`wheels On Wheels' Helps Disabled With Area Travel

Accounting Firm Hired To Audit Borough

By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Saturday, January 24, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE- Luzerne County prosecutors have appealed a judge's ruling
that would allow a man charged with indecent assault to question the alleged
victim about a reportedly false accusation of sexual abuse she made against
her father. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Hoover Sr., 74, of John Street, Kingston, was scheduled to go on trial
in November in the alleged assault of a teenage girl, but the case was put on
hold while the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office appealed the ruling
to the state Superior Court. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In a written opinion filed this week Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas
Judge Ann Lokuta denied the district attorney's motion to bar the questioning
because it would violate Hoover's right to due process and his right to
confront his accuser. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hoover was charged in December 1996 with two counts of indecent assault and
one count of endangering the welfare of a child. Police said he had indecent
contact with a 14-year-old girl at his home. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Joseph Yeager, Hoover's attorney, said Friday the case hinges on the
credibility of the defendant and victim, therefore it's critical Hoover be
permitted to question the girl about the allegedly false prior allegation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yeager said he wants to review records from Luzerne County Children and
Youth Services regarding the prior allegation. Prosecutors fought the request
and also argued Yeager should not be permitted to ask the girl about the
allegation, even without the records. &amp;nbsp

Ruling Lets Man Question Accuser John Hoover, 74, Of Kingston Faces Indecent Assault Charge. The District Attorney Is Appealing The Ruling