By Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - The trial of a 31-year-old man accused of killing his wife and fleeing to Chicago is expected to begin today in Kenton Circuit Court.

Dennis Greene Sr. of Lakeside Park is charged with murder. Police accuse Greene of strangling his wife and slashing her throat. Police found Tara Barrett Greene's body May 5 in the couple's Derby Ridge apartment in Lakeside Park. She was a junior high school math teacher.

Her husband, who worked at a home for troubled children, faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Jury selection will begin at 9 a.m. with opening arguments expected to take place this afternoon.

Defense attorneys are likely to argue that Greene acted under extreme emotional distress and therefore shouldn't be convicted of murder, but of some lesser charge.

Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Bill Crockett, whose office is prosecuting the case, said he will likely call five days' worth of witnesses.

Judge Douglas Stephens has said Greene's son can testify against his father. Because the son, who was 7 at the time of the attack, has expressed fear of his father, the child's testimony will be taken in the judge's chambers as the jury watches via closed-circuit television.

Detectives have claimed in previous court hearings that Greene confessed to the homicide after his arrest. A seven-hour standoff with Greene in Chicago ended peacefully May 8 when he released a hostage and surrendered to U.S. marshals. Greene was found at an acquaintance's home with the help of tips from informants, police said.

Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Officer Chris Schutte said Greene told police he got so angry with his wife for letting their son play unsupervised outside that he slashed her throat.

Although Tara had never sought a restraining order against her husband, Hamilton County court records show he has a history of violence dating back a decade.

The first sign police had that there was trouble between Dennis and Tara Greene was at 2:30 a.m. May 5, the morning of the killing. Police received a tip through Crime Stoppers that prompted them to respond to Greene's home, but they didn't find Tara's body until hours later. Prosecutors have said the couple's son was home during the attack.

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com