Councilman’s trial awaits judge decision
A California Borough councilman accused of assaulting a newspaper reporter and his wife will not go to trial in Fayette County Court until a judge decides if the charges against him should be dismissed. At a pretrial conference Monday, an attorney for John Greenlief indicated that there was still an outstanding motion to dismiss charges of unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct. Those are the two charges that remain against Greenlief in the alleged incident involving Jeff and Amanda Pikulsky of Monessen.
Greenlief allegedly got into the Pikulskys’ vehicle while it was parked outside the Highland House on Main Street in Uniontown last Nov. 24. Amanda Pikulsky sat in the passenger seat of the car, while Jeff Pikulsky went inside the bar to get a friend.
Police allege that Greenlief refused to get out of the vehicle and had to be dragged out by Jeff Pikulsky when he returned from inside the bar.
Greenlief was initially charged with robbery of a motor vehicle and theft by unlawful taking, but those charges were dismissed at a preliminary hearing earlier this year.
Greenlief, through attorney Samuel J. Davis, also moved to dismiss a summary citation for public drunkenness.
Davis has contended that there was not enough evidence presented at the preliminary hearing to hold the charges of unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct for court. He also claimed that there was not enough evidence presented for District Justice Mark Blair to find Greenlief guilty of public drunkenness.
Prosecutors contend there was sufficient evidence presented on both counts.
Davis has also claimed that Greenlief was tricked into giving Uniontown Police Detective Phillip W. Jones an incriminating statement in the days after the alleged confrontation.
There is also a related civil case pending that deals with this matter, although it was not the Pikulskies who filed suit.
Greenlief and his wife, Merridy filed suit against the Pikulskies claiming they were the aggressors.
The lawsuit claims that the Pikulskys attacked Greenlief in a “sadistic” manner.
The suit claims Greenlief went to the Pikulsky vehicle to ask Amanda Pikulsky to move the car, but she instead yelled profanities at Greenlief.
When Jeff Pikulsky came outside, the suit alleges he assaulted Greenlief.
The civil suit is still pending.