25/2010

NAPOLEON — Testimony was expected to begin Wednesday in Henry County Common Pleas Court in the trial of a Liberty Center woman charged in the drug-overdose death of her child, 13 months.

After two days of jury selection, a jury of 12 people was selected Tuesday in the trial of Jayme Schwenkmeyer, 24. She is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the Aug. 15, 2007, death of Kamryn Gerken at a Napoleon apartment.

Ms. Schwenkmeyer's then-boyfriend, David E. Knepley, 50, of Napoleon was indicted on the same charges, and his case is scheduled for trial Oct. 18.

The trials were delayed in January after The Blade filed a motion with the Ohio Supreme Court seeking to overturn a gag order imposed by Common Pleas Judge Keith Muehlfeld that barred the media from reporting on Ms. Schwenkmeyer's trial until a jury was seated for Mr. Knepley's. The high court sided with The Blade and said the order was unconstitutional.

The media were present when the 29 prospective jurors were interviewed individually in the judge's chambers.