Lawyers ask DA to reverse course on Amtrak crash charges
Plaintiffs lawyers Thomas R. Kline and Robert Mongeluzzi urged the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday to reverse course and criminally charge the Amtrak engineer who was at the controls when his train derailed in the Port Richmond section of the city May 12, 2015, claiming eight lives and injuring hundreds.
In a brief meeting with acting First Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Martin, Kline and Mongeluzzi asked that the office accept a criminal complaint from the father and husband of crash victim Rachel Jacobs, charging engineer Brandon Bostian with involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
Kline said he anticipates, based on his conversation with Martin, that office will decline the criminal complaint. If it is rejected, Kline said, he and Mongeluzzi will seek a Court of Common Pleas order Thursday compelling the District Attorney’s Office to reopen its investigation, or to appoint a private prosecutor.
“An aggrieved citizen is entitled to a voice in the process,” Kline said. “We are asking the DA to charge [Bostian]. They either will or they won’t. A denial will trigger a procedure where we will go to court to ask for a private prosecutor.”
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/Lawyers-ask-DA-to-reverse-course-on-Amtrak-crash-charges.html
