Guzalast CC

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISECTION B
FBI wiretap captured calls about grand jury leak

Kanes lawyers call info prejudicial, seek venue change
by
bRAD bUMSTED
NORRISTOWN Attorney General Kathleen Kanes defense attorneys

filed court documents that confirm
a federal wiretap intercepted phone
calls in which her political aide said
Kane sought help distributing documents that later became the focus of
a grand jury leak investigation.
Her lawyers say that information,
published last month in The Morning Call of Allentown, which cited
an anonymous source, is prejudicial
and could represent prosecutorial

misconduct. If its proven as such,
her attorneys contend Kane should
at least be allowed to seek to change
her trial venue, but it could be serious enough to disqualify the Montgomery County District Attorneys
Office from handling the case or
warrant charges against her being
dismissed.
The Morning Call story offered
specific details about the recordings, Kanes defense lawyers wrote
in a brief. On the tapes, the political
Last victims
of ambush
laid to rest
Kane is charged with perjury for

allegedly lying about her role in the
passing of grand jury information
to the Philadelphia Daily News that
aide discusses central issues in the was intended to embarrass a fellow
case, Kanes attorneys wrote.
prosecutor.
The leaked recordings formed the
The wiretaps are among several isbasis of a Feb. 25, 2016, story in The sues Kane, 49, a Scranton Democrat,
Morning Call titled, Source: Con- has raised in an effort to reduce or
sultant said Kane asked him to pass eliminate 12 criminal charges she
along documents at the center of faces, or to improve her chances at
the leak probe, FBI records show, a trial set for August.
Kanes document says.
The wiretap issue flared during a
The story said the recording of- hearing Tuesday before a Montgomfers potentially corroborating evi- ery County judge. It is the first public
dence to bolster prosecutors claims confirmation of the FBI intercepting
that Kane lied under oath by denying calls in the Montgomery County
criminal case. The document filed
a role in the leak case.
Friends and family gather near three hearses at Lighthouse Church in St. Clair.
MEGAN GUZA
With three silver hearses parked

outside, Michael Walker recalled the
last time he saw his late son, Jerry
Micheal Shelton.
Jerrys son Jeremiah celebrated
his sixth birthday March 5, and the
large family children, cousins,
aunts, uncles, parents gathered at
the home of Jerrys mother, Jessica
Shelton.
Afterward, Jerry drove his dad
home.
We talked a little while, and he
said, See you later. I love you, Walker told more than 150 mourners who
filled Lighthouse Church in St. Clair
on Tuesday.
Walker said he recently had begun
attending church more often, and he
went on the day after the party and
reflected on the celebration.
There was so much love, so much
joy, so many laughs, he said. And I
said to myself, Lord, take me. Take me
before you take any of my children.
Siblings Jerry Shelton, 35, Brittany
Powell, 27, and Chanetta Powell, 25,
were gunned down March 9 during a
backyard barbecue at Brittany Powells home. Chanetta Powells unborn
son, Demetrius, died as well. He was
in his mothers arms in her casket.
Their cousin, Tina Shelton, 37, and
family friend Shada Mahone, 26, also
were killed. Their funerals have been
held.
The five adult victims left behind a
total of 11 children.
My daddy was the only man that I
loved, said Jerry Sheltons daughter,
Makaysia. My daddy loved me and
my brother, Jeremiah, and Daddy is
a very good worker, and we all love
him.
Brittany Powells daughter,
Tamorroa, shyly told the crowd how
much she loved her mother.
Now my dad is all Ive got, she
said.
Nearly 100 mourners continued
from the church service to Greenwood Cemetery in OHara. Family
and friends gathered around the three
FUNERAL B6
KANE B7
Pa. AG
hopefuls
release
TV ads
More than 150 mourn siblings slain in Wilkinsburg
by
by Kanes lawyers doesnt quote the

recordings.
The recordings were turned over
to the DAs office by the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and they were given to the
defense last month, Kanes lawyers
said. The DAs office said it didnt
have time to respond to the brief,
which was filed last week.
Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy gave
District Attorney Kevin Steele until
April 6 to reply. She set a hearing if
needed about the leak for April 20.
If theres a hearing on the evidence, Steele suggested he would
PHOTOS: JUSTIN MERRIMAN | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Questions raised about

accuracy of Zappala,
Shapiro commercials
by
AARON AUPPERLEE
Two Democratic candidates

running in the Pennsylvania
attorney general primary released their first television
advertisements this week,
drawing questions about the
accuracy of some of their
claims.
Allegheny County District
Attorney Stephen A. Zappala
Jr.s campaign spent about
$250,000 to air ads in the
Philadelphia area beginning
Wednesday, said Ken Snyder,
Zappalas media consultant
from Chicago-based Snyder
Pickerill Media Group.
Montgomery County Commission Chairman Josh Shapiros campaign would not say
how much was spent on ads
that began airing Monday in
Philadelphia.
Snyder said Zappalas campaign matched Shapiros
spending nearly dollar for
dollar.
Zappala, Shapiro and
Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli are seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney general in
the April 26 primary.
State Sen. John Rafferty of
Montgomery County and Joe
Peters, a former federal and
state prosecutor, are seeking
the Republican nomination.
No other candidates have announced TV ads.
Attorney General Kathleen
Kane is not seeking a second
term.
Zappalas ad says he is the
only district attorney in the
state to convict an on-duty
police officer of criminal
homicide, a reference to the
John Charmo case of the midto late-1990s and early 2000s.
Charmo, a white Pittsburgh
Housing Authority police officer, fatally shot Jerry Jackson,
a black man from Hazelwood,
inside the Armstrong Tunnels in 1995. Charmo pleaded
guilty to involuntary manslaughter in October of that
year and was sentenced to 1112
to 23 months in jail.
It was a sweet deal, Beth
Pittinger, executive director
Doves are released as part of the service for Jerry Shelton, Brittany Powell and Chanetta Powell.
ADS B7
Man slain by trooper menaced parents

Police: 2 hours of trouble led
to S. Greensburg shooting
by
PAUL PEIRCE
Edward J. Gorinski was released

at 6 p.m. Monday from the Westmoreland County Prison after serving 12
days for violating a protection-fromabuse order sought by his parents.
By 8 p.m., his body lay on Broad
Street in South Greensburg with
three bullets from a state troopers
gun.
In those two hours, the 28-year-old
Greensburg man broke into a house,
where he stole an assault-style rifle
and made two threatening phone
calls to his parents, then tried to carjack a woman driving by, police said.
Lt. James Shaw

said a trooper was
looking for Gorinski because of the
phone calls to his
parents in violation
of the protection order.
Gorinskis family Gorinski:
members declined He had been
to comment on confined on
a violation of
Tuesday.
Police traced the a protectionfrom-abuse
calls to an address order sought by
in South Greens- his parents.
burg, Trooper
Steve Limani said
during a press conference Tuesday.
As the trooper on patrol pulled up,
he saw Gorinski running with the
.22-caliber automatic rifle, Limani
said.
The trooper attempted to confront

Gorinski, and Gorinski fled on foot
with the AR-style rifle, he said.
Gorinski headed to Broad Street,
where a woman driving a sport utility vehicle slowed when she noticed a
parked police car, Limani said.
Gorinski ran to the drivers door,
and the female opened the door ... not
knowing whether it may be the police
officer. Gorinski pointed the rifle at
the female ... and ordered her out of
her car in an attempt to flee in the
vehicle, Limani said.
The trooper, who was about 20
yards away, told Gorinski four times
to put down the gun, Limani said.
SEAN STIPP | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
When Gorinski did not obey, the
trooper fired three times, striking State Trooper Steve Limani says the trooper responding to the call on
him in the torso.
Monday night in South Greensburg ordered Gorinski to put down a gun
SHOOTING B6
four times before opening fire, striking him in the torso.

Guzalast CC

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Guzalast CC

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Guzalast CC

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

FBI wiretap captured calls about grand jury leak

NORRISTOWN Attorney General Kathleen Kanes defense attorneys

and could represent prosecutorial

Kane is charged with perjury for

With three silver hearses parked

More than 150 mourn siblings slain in Wilkinsburg

by Kanes lawyers doesnt quote the

PHOTOS: JUSTIN MERRIMAN | TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Questions raised about

Two Democratic candidates

Man slain by trooper menaced parents

Edward J. Gorinski was released

Lt. James Shaw

The trooper attempted to confront

four times before opening fire, striking him in the torso.

You might also like