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John Murtha — Part 24
Page 22
22 / 103
I
•
tion conditions, saying that he
would ~ake the issue under
advisement.
He also revoked Fenton's
bond, which had been unse
cured, and reser it at $10,000
cash.
Fenton, who throughout his
legal troubles
has
main
. tained
that
"I'm here to defend
Murtha
is
trying
to
my honor. Don't I
harm
him
have the right to
and that he
fears for his
speak?'"
life, repeated
ly tried to
Donald L. Fenton,.
speak in his
own defense.
suspect in threats
"Be qUiet,"
said Swope,
as Fenton persisted in speaking.
"
Fenton, obviously agitated,
\ continued speaking as deputies
gathered around him.
.
"Be quiet," Swope said again.
The most recent e-mail is not
the fJIst threat that Fenton is
accused of sending nor the fJISt
·charge ofa parole violation.
In 1998 he was sentenced to
five years' probation for making
terroristic
threats
against
Murtha and other:s. Last fall he
was found guilty sending a
threatening e-mail to a woman
working in a grant program in
State College, and Swope extend
ed his pro
bation
an
additional
23 months. .
Fen ton
also
was
c h a r g e d
with
pos
sessing a 15
inch
sur
vival knife,
two smaller
knives,
a
loaded pel
let gun, a pipe, rolling papers
and marijuana at his Oakhurst
Homes residence. In that case,
Swope sent him to a Pittsburgh
veterans hospital for a mental
evaluation and exam. .
George Stiles, a county proba
tion officer, told Swope yester
day that he has been assigned to
Fenton's
case
since
1998.
Murtha's staffnotified him ofthe
most recent e-mail, Stiles said.
Contents of Fenton's e-mail I
were described in testimony as
including death threats to
Murtha, including mstructions
on how to follow through. on
those threa,ts.
.
Fenton referred in his mes- ,
sage to his fear that Murtha and !
his staff were trying to hann .
him.
.
Prosecutor David Kalten- i
baugh, chief deputy district
attorney, said that the e-mail
was overt behavior that present
ed a threat and was a violation of
probation conditions.
He told Swope that the courts
already have been lenient with
Fenton and have obtained coun- ,
seling and mental evaluations '
for him.
But Lisa Lazzari, chief public
defender, said that Fenton's
extended probation was an ille
gal sentence, and therefore he. .
cannot be found in violation.
Prosecutors called her argu
ment "form over substance" and
said that Swope had opportuni
ties to jail Fenton, but instead
sent him to get help.
. Throughout the hearing, Fen- .
ton continued to try to speak.
.
I
"I'm here to defend my
honor," Fenton said. "Don't I
have the right to speak?"
"If you do, you may be
removed," Swope said.
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