Judge steps down from bench trial
Fayette County Senior Judge Gerald Solomon Tuesday recused himself from hearing the bench trial of a Uniontown man charged with beating a child.
Following a brief sidebar with defense attorney Charles Hoebler and Assistant District Attorney Mark Mehalov, Solomon noted that he had handled a pretrial motions hearing in the case.
“During sidebar it was pointed out that during the pretrial hearing I had pretty much made my mind up what the testimony was and who I believed,” Solomon said as he agreed to step down from hearing the case.
Errik Parks, 44, is charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment for allegedly using a belt to beat his girlfriend’s daughter at his residence at Rear 50 Lawn Ave. in April 2013.
The girl was 9 years old at the time.
The beating allegedly left the girl with welts, bruising and swelling to her hand, right forearm, right thigh, buttocks and back. She was taken to Uniontown Hospital for treatment.
Parks is currently free on bond.