For 12-27-92 
Boycott Baseball? Ok, Fine -- But You Go First 
It Doesn't Seem So Long Ago That Kirby Puckett Created A Fuss By Becoming The 
First Baseball Player To Collect A $3 Million Salary.

What About 
Those Raises?

By JAMES RUBIN; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, December 21, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: JIM PISANO 





EXETER -- An Exeter man who fired shots at two alleged burglars may face
criminal charges. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jim Pisano, who chased the alleged burglars away from his Susquehanna
Avenue business early on Dec. 8, could be the third person charged in the case
after Exeter Police Chief John McNeil meets with Luzerne County Assistant
District Attorney John McNeil early this week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski said the two would discuss whether
or not legal action was merited against Pisano, who says he was protecting his
property. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Olszewski said that unless individuals' lives are endangered, they
"generally cannot use deadly force when protecting" their property. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's absolutely imperative that you look at each incident on a
case-by-case basis," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 An Avoca man, John McDermott, 33, has been charged with the break-in,
according to District Justice Carmen Maffei, West Pittston. A woman was also
arrested, Pisano said. Olszewski did not know her name and McNeil could not be
reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McDermott reportedly cut himself on some glass during the incident, but
there were no other injuries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pisano, 55, told investigators that he fell asleep while watching ABC's
"Monday Night Football" in his office, but awoke when his beagle began
barking. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pisano said he groped in the darkness and grabbed his pistol from a desk
drawer. He said he fired at least 11 shots at two burglars. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McDermott is accused of breaking a window at Pisano Fence &amp; Manufacturing
Co., reaching in and stealing a .30 caliber hunting rifle. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He is charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and criminal
conspiracy. He also faces an assault charge from an unrelated case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McDermott is incarcerated in Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu
of $20,000 bail. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pisano said he had not heard from Exeter police or the Luzerne County
District Attorney's office. Yet he defended his actions, saying that the
alleged perpetrators had grabbed a rifle that might have been loaded. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I just wanted to protect my family and property," Pisano, 55, said. "I
didn't know if they were going to hurt me. They took my rifle. Most of my guns
are loaded. He could have shot me." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said he did not think he had endangered neighbors by firing at the
alleged burglars. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I've been shooting for years and years and years. I tried to stop them. I
just tried to contain them," Pisano said.

Exeter Man Who Thwarted 
Break-in May Be In Hot Water 
Investigators Will Meet 
This Week To Discuss Whether They Will Bring Charges 
Against An Exeter Businessman Who Opened Fire On Two Alleged Burglars

Exeter Man Who Thwarted Break-in May Be In Hot Water Investigators Will Meet This Week To Discuss Whether They Will Bring Charges Against An Exeter Businessman Who Opened Fire On Two Alleged Burglars