Munchinski hearing begins today
When David Munchinski returns to Fayette County Court this morning, his attorney is expected to being presenting testimony to support his contention that he was denied evidence at his 1986 trial. Munchinski, 50, was convicted of the 1977 murders of James Alford and Raymond Gierke at a Bear Rocks chalet. He is serving two life sentences and has maintained his innocence.
Washington County attorney Noah Geary, who represents Munchinski, has said he intends to solicit testimony from present and former county judges and prosecutors in an attempt to show that evidence was withheld or altered.
Among those Geary has said he will call are former President Judge William J. Franks, Judges Ralph C. Warman and Gerald R. Solomon and First Administrative Assistant District Attorney John A. Kopas III.
All four had involvement in the case either on appeal, like Franks and Kopas, or in its early stages, like Warman and Solomon, both prosecutors during the time of Munchinski’s arrest.
Geary also said Tuesday that he plans to address rectal swabs that were not turned over to him even though visiting Senior Judge Barry E. Feudale ordered it. The swabs were reportedly taken from the crime scene. Police alleged that Alford and Gierke were sexually assaulted before their death.
Geary hoped to have the swabs tested for DNA evidence that could possibly clear Munchinski of involvement in the slayings.
Munchinski, along with Leon Scaglione, were arrested in 1982, five years after the killings. The men were arrested after Richard Bowen came forward and told police he witnessed the two sexually assault and then kill Alford and Gierke.
The case is complicated by police reports that indicate that Bowen may have been in Oklahoma at the time of the murders. Additionally, Bowen later claimed he was not a witness to the killings and then changed his story again and said that he did witness the murders.
At one point after Munchinski’s conviction, Scaglione was also supposed to testify in his favor at a post-conviction hearing, but that never happened.
Bowen and Scaglione have both since died in prison.
Munchinski, transferred from the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh to the Fayette County Prison, is expected to attend today’s hearing.
Geary said two days have been blocked out to hear testimony in the matter.