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TODAY’S
The Times Leader timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE, PA
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2011
Sherry Ann Cease says she was defending herself in 2010 argument
Woman charged in fatal stabbing
By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER tmorgan@timesleader.com
By EDWARD LEWIS and TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER elewis@timesleader.com tmorgan@timesleader.com
PLYMOUTH TWP. – A Plymouth woman charged Monday in the slaying of her boyfriend nearly five months ago said she defended herself when he choked her during an argument. State police at Wyoming and Luzerne County detectives charged Sherry Ann Cease, 42, of Prospect Street, with thirddegree murder and voluntary manCease slaughter in the fatal stabbing of John Wolfe, 59, on Nov. 30. She was arraigned by District Judge Don Whittaker in Nanticoke and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $75,000 bail. Investigators allege Cease stabbed Wolfe twice in the chest inside his house on Prospect Street. He died while being transported in an ambulance to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township. Coroner John Corcoran ruled his death a homicide. Investigators were suspicious of Cease’s claims that Wolfe choked her despite a witness who saw Wolfe’s right hand gripping her throat. Photographs of her neck more than six hours after the argument did not depict any injuries, trauma, redness or bruises, state police said.
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Brenda Wolfe comforts her sister, Tanya, while discussing the recent arrest in their father’s death. The sisters said they don’t understand the delay in the filing of charges, but they’re thankful police eventually built a case. Sherry Ann Cease was charged Monday with thirddegree murder in the Nov. 30 death of her boyfriend John Wolfe. The incident occurred at Wolfe’s house on Prospect Street in Plymouth Township. Cease said she was defending herself during an argument with Wolfe. Wolfe’s daughter, Brenda, says she pressed the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office daily for action on the case.
First reported online at
12:01 p.m.
on timesleader.com To see video, go to timesleader.com “Our position is the incident wasn’t reasonable self-defense,” said Assistant District Attorney Michael T. Vough. “The witness is her nephew. There was no physical evidence of her being choked, no markings on her neck, no bruises, no scrapes, no nothing.” Vough approved the two felony charges on Monday after a near fivemonth investigation. “We had to wait for forensics, and we knew what her claim was going See STABBING, Page 6A
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
INSIDE A NEWS: Local 3A Nation & World 5A Obituaries 2A, 8A Editorial 11A B SPORTS: Scoreboard 2B Baseball 3B Business 8B Stocks 9B C HEALTH: Birthdays 4C TV/Movies 6C Crossword 7C Funnies 8C PETE G. WILCOX / THE TIMES LEADER
Monday’s federal tax filing deadline saw people lining up at the Wilkes-Barre Post Office waiting to mail their tax forms.
No taxing waits at post office By ANDREW M. SEDER aseder@timesleader.com
Feds back verdict on Ciavarella Brief responds to defense, which argues there was insufficient evidence to support verdict.
Daughters of victim John Wolfe say they pressed District Attorney’s Office for charges.
The scene at the post office was downright normal as most now take to e-filing.
50¢
INSIDE: A busy day for preparers, Page 8B. Obamas report their incomes, Page 5A.
D CLASSIFIED
WEATHER MacKenzie Sheehy Rain, chilly. High 52. Low 45. Details, Page 10B
Just a few years ago, post offices in the region stayed open late, saw lines out the door and even offered coffee and doughnuts for last-minute filers and sometimes even a wave from an actor portraying Uncle Sam. But the scene at the post office at 300 S. Main St. on Monday – the deadline to have federal taxes postmarked – was anything but frantic. In fact, it was
WILKES-BARRE -- Times Square has New Year’s Eve. Bars have St. Patrick’s Day. And for years, the U.S. Postal Service had Tax Day circled on its calendar. But in the age of e-filing and recession, the once bustling event has been scaled back to just another day at the post office. See TAXES, Page 12A
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Corbett refuses to budge on gas tax policy
SCRANTON – The evidence presented at former Judge Mark Ciavarella’s trial was sufficient to support the jury’s verdict that found him guilty of racketeering and other counts, federal prosecutors say in court papers filed Monday. In a 50-page legal brief, U.S. Attorney Peter J. Smith said Ciavarella’s arguments that the verdict was not supported by the evidence is based on “flawed” reasoning and should be rejected. Ciavarella was convicted in February of 12 counts, including racketeering, honest services First reported mail fraud, money laundering at and tax evasion relating to his ac6:36 ceptance of nearly $1 million p.m. from real estate developer Robtimesleader ert Mericle, who built two juve.com nile detention facilities the county utilized. He was acquitted of 27 other counts relating to the alleged extortion of attorney Robert Powell, who co-owned the centers. Ciavarella’s attorneys, Al Flora and William Ruzzo, filed a motion in March that asks U.S. See CIAVARELLA , Page 12A INSIDE: Feds back witness in Musto case. Page 12A
Weidlich receives 2 years probation He threatened witness in corruption probe, pleaded to attempting to obstruct justice. By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER tmorgan@timesleader.com
SCRANTON – A Pittston businessman who threatened a witness in the Luzerne County corruption probe was sentenced Monday to two years probation with the first six months to be served on home confinement and a $3,000 fine. Barton Weidlich, 42, plead guilty in July to attempting to obstruct justice. Prosecutors said he threatened a person who had agreed to secretly record conversations with Weidlich as part of an investigation into the awarding of no-bid contracts in See WEIDLICH , Page 12A
Pennsylvania’s governor tells township supervisors he will protect the state’s water from dangers posed by drilling. By PETER JACKSON Associated Press
HERSHEY — Gov. Tom Corbett told a crowd of local-government officials Monday that he would oppose a new state tax on natural gas extraction even if the industry had not contributed nearly $1 million to his election campaign, and he vowed to protect the state’s water supplies from drilling-related degradation. "I will not let them poison the water," Corbett said, drawing applause from many of the more than 1,500 people who turned out to hear him speak at the annual conference of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. Gas drilling on the Marcellus Shale formation that stretches beneath much of western and northern Pennsylvania is proliferating rapSee CORBETT, Page 6A
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Barton Weidlich arrives at federal court with his attorney on Monday for his sentencing hearing.