Greene County lawmaker wants his case heard in home county

HARRISBURG -- A judge said he will decide by the end of the week whether state Rep. Bill DeWeese can move his trial on theft charges from Harrisburg to Greene County, his home.

The Democrat's trial is scheduled to start in January in Dauphin County court.

Commonwealth Court Judge Barry Feudale, who presided over the grand jury in DeWeese's case, on Monday heard arguments from DeWeese's lawyer and a state prosecutor on moving the trial.

Facing charges that he used state resources for his election campaigns, DeWeese requested that his trial be moved to his home county so he can have a "fair trial among my peers."

Voters re-elected DeWeese last November while he was under indictment on charges of theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy. He is a former House speaker and former leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

Defense attorney William C. Costopoulos argued that most crimes DeWeese is accused of took place in Greene County, where the lawmaker's district staff is based. Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina argued that most of DeWeese's alleged crimes were committed in Dauphin County, where tax money originates and where DeWeese's Capitol staff works.

Greene County's three judges declined to hear the case because of their relationships with DeWeese, according to Feudale. Dauphin County President Judge Todd Hoover, via speakerphone, told the court he agreed to travel to Greene County to hear the case if there is a change of venue and the state Supreme Court selected him to do so.

Arguing that the trial should remain in Dauphin County, Fina said the "victims of this case, the taxpayers," are most accurately there.

Costopoulos said a trial in Greene County would be more convenient for the nearly 30 witnesses from there that he plans to call.

"A large number of witnesses have come forward on my behalf in this ill-considered prosecution," DeWeese said. "They, by and large, are not people of means, and it's just not fair to make them incur the expense of traveling several hundred miles to Harrisburg and staying overnight in hotels, for what could be a number of nights, for a trial involving events that supposedly occurred in their home counties."