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Search Warrant Questioned In Lawrence Co. Murder


Lawyers for an 11-year-old boy accused of killing his father's pregnant fiancée are questioning one of the search warrants used to collect evidence.

Jordan Brown is accused of shooting 26-year-old Kenzie Houk at a house in Wampum in February.

The defense says signatures on the search warrant investigators used to search the home did not have what it needed to be a valid warrant.

"We discovered that one of the four search warrants was not signed by the officer who obtained the warrant," Dennis Elisco, a defense attorney, said. "That would be the first in time which would have been [Friday, February 20th] at about 3:25 p.m."

Potentially at issue is whether the .20 gauge shotgun seized as evidence and said to belong to Jordan Brown can still be evidence in the case if the warrant is challenged and found to be invalid.

During a hearing this month, the prosecution's case so far ties Brown to the crime with evidence of gunshot residue.

But the prosecutor says a signature issue on a warrant is not enough to throw out the warrant.

"I don't see a problem with it at all actually," Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo said. "There's one place that's missing a signature. The law requires that it be sworn – the affidavit of probable cause be sworn to by the officer … in front of the judge.

"The warrant is signed in those necessary places. The application for warrant is signed by the judge – I don't anticipate it actually being a problem," he added.

http://kdka.com/local/wampum.murder.warrants.2.971695.html

Lawrence County Pair Accused Of Running Meth Lab

March 30, 2009 NEW CASTLE, Lawrence County-- A New Castle man and woman face charges for running a meth lab from their home where they lived with three small children. Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett says police arrested the two for allegedly making and distributing methamphetamine in Butler and Lawrence counties. Corbett says 34-year old Rocco Wing and 33-year old Martha Mills are accused of running a meth lab in a second-floor bedroom in their Uber Street home. The couple have daughters 14 and 7 years old, and an 7-month-old infant. Corbett says the infant rode in the back seat while the couple sold drugs in November. The Attorney General also points out methamphetamine production is dangerous because it requires the use of various chemicals and solvents which are harmful and volatile. "These two defendants put the children who lived in this house in a very dangerous situation," Corbett said. "Aside from the dangers normally associated with drug dealing and drug use, these children lived in a home with a meth lab, which exposed them to harmful chemicals and could have easily exploded or caught fire." Investigators say they tracked the alleged meth making activity by monitory Mills and Wing making the purchase of 15 single-box purchases of Sudafed at various area pharmacies. The investigation shows that in one instance, Mills and Wing bought Sudafed from five different pharmacies within a one-hour period. Corbett say that Wing used false identification in eight out of the nine times he purchased Sudafed. Corbett points out that Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in methamphetamine manufacturing. The case will be prosecuted in Lawrence County by Deputy Attorney General Kristine M. DeMarco of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force. Wing and Mills are charged with the following: Rocco Wing is charged with four counts of possession of methamphetamine, four counts of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of possession of hydrocodone, one count of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver hydrocodone, one count of delivery of hydrocodone, one count of manufacturing methamphetamine in a structure where a child is present, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of fraudulent acquisition of a controlled substance or immediate precursor, one count of possession of precursors/chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy, one count of identity theft, one count of false identification to law enforcement and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Wing faces maximum penalties of $1 million in fines and more than 150 years in prison. Martha Mills is charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, four counts of possession of methamphetamine, four counts of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of possession of hydrocodone, one count of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver hydrocodone, one count of delivery of hydrocodone, one count of manufacturing methamphetamine in a structure where a child is present, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of possession of precursors/chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Mills faces maximum penalties of $500,000 in fines and more than 100 years in prison.

http://media.www.wcn247.com/media/storage/paper1389/news/2009/03/25/CommunityNews/Lawrence.County.Pair.Accused.Of.Running.Meth.Lab-3688997.shtml

Alligator Blamed For Starting Pennsylvania Fire

Story by wpxi.com

NORTH BEAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. --

A six-foot alligator rescued in an abandoned school on fire in Lawrence County may have also started the blaze.

The blaze began at the former Mount Jackson Elementary School, along Edinburgh Road, in North Beaver Township, near New Castle.

Authorities said the man who owns the property, Brian Simpson, was living with a menagerie of animals in the building, including the alligator, about 70 rabbits and unspecified "aquatic animals."

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is involved in caring for the animal.

Fire Chief Paul Henry said the building's owner believes the alligator started the fire by knocking over a portable heater. Firefighters removed the animal, but only after taping its mouth shut.

"I basically got on top of it," said Wes Osborne, of Crit-R-Done Wildlife Control. "One of the fellows in there had already handled it a little bit by the tail, and we were able to duct-tape it to keep anybody from getting bit."

Simpson wouldn't talk to Channel 11 News except to say he wanted the news crew off his land.

Neighbors said they've been complaining about the rundown property for years.

"My concerns are the hazard to children that play in the neighborhood," said neighbor Missy Argiro. "It's an eyesore, obviously. I've known that he's had animals in there for many years. We can hear dogs barking every night."

The Fish and Game Commission said no laws were broken, so they're turning all the animals back over to the owner.

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