Intimidation of witness case dismissed
A case was dismissed Tuesday after the alleged victim refused to testify against a man who he previously said forced him to recant a statement to police.
All charges were dismissed in the case against Zelcon Demeze Walker, 20, of Uniontown after Nicholas Muha told officials his original story was untrue.
Muha named Walker as a co-conspirator in an ongoing burglary investigation, according to court documents. Neither man has been charged in that case.
He told police in April that Walker entered his house, woke him up, dragged him outside and tried to put him in his trunk.
Muha said Walker told him he was “going in the trunk of the car and not coming back” if he did not record a video recanting his statement to police and pay him $10,000.
Police said Walker recorded the video on his phone.
Shortly before Walker’s planned preliminary hearing in Fayette County Central Court, Muha told police he made a false statement against Walker.
Walker’s charges of intimidating a witness, retaliation against a witness, terroristic threats and simple assault were dismissed.