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DUI defendant called ‘a clear and present danger’ sentenced

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Warrant issued after Hazle Twp. man skips sentencing hearing

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A question by a Kingston police officer when he arrived at a residence for a suicide attempt is under scrutiny in the homicide case of Dana Ganjeh, accused in the fatal beating death of a woman last year.</p><p>Officer Jude Allen testified during a motions hearing before Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas on Wednesday that he responded to 71 Price St. for a suicidal man on Aug. 4, 2018.</p><p>Allen said he walked up stairs to the front porch as Ganjeh, 40, exited the front door giving him a key to a vehicle and said, &#8220;She&#8217;s out back.&#8221;</p><p>Allen said he asked Ganjeh &#8220;What&#8217;s going on?&#8221;</p><p>A second officer, Robert Miller, walked behind the residence, finding the body of Linda Frick, 56, inside a vehicle. Allen said he detained Ganjeh in handcuffs before the second officer went to the back of the residence.</p><p>Ganjeh&#8217;s lawyers, Michael C. Kostelaba, Mark Singer and John Donovan, who is recovering from an illness, are seeking to have statements made by their client after Allen asked him &#8220;What&#8217;s going on?&#8221; suppressed from trial.</p><p>Kostelaba and Singer claimed Ganjeh was detained for several hours before he was read his Miranda rights, and was questioned despite their client requesting a lawyer.</p><p>Allen testified he secured Ganjeh in handcuffs for his safety as he responded to the residence for a suicidal man while Miller left the front of the house to go to the back of the residence to follow up on Ganjeh&#8217;s unsolicited statement &#8220;She&#8217;s out back.&#8221;</p><p>Allen said at no point was Ganjeh arrested based on the suicide dispatch. The officer further said at the time he secured Ganjeh in handcuffs, police were not aware a crime had been committed until Frick&#8217;s body was found.</p><p>When Miller discovered Frick&#8217;s body, Ganjeh was transpor</p><p>ted to Kingston Police Headquarters where he was held for several hours before he was questioned.</p><p>County Det. James Noone said Ganjeh was given food and allowed to use the restroom and smoke cigarettes while he was being detained. Ganjeh was initially jailed on aggravated assault charges for three days until he was charged on an open count of criminal homicide.</p><p>Noone said Ganjeh answered several questions and refused to answer questions when it related to Frick&#8217;s injuries. Noone said the interrogation stopped when Ganjeh requested a lawyer.</p><p>Frick&#8217;s body was found under a blanket inside Ganjeh&#8217;s Toyota Rav4 parked behind his residence.</p><p>Lupas said he will make a ruling at a later date.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Dana-Ganjeh.cmyk_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ganjeh </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Dana-Ganjeh.cmyk_.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ganjeh </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Kingston homicide suspect seeks to suppress statements