Hearing officer says Senator Regola's(R) testimony "not credible"

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_494699.html

The attorney presiding over a Westmoreland County’s coroner’s inquest in the shooting death of 14-year-old Louis Farrell on Friday said he found testimony offered by state Sen. Robert Regola "not credible."

Thomas Farrell declined to make any specific recommendations at the conclusion of yesterday’s hearing.

Farrell suggested that evidence of the boy’s death indicated it was a suicide, but criminal charges could still be filed against the senator or his 17-year-old son, Robert "Bobby" Regola IV.

Farrell's body was found on July 22 in woods behind his Hempfield home, next to the Regola residence. The boy had been killed by one gunshot wound to the head, inflicted by a handgun owned by the Republican senator.

<snip>

Thomas Farrell also suggested that a finding of suicide would not preclude him from recommending that criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment or assisting a suicide be filed against Regola or his son. Thomas Farrell is not related to Louis Farrell.

<snip>

The senator's son invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination on the advice of his attorney, Duke George.

[PA Democrat]

1. The Post Gazette story contains some interesting details

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07055/764677-59.stm

<snip>

The senator testified that the handgun found next to Louis was never stored at any time in his son's bedroom, despite testimony Thursday from Louis' best friend that both boys had seen the gun in Bobby's bedroom within the past year or so. Mr. Regola did say that his son kept a replica 9 mm pellet gun.

A state police trooper testified yesterday, however, that Mr. Regola told him he transferred the real firearm from his son's room to his own early last summer.

<snip>

Bobby Regola called his father, who was at a function in Harrisburg, and told him what had happened and that a gun was missing. The senator said he would send his brother, Ronald, to the house.

<snip>

Both Mr. Peck and Mr. Farrell hammered away at the Regola brothers for an answer to why they did not call police after learning that a handgun was missing. The Regolas both said they believed their sister and her husband had probably stopped by the house and taken their gun to go target shooting, although the senator admitted that had never happened before.


Also, interesting that "Bobby" (the son) did not testify, instead choosing to invoke the Fifth Amendment. Bobby Regola had called to tell his father the state senator that his friend was dead, when it seems that no third party had yet informed him of the fact.

I saw footage of Bob Regola strutting around the courthouse with a smug look on his face. I can't STAND that man. The months leading up to the death of his neighbor he was busy drafting anti-gay marriage legislation. Fucking hypocrite. It wasn't gay marriage that had ripped apart his neighbor's family, but his own careless attitude about guns. I have heard from numerous sources that Bobby, the son, kept that gun in his room, and that it was passed around among the neighborhood kids like it was a toy.

[Yellow Horse]

3. True THEN, Truer NOW!

http://www.pavotersfortruth.com/

[bleedingheart]

2. Having met Bobby Regola Jr..I think the kid is involved

Bob and Bobby Jr. are both "real pieces of work"...and the young man has a very arrogant and destructive manner.

The kid was yelling obscenities at older women who were campaigning for his dad's opponent in the last election.