In Akron, Ohio, a 23-year-old former college student, Sydney Powell, was convicted on Wednesday for the murder of her mother in 2020, according to the Summit County prosecutor’s office. Powell was found guilty of murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence related to the death of her 50-year-old mother, Brenda Powell.
The tragic incident occurred in March 2020 when Sydney Powell attacked her mother with an iron skillet before stabbing her nearly 30 times in the neck. The sentencing for Powell, who was 19 at the time of the crime, is scheduled for Thursday.
Prosecutors argued that Powell had murdered her mother upon learning she had been expelled from college, fearing her mother’s discovery of the fact. Powell’s case has drawn significant attention due to the shocking nature of the crime and the motive behind it. The prosecution painted a picture of a desperate young woman, fearful of the consequences of her academic failure, resorting to the unthinkable to keep her secret hidden.
The verdict was delivered in the Summit County Common Pleas courtroom, where Powell, a former student at Mount Union University, broke down in tears. Prosecutors argued that Powell killed her mother after discovering she had been expelled from college and feared her mother’s reaction to the news.
Brenda Powell, who had served as a child life specialist at Akron Children’s Hospital for nearly three decades, succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The defense team presented evidence that Sydney Powell had been diagnosed with schizophrenia by three experts, arguing that she did not understand the wrongness of her actions due to her mental disorder.
However, the prosecution countered this claim by bringing in clinical psychologist Dr. Silvia O’Bradovich to testify. O’Bradovich argued that Powell’s actions at the time of the incident did not align with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Assistant Prosecutor Brian Stano described the incident in court, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the attack. Powell had to switch weapons, from the pan to a knife, to continue her assault, indicating a purposeful intent to end her mother’s life, Stano argued.
Sydney Powell, a 2018 graduate of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, now faces a potential life sentence with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Additional time may be added for the evidence tampering conviction. The sentencing is scheduled for September 28.