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(Indicate page, name of free / newspaper, city and slate.) . f (Mount Clipping in Space Below) lit? Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa, _ ; 5 = BER OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON, D.C. - VICTIM; ’ 12/03/1997; CCSCAKA-THREAT . oF ‘Classification: : . Submitting Olfice: . GIAL Co Y9C8 - |Friday, October 16, 1998 : Lots pf judicial advice, 6. | il time for Fenton| “This is something we |: just do not do to people,” F . . 4 P| Swope, told Fenton and his |! public defender, Richard || Corcoran, at the sentenc- i ing. “You may think you . may be doing right, Mr. | By SCOTT HOVANYET; ‘TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT MAINLINE BUREAU EBENSBURG ~ A [Beistown man convicted of threatening the fives of U.S, Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstoyn, and others avoided more jail time Thor}day but had to promise not to contact those 1 zople for five years, Cambria County Jidge Thomas Swope sen- J Fenton. But you've got to | tenced Donald L. Fen'on, 52, to 60 months’ pro- |. : ame sitaighten your thinking | . . bation but let him gt: free with three months a Poe out.” he has already served in jail. Fenton During his probation, | . In September, a C2 mbria County jury con- Fenton must have no con- . cae ‘ i victed Fenton of threttening Randy Leventry, tact with Leventry or his family, Murtha or an adjuster with Hrie Insurance Group; his staff, Laurel Ford or The Tribune-Democ- Murtha; and employets of The Tribune-Demo- crat. FENTON Continued from Al rat, Swope ruled. If itenton does, Swope could put him in'orison for up to five years. “T'm forcing you to |jehave your- self,” Swope told Fenton. “I don’t want this to happen agaln. I’m doing this for your own good.’ That means no more fetters io the editor of The Tribune-Democrat, Swope added. “You have a tendencyjto talk when you shouldn’t be talking, and that's causing you problems,’ Swope told | Fenton. “And you have an anger problem.” To correct that problem, Fenton - | must undergo a mental-health evalu- 8, Fenton "| made the threats in Dezember in a 10-minute telephone cbnversation with Leventry about problems with his truck and insurance!coverage on, repairs. Fenton claimed mechanics at a repair shop ruined] the truck’s engine when they forgot fo fill it with oil. A federal jury convictéd Fenton in July on separate chargeb, stemming from the same incident,fof threaten- ing Murtha and his fide, John Hugya. Fenton was made to wear an elec- tronic-monitoring bracslet on his ankle as part of his federal bond con- ditions, - Fenton told Swope at {ihe sentenc- ing he was giving his yord that he would obey the ruling. “I never intended ta hurt any- Please see FENTON, A4 Telephone threats ~ lead to big trouble — ‘THE TRIUNE-DEMOCRAT Douald 1, Fenton gotinte trou: ble wheb he threatehied tox8T employees of an insurance compa ny and others during adelephone interview with.an Insurance agent on Dec, 3, . -Fentorapparenily wasripset - } that Erie Insurance did not cover alLrepairs to his Vehicle, « On Dee. 3, Fenton called an insurance agent to complain about } another problem withchis track. ‘The vehicle had been inand out of repair shops for months ever sitica 4 gavage ~ which had lability insurance with Erie - failed to replace the off during.an oil and the engine was-ruined. Fenton, who sald he needed the truck for his construction busi- hess, was told totake the truck back to 2 garage to be checked. _ Unhappy withbow his claim was + ‘being handled, Fenton told the insurance agent that, ifhe went to the garage, he might kill employ- ees there, a, body,” Fenton said. At the sentencing, Corcoran point- ed out that Fenton had a right to his opinion and that Tribune-Democrat Publisher Pamela J. Mayer had stat- ed that Fenton didn’t deserve jail time. . “The media attention has blown } Fenton also-said he believed: 4 US. Rep. John Murtha, Doh i stown, was-in a conspiracy with f Brie Insuranze-and ‘The Teibune- : Demécrat to-ruin him. He said | Murtha had stolen his. ideas about { the econoutle recovery of John, H Fenton threatened té.shoo) i Murtha, a Murtha aide, allthe 7 employees.of Erie Insurance ahd ; employees.of The Tribime-Demop- | rat, the latter berausedt took three ; Months ‘to:publish his letter t the i Readers’ Forum, ; Fenton had testified in court { that he used the word “kill” only | as afiguie.of speech during a haat. . 3 éd cotiversation, © . So oa }_ Enletters tothe Readers’ Forum, enieenn i Fenton also accused other area . } leaders ofsteating hieecohomic fPecovery ideas, + Aspiring to-being dlécted.fiom | ; the Tist District to the state House | of Representatives in 1996, Feriton ; attempted a write-in campaigth He | lost thé-slection. this way out of proportion,” Corco- ran said. Fenton’s alleged threats even affected Johnstown City Council, In August, Councilman Todd Rastall caused a controversy by bringing a gun to a council meeting because Fenton planned to attend, — | 7