May primaries for Pennsylvania high court to be uncontested
HARRISBURG >> The May party primary elections for an open seat on Pennsylvania’S highest court will be uncontested.
Democrat Dwayne Woodruff and Republican Sallie Mundy each filed by Tuesday night’s deadline to run in the May 16 primary.
The 60-year-old Woodruff, of Pittsburgh, is a former Pittsburgh Steeler and an Allegheny County judge who run unsuccessfully in the Democratic Party primary in 2015 for state Supreme Court. Woodruff has been a judge since 2005.
The 54-year-old Mundy, of Tioga, in rural northern Pennsylvania, is filling a temporary opening on the Supreme Court after serving more than six years on the appellate-level Superior Court.
Both Woodruff and Mundy received a recommended rating from the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Commission the last time they ran for judicial office.
Wife claims gun ‘just went off’ prior to husband’s death
EAST SPRINGFIELD >> A northwestern Pennsylvania woman has been ordered to stand trial on charges including homicide and aggravated assault in the shooting death of her husband last month.
Fifty-two-year-old Catherine Lucas is charged in Erie County in the Feb. 3 death of 46-year-old Kevin Lucas, in their Springfield Township home.
The Erie Times-News reports that a state police trooper testified during Tuesday’s preliminary hearing that she was only trying to scare her husband when the .45-caliber handgun “just went off” and killed him. Trooper Samuel Laureto said she told him that her husband had earlier pressed a handgun to her forehead.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Veitch called it “a tragic situation for all parties” and said the autopsy report “will obviously be critical” to the case when it is available.
More victims of man convicted of child sex assault sought
MEDIA, PA. >> Authorities in suburban Philadelphia say they believe there may be more victims of a man convicted of child sex assault charges involving a dozen teenagers.
Twenty-year-old Hugh TaussigLux of Philadelphia pleaded no contest last month in Delaware County to a child rape charge and guilty to other charges including sexual assault. Prosecutors said his sentences total 13½ to 27 years in prison.
Prosecutors said he assaulted 12 victims ranging from ages 12 to 15 over an 18-month period beginning in summer 2014. Authorities said the assaults occurred during parties at Taussig-Lux’s Media apartment, where he provided drugs and alcohol to young boys and girls.
Authorities told reporters at a news conference that they believe there could be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to come forward.