Saturday, June 2, 2007

EAST SIDE CRIMINAL DAY - 6/01/07

With 18 cases listed on Friday's docket at 15-1-04's Criminal Day, one would think that there'd be more than one hearing scheduled. That was not the case...

Despite the possibility of 4 or 5 preliminary hearings being here, the lone case brought before the court for a hearing was Commonwealth vs. Norman Boyer (15-1-04, CR-0000423-06). Boyer, 67, of West Chester, was charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking, Attempted Theft by Unlawful Taking, and Criminal Mischief/Greater than $500. Early in the morning on December 27, 2006, the manager of Pete's Express Car Wash on the 600 block of East Market Street observed damage to the auot pay terminal at that location and that the suspect had pried the plastic off of the bill dispenser. The manager testified that there was $830.00 in cash located within the machine, however that no money was taken. He then notified WCPD of the incident. P/O Jason O'Neill took the complaint and reviewed the surveillance tape. Upon viewing the tape, P/O O'Neill identified a subject known to be the defendant and recognized him from previous contacts with police. Boyer was held for trial on all counts and remains free on $5,000 unsecured bail.

Of the remaining cases, four were continued to later dates, 10 hearings were waived to the Court of Common Pleas - including three defendants who were originally requesting full preliminary hearings, though later agreed to waive their hearings for various reasons, and two defendants saw more serious misdemeanor charges withdrawn to summary offenses.

Also notable was the nearly hour long wait towards the end of the session due to negotiations between the Commonwealth and defense counsel for 4 defendants charged in a case relating to the WCPD's "Source Investigation Project" (SIP). After much hand wringing, three of the defendants waived their hearings in lieu of possible acceptance into ARD; a fourth defendant had his hearing continued to June 22.

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