Trial in 2020 beating death of Corning man may move forward in spring. What we know

Jeff Smith, Corning Leader
·3 min read

The 2020 murder of a Corning man killed in his West First Street home may be resolved in the coming months.

Brenda McKay was charged with allegedly beating Gerald C. Early, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, to death with a hammer on June 6, 2020.

A potential trial has been delayed more than three-and-a-half years due to the lack of a defense report on McKay’s psychiatric condition at the time of the murder, according to Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker.

“We still don’t have the defense report on her psychiatric condition,” said Baker. “It’s not did she do it, we know she did it. We know how she did it, but what was her mental capacity when she did it?"

Baker said the court has given McKay’s defense, led by Steuben County Special Assistant Public Defender Chris Tunney, adjournments for the past two years to complete the psychiatric condition report.

“I cannot even begin to decide what to do with my side of the case until I see the report,” Baker said. “So that’s where we are. We are still waiting for the defense to produce that report and then I will need time to get an expert to controvert that.”

A photo provided by his family shows the late Gerald Early, who celebrated his 100th birthday in March 2020.
A photo provided by his family shows the late Gerald Early, who celebrated his 100th birthday in March 2020.

Tunney said the defense's forensic psychiatric report is expected to be completed and filed very soon.

"Our report is due imminently,” Tunney said. “I was hoping to have it before now, it’s just taking a long time. It’s very deep and very difficult to find people that are available to do this type of work. But we did find somebody, and they’ve completed their examination and we’re just waiting on the report.”

McKay, 54, is currently in the Steuben County jail without bail. If convicted of second-degree murder, McKay could face up to 25 years to life in prison.

Baker said Steuben County Court is currently looking at a trial date sometime in May. Chauncey J. Watches will be the judge at the Steuben County Court.

Motive in attack remains undisclosed

Corning City police responded to 62 W. First St. home at about 1:15 p.m. on June 6, 2020 after Early was discovered by a caretaker with severe head trauma, according to police. Early was unconscious and was pronounced dead after being flown to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa.

McKay was charged with a felony count of second-degree murder in connection with Early’s death after allegedly striking him repeatedly in the head with a hammer, intentionally causing his death, according to police.

Early was a World War II veteran who served as a Merchant Marine on D-Day.

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Corning police said McKay was a former employee of Early doing small tasks around the house and cleaning.

A motive in the attack was not disclosed.

According to then-Corning Police Chief Jeff Spaulding, McKay had no previous criminal record, but she had 20 different encounters with police over the previous 20 years, including trespassing and verbal confrontations.

This article originally appeared on The Leader: Trial delays in 2020 Corning murder case may be resolved soon