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Jury finds Uniontown man not guilty of attempted homicide

By Natalie Bruzda nbruzda@heraldstandard.Com susy Kelly skelly@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

Following three days of testimony, a Fayette County jury found a Uniontown man not guilty of attempted homicide.

William Eugene Isler, 47, of Uniontown was being tried for attempted homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault in connection with brain injuries his girlfriend of nearly two decades, Rita Lowery of Uniontown, sustained during an argument on May 4.

The jury found him guilty of aggravated assault and simple assault, but not guilty of attempted homicide.

“We are very pleased with the verdict, given that we understand the difficulty in convicting someone of attempted homicide, particularly without the use of a traditional lethal weapon,” said Assistant District Attorney Meghann Mikluscak.

On Tuesday, the jury heard from 10-year-old witness Darion Seehoffer, who testified on tape during an interview with Desirea Patterson, a forensic interviewer with Child’s Place at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. Seehoffer testified that he saw Isler punch Lowery in the face with his fist three times and that Isler also choked her on the evening of May 4.

Mikluscak, as the county’s special prosecutor for domestic violence cases, said those types of crimes are often difficult to prosecute because witnesses and hospital reports are not always available. She said the case against Isler was bolstered by eyewitness testimony from a Seehoffer, testimony from the neurosurgeon who treated Lowery, and the expert who testified about the way domestic violence impacts victims.

“That was key in helping the jury understand,” said Mikluscak.

The jury, which was made up of 11 men and one woman, deliberated for less than two hours.

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