Newton trial for alleged beating with refrigerator slated for August
After more than 300 days in the Washington County Correctional Facility, a Donora man’s bond was reduced from $1 million to nominal in a case of attempted criminal homicide.
However, Terry Lee Newton Jr. will see his 28th birthday there on July 22, and still wear the facility’s orange jumpsuit until Aug. 28 when he is scheduled for a nonjury trial before Washington County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Lucas.
Newton allegedly beat Raven Randall, 24, who then also had a Donora address, with a dehumidifier and a small refrigerator on Aug. 17 at the Charleroi home where Randall was staying with her sister and their young sons.
Newton had been on a sentence of 23 months’ probation since April 8, 2016, when he pleaded guilty to drug-related charges and a count involving an offensive weapon before Lucas.
That was conditioned on Newton refraining from criminal activity and threatening behavior. That probation was revoked after Newton’s arrest and preliminary hearing in the Aug. 17 incident.
Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman expressed concern over “the danger Mr. Newton poses to the commonwealth,” but said Randall “indicated she is ready to cooperate and to go forward” with a trial.
Previously, Clingerman conceded, “At one point the commonwealth believed the victim would not testify.”
“We just received the last of the blood evidence,” Clingerman told Lucas. Her office had obtained DNA samples from both Randall and Newton and tested them against blood found on the appliances allegedly used as weapons.
There have been other complications in the case, in which attorney Gary J. Graminski has been retained as Newton’s third defense counsel since the charges were filed. He represented Newton at a bail reduction hearing Tuesday before Lucas.
“Mr. Newton had issued an interest in a nonjury trial,” Graminski told Lucas. “I prepared a form for a waiver of a jury trial.”
“That gives us more flexibility,” Lucas said regarding the scheduling of a trial amid a busy summer schedule.
Also, Graminski noted that “the alleged victim no longer lives in the jurisdiction,” nor others who may be witnesses in the August trial.
“The commonwealth bears the burden of coming forth with additional evidence,” Lucas said.