Tales of horror

The preliminary hearing for the trio charged with the neglect and death of 3-year-old Porchia Bennett featured disturbing revelations about the treatment of the girl and her sisters.

As if the lurid details of the abuse suffered by 3-year-old Porchia Bennett and her sisters weren’t horrific enough, things got even uglier in court last week.

New and heartbreaking accusations were presented before a packed courtroom Oct. 22 and 23 at a preliminary hearing for the three charged in the case — Jerry Chambers, 31; his 18-year-old girlfriend and Porchia’s aunt, Candice Geiger; and the girls’ mother, Tiffany Bennett, 27. All were held for trial.

The three surviving victims did not testify at the hearing. Instead, Assistant District Attorney Richard Sax asked the judge to rely on police statements so the victims would not have to face Chambers and Geiger. Alexis, 10, is currently hospitalized due to an emotional breakdown she suffered after Porchia’s death, the attorney added.

According to a motion filed by Sax, Chambers raped Alexis and had sexual contact with the three oldest girls after blindfolding them and removing their clothes. The prosecutor told the Review that Alexis "disclosed sexual assault, right up to penetration — rape" to forensic interviewer Jennifer Bullock. Second only to Porchia, Alexis suffered the most abuse, followed by Alyah, 6, and Priscilla, 4, said Sax.

The victims were also badly malnourished, beaten with belt buckles and extension cords, bitten by the defendant’s two pit bulls and kept in solitary confinement in a squalid basement, the prosecutor said. All three sustained bruises, scars and injuries to their tender young bodies, Sax added.

Porchia was found dead Aug. 17 inside the home that Geiger shared with Chambers at 1705 S. Fifth St. Investigators also found the toddler’s three sisters — Alexis so badly beaten her eyes were blackened and swollen shut. The 10-year-old had to be rushed to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, police said.

The girls have been in state custody since Porchia’s death.

Geiger’s sister, Bridgette Bennett, 34, testified that her sister was a victim just like her four nieces — beaten and abused at the hands of Chambers.

"Geiger was abused by Jerry, I will absolutely agree with that. But she participated greatly in beating those children," Sax said.

When Geiger took the stand, she admitted to beating her nieces, both with her hands and by using belts, the attorney confirmed.

"Just nasty was her contribution to the hell that those girls endured," Sax added.

Detectives, medical professionals and social workers also testified Oct. 22.

In addition to a slew of existing charges — including murder and attempted murder — Chambers was charged last week with the following new offenses: one count of rape, one count of sexual assault, one count of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of indecent exposure and three counts of corrupting the morals of a minor, Sax said.

Geiger is charged with murder and related offenses. And, for leaving her offspring in the care of Chambers and her sister, Bennett is charged with conspiracy and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, the attorney said.

Arraignment for all three will be held Nov. 12.

Rinick convicted

The defendant could receive the death penalty for the 2001 execution-style slaying of friend Adam Finelli.

And the verdict is? Guilty of first-degree murder.

A jury returned the crushing blow to Billy Rinick around 3 p.m. yesterday.

Rinick faces either the death penalty or life in prison without parole for shooting associate Adam Finelli in 2001, said a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office.

The penalty phase of his trial begins today, the final phase of what has been an engrossing courtroom drama.

At times, the two-week-long proceedings have looked more like Cirque du Soleil.

The presence of jailed mob boss Joey Merlino’s wife, Deborah, did little to fan the flames when she took the witness stand last Thursday and testified that Rinick was not her lover — as has been alleged — but in fact her chauffeur and babysitter. To top it off, the accused himself took the stand Monday and testified that he drove Deborah to Maryland so she could allegedly abort a New York football player’s love child.

Eight days fraught with 42 witnesses (32 prosecution, 10 defense), daily outbursts and squabbles between attorneys, and more sidebars than Old Country Buffet finally ended with closing arguments Tuesday.

The jurors were offered three theories of who fatally shot 21-year-old Finelli on Oct. 31, 2001: Rinick, the prosecution’s star witness Michael Focoso or one of Finelli’s drug-dealing friends.

Rinick’s attorney, Paul George, closed for well over an hour and argued while his client is a convicted drug dealer, loud-mouthed, rude and overbearing, that does not make him a murderer.

"The fact that Billy Rinick is a drug dealer, does that mean you won’t find him innocent of this charge?" George asked the jury.

George and co-counsel Patricia McKin-ney contended throughout the trial that each of the prosecution’s assertions suffered under closer examination.

Rinick’s attorneys contended from their opening statements that "this is a one-witness case," referring, of course, to Focoso, who like his former pal Rinick, is serving time on federal drug charges.

"This guy is getting the deal of his life," George told the jury. "He has not been charged in Adam’s death. The only way this could get messed up is if the prosecution decides he’s not telling the truth. So he knows he better tell them what they want to hear."

The attorney said the "wildest thing of all for him" was that the only fingerprint found in Finelli’s Cadillac Escalade was in the front seat — not the back seat, where Focoso said Rinick sat when Rinick allegedly fired five shots into the back of Finelli’s head.

But the jurors apparently heard the ring of truth from Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron, who said there was only one killer in the courtroom, and that was Rinick.

"Billy Rinick is a liar, he’s a thief and, worst of all, he’s a killer," the prosecutor said.

Cameron gave a blow-by-blow account of all 32 witnesses and a brief overview of each’s testimony.

According to the prosecution, Rinick shot the victim to prevent him from buying his house at 1613 S. Camac St. and to steal $85,000 cash from him.

"Billy Rinick is all about possessions. That house was Rinick’s possession. He had no intention of selling it. He loves that house," Cameron told the jury.

Cameron’s final words to the jury were that Rinick was a "mobster wannabe" who idolized Joey Merlino. "He’s got his motorcycle, his lawyer and his wife. If you want to be in the mob, you have to kill somebody."