AP-PA--Pennsylvania News Digest, PA

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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A judge has declined a defense request to drop a first-degree murder charge against a western Pennsylvania man in his girlfriend's stabbing death two years ago. The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat (http://bit.ly/2mZGpDg ) reports that defense attorneys argued that Cambria County prosecutors hadn't presented sufficient evidence to support the charge against 37-year-old David Leon Johnson, or to allege torture in seeking the death penalty. Authorities allege that the Richland Township man stabbed 30-year-old Allison Vaughn and strangled her in March 2015 because she refused to let him withdraw money from her bank account to buy drugs. Assistant Public Defender Patricia Moore said prosecutors "ignored the most telling parts" of Johnson's statements, including the multiple times he said he only intended to scare Vaughn and that he was high on crack cocaine. ___ Information from: The Tribune-Democrat, http://www.tribune-democrat.com

Judge declines bid to drop first-degree murder charge