Prosecutor: Madie Hart 'just wanted to get her keys back' and 'never had a chance'

Madie Hart just wanted her keys.

That's why she approached the car that would eventually run her over and drag her nearly 90 feet.

After a jury found Briana Benson guilty of charges including murder in the 18-year-old's death, Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Linda Scott spoke through tears as she explained how the case had affected her.

"She just wanted to get her keys back," Scott told reporters. "That's all."

A jury of nine men and three women deliberated approximately two hours Wednesday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court before reaching their verdict.

Defense attorney Patrick Mulligan had told them during closing arguments that the main issue was whether Benson, 21, intentionally drove into Hart last year on a Downtown street.

It was a tragic accident, Mulligan said.

“What we have, rather than intent, is a series of remarkably bad decisions by everyone involved that added up to a tragedy," he said.

In addition to murder, jurors found Benson guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide, felonious assault and leaving the scene of a crash. Judge Robert Winkler will sentence her on March 8. She faces 15 years to life in prison.

In closing arguments, both prosecutors and Mulligan remarked on how the incident began as a battle on social media that didn’t involve either Benson or Hart.

“Social media melodrama” on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, Scott told jurors, was turned into “violence and murder" by Benson.

That melodrama was a feud involving Benson’s sister, Myah Wright, and Hart’s friend, Anna Castano. The exact nature of the feud was not described, although Castano testified she decided to end her friendship with Wright, and Wright responded with repeated threats.

More: Jury will decide whether driver intentionally ran over St. Ursula grad

It began more than a month before the March 26, 2017 incident. In court Wednesday, Scott read from a string of text messages and social media posts.

On Twitter, Wright posted: “She getting dragged every time I catch her.” Scott said “dragged” referred to dragging Castano by her hair.

In a Snapchat video, according to Scott, Wright told Castano: “Every time I see you I will drag your a-- all the way through Cincinnati.”

According to Castano’s testimony, both she and Hart were expecting a fight to happen the night of the incident.

More: Testimony: Brawl involving women preceded St. Ursula grad's dragging death Downtown

Hart, a St. Ursula graduate who was attending Ohio State University's Newark campus, was with Castano and other friends that night, bar-hopping.

Benson drove Downtown sometime after 2 a.m. Prosecutors said Benson smoked marijuana and crack cocaine that night. She also had alcohol in her system.

Scott said Benson wanted "to engage in a fight… to help (Wright) jump these girls.”

Benson eventually met up with Wright and her friends. They drove to the corner of Walnut and 7th streets, where they spotted a group that included Hart and Castano. Benson stopped the car.

Surveillance video showed Castano run toward the car, open a passenger door and begin punching Wright.

A brawl ensued. Amid the chaos, Benson can be seen dragging Castano around by her hair and later punching her.

Hart was thrown to the pavement, and Benson then attacked her.

“Madie is on her back,” Scott said, “and (Benson) is kicking her in the face, punching her in the face.”

More: Suspect in Madie Hart's death 'vehemently denies' charges

Benson and the others eventually drove away, taking with them items found on the street, including a purse containing Hart’s keys.

Five minutes later, shortly after 3 a.m., Benson drove back to the same corner. Mulligan said she was lost. But Assistant Prosectuor Anne Flanagan, who also gave a closing argument, said Benson was acting like a “prize-fighter strutting around the ring after a fight."

At that moment, Hart ran up to the car’s passenger side. Benson stopped. Hart began pounding on the car. Hart walked away, to the sidewalk, and Benson backed up several feet and stopped again.

About five seconds later, Hart again approached the car's passenger side, and Benson backed up a few more feet. Flanagan said Benson was angry about Hart banging on the car.

Benson then turned the car into Hart, pulling her underneath.

"Madie never had a chance," she said.

More: Take the news with you. Download the Cincinnati.com app.