Court briefs
Deal rejected A Mount Pleasant man has rejected a five- to 10-year prison term for arson in Fayette County Court.
Edward Charles Koontz wants to go to trial on charges that he broke into a woman’s home and set it on fire when she fled. The 36-year-old is charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and arson for allegedly breaking into Lisa Mae Scherer’s Bullskin Township home last November.
After Scherer fled to a neighbor’s, Koontz allegedly followed her, then stole her car and drove back to her home and set it on fire.
In an unrelated case, Koontz asked for additional time to decide if he should plead guilty to assaulting a former girlfriend in exchange for four to eight years in prison. Koontz is charged with aggravated and simple assault, terroristic threats, harassment and disorderly conduct for allegedly holding a knife to Christina Marie Randall on May 1 at her Saltlick Township home.
Time sought
Accused killer Mark D. Edwards Jr. on Friday again asked for more time to consider if he should accept the first-degree murder plea offered by prosecutors in the deaths of four people.
For the fourth time, Edwards’ pretrial conference was delayed in Fayette County Court.
His attorney, Public Defender Jeffrey Whiteko, indicated that his office likely would ask for a psychiatric examination before determining if he should take the plea.
Edwards, 20, of 32 Snyder Terrace, Uniontown, is accused of killing Larry Bobish Sr., 50; his wife, Joanna Bobish, 42; the Bobishes’ daughter, Krystal, 17; and her unborn son.
State police allege that Edwards killed the four and seriously injured 13-year-old Larry Bobish Jr. to cover up the theft of drugs from the elder Bobish.
Edwards faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder in the case.