web1_petyon4.jpg

Free heart screenings for kids set for Oct. 6 at King’s College

web1_WAC-Reader-Winner-5.jpg

Second-grader from Wyoming Area Catholic wins WVIA Summer Reading Challenge

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Defense attorneys in the homicide case against Joseph John Marchetti Jr. are employing a unique strategy: attempting to suppress evidence of Marchetti <em>denying</em> the crime he&#8217;s accused of.</p><p>Marchetti, 52, is accused of beating and then shooting his girlfriend, Antoinette Wilkinsin, 46, at their Foster Township home in January.</p><p>Prosecutors also say Marchetti beat Wilkinson&#8217;s mother, Barbara Wilkinson, 72, with a lead-filled club, then dragged her into the room where her daughter lay. He then shot himself in the face.</p><p>The younger Wilkinson passed away as a result of the attack. Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty due to the crime&#8217;s severity.</p><p>Marchetti appeared in court on Monday before Luzerne County Judge William H. Amesbury as his defense team attempted to suppress statements he made while he attended his preliminary arraignment from a hospital room at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. Defense attorneys are suggesting this evidence was gathered inappropriately.</p><p>Monday&#8217;s hearing featured testimony by Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Shawn Williams, who attended Marchetti&#8217;s preliminary arraignment. It was through Williams&#8217; iPhone, using the video calling app FaceTime, that Marchetti was able to &#8220;appear&#8221; before Magisterial District Judge Daniel O&#8217;Donnell from his hospital bed.</p><p>Williams said he asked Marchetti a handful of yes-or-no questions, not involving the case, to determine if he had the wherewithal to proceed with the arraignment.</p><p>After O&#8217;Donnell read the charges, Williams said on the stand, O&#8217;Donnell asked Marchetti if he understood them. Marchetti allegedly repeatedly shook his head &#8220;no,&#8221; asking for a piece of paper to write on.</p><p>On the paper, Williams said, Marchetti wrote &#8220;not g,&#8221; leading Williams to ask if he meant &#8220;not guilty.&#8221; Marchetti indicated that&#8217;s what he meant, and later also wrote &#8220;I didn&#8217;t do it.&#8221;</p><p>On cross examination, defense attorney Jonathan Blum seemed to imply that Williams&#8217; &#8220;questioning&#8221; of Marchetti was inappropriate, citing issues such as Williams not reading Marchetti his Miranda rights &#8212; Williams claims O&#8217;Donnell did this &#8212; and not asking a doctor if the medication Marchetti was on would cloud his judgement.</p><p>Williams countered, explaining that his questions of Marchetti were not interrogation so to speak, but rather just for clarification of his mental state and what his stilted written answer meant.</p><p>&#8220;He was clear and capable of understanding but he wasn&#8217;t capable of writing the word &#8216;guilty&#8217;?&#8221; Blum asked.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;d have to ask your client that,&#8221; Williams said.</p><p>Amesbury is allowing the defense 10 days to issue a response to Monday&#8217;s hearing to show cause for suppressing Marchetti&#8217;s apparent denial of the crime.</p><p>Marchetti is scheduled to go to trial starting on Feb. 19, 2019. Amesbury has two full weeks reserved for the trial.</p><p>Until then, Marchetti remains at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. </p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_web1_web1_TTL031718Marchetti1-3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Marchetti </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_web1_web1_TTL031718Marchetti1-3-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Marchetti </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Defense attorneys attempt to block evidence in Foster Twp. homicide case