Suspect free on bail in WCU threat case

Authorities: Jamie J. Zannino threatened to ‘shoot up the whole school’ in message to ex-girlfriend

WEST CHESTER >> An amateur hardcore rock musician from New Jersey who threatened to kill his former girlfriend, a West Chester University student, as well as to “shoot up the whole school if he had to,” has been released from Chester County Prison on bail.

A family member of Jamie J. Zannino posted the required $500 bail at the county Justice Center Monday afternoon following a hearing before a Common Pleas judge on whether Zannino would post a threat should he be released.

Zannino was being held at the prison on $175,000 cash bail following his extradition from New Jersey.

The defendant, who sent threatening messages to the woman in early December in which he accused her of seeing another man and said that he would kill both of them. No police officer would be able to stop him, he vowed, according to a criminal complaint filed against him, and continued to rant about his anger even when being arraigned last month.

He appeared to have regained his composure over the six weeks he had spent in custody, however. “I promise you I will never be back here again, your honor,” Zannino told Judge Patrick Carmody, who set his bail at 10 percent of $5,000, even as he said that he considered the charges “a very serious case.”

“To be honest with you, I miss New Jersey more than anything,” said Zannino, dressed in a brown leather jacket, jeans and wearing a scruffy mustache and long hair.

Zannino, 21, of Manchester, N.J., was arrested Dec. 8 by New Jersey police on a warrant signed the day before by Magisterial District Judge Marian Thayer Vito. He is charged

“God forbid that you have any contact with the young lady.” — Judge Patrick Carmody, to suspect Jamie J. Zannino, 21, of Manchester, N.J.

with two counts of terroristic threats, three counts of harassment, and one count of stalking, all misdemeanors.

He was held on the warrant in Manchester until he was brought to West Chester to face arraignment by Vito on the charges Dec. 28. She set bail at $175,000.

Zannino is apparently a member of the local New Jersey hardcore band, When Blood Comes Ashore. His contributing to the fourpiece band is listed on a website advertising for new members as “screaming.”

The complaint was filed against him after WCU police received a phone call from a concerned parent about the messages that her daughter was allegedly receiving from Zannino. The alleged victim met with police on Dec. 5 and showed them the texts, one in which he allegedly threatened to shoot up the school.

The messages also were directed at another student who is a friend of the ex-girlfriend. In one text, Zannino said that he would mail the woman her friend’s head and have a scavenger hunt for his body parts. On his Facebook page a photo was posted in early December

of a military figure, with the caption, “Always carry a knife with you just in case there’s cheesecake or you meet someone who needs to be stabbed.”

Zannino waived his preliminary hearing last month, but Vito declined to reduce his bail, as was suggested by his attorney, Arik Benari of West Chester.

Benari appeared before Carmody on Wednesday, asking for a non-monetary bail amount to be set for his client. Benari noted that he had already spent more time in prison than he would ultimately face if he pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

Carmody noted that a prison psychological assessment of Zannino showed that although he had acted immaturely and angrily in the episode that led to the criminal charges against him, he did not suffer from any major psychiatric disorders. He was not deemed a danger to either himself or others, Carmody said.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Burack asked Carmody to impose a “no contact” order prohibiting Zannino from contacting any of the alleged victims in the case, either in person or indirectly, including on social media. The judge did so.

“God forbid that you have any contact with the young

lady,” Carmody told Zannino. “If you do, I’ll yank your bail and you’ll go back to jail. We take this very seriously.”

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.