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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Luzerne County&#8217;s District Attorney has petitioned the Court to establish bail for Seth Thomas Hughes to ensure his appearance as a material witness in a murder case.</p><p>According to a court order, Hughes was detained at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility until a hearing on the matter at 11 a.m. on March 30.</p><p>According to documents filed to the case of The Commonwealth v. Gene Hawkins, on Sept. 4, Hawkins was charged with criminal homicide in the stabbing death of Lashuan Overton in Hazleton.</p><p>Hawkins is being held at Luzerne County Correctional Facility.</p><p>Hughes is believed to be a pertinent eyewitness in the case, with his testimony described by the paperwork as &#8220;essential&#8221; in helping to establish certain elements of the case, according to the documents.</p><p>The court documents request that bail is set in an amount that will guarantee Hughes&#8217; appearance as a material witness during the Commonwealth&#8217;s case against Hawkins.</p><p>Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure allow for the detention and setting of bail of material witnesses.</p><p>The hearing will be held before Judge Tina Polachek Gartley.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hughes </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_hughes.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hughes </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

DA’s office petitions for bail to ensure appearance of material witness at murder trial