Prosecution and defense lawyers on Friday selected the jury that will determine the fate of a West Mahanoy Township man charged with killing his roommate in April 2014.
Thomas J. Petrousky, 55, of Altamont, will go before the 12 jurors and four alternates on Monday to start his trial for the killing of David R. Halaburda, 50. President Judge William E. Baldwin will preside over the trial.
A total of 136 people had been brought in Friday for jury selection, Deputy Court Administrator John Richmond said. Jury selection lasted approximately 3 1/2 hours.
West Mahanoy Township police alleged Petrousky fatally beat Halaburda on the morning of April 28, 2014, in the home the men shared at 256 S. Wylam St.
Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Petrousky, so the maximum punishment the defendant faces is life imprisonment, which in Pennsylvania carries no chance of parole.
“During this trial, you are going to hear from a variety of witnesses,” Assistant District Attorney A.J. Serina, who is prosecuting the case with First Assistant District Attorney John T. Fegley, told the first group of 50 prospective jurors to be questioned.
Serina and Chief Public Defender Michael J. Stine, Petrousky’s lawyer, quizzed the jurors on whether they knew those witnesses.
Additionally, they asked whether they could apply the law to the case, with Stine saying he will raise an insanity defense on behalf of Petrousky.
“That will be in play here,” he said.
Also, the lawyers asked jurors whether they could be fair in spite of seeing what they called disturbing pictures, if they had family or other connections and even if they had read or heard about the case in the media or by word of mouth.
“What we’re looking for are people who can be fair and impartial, and decide a case based solely on the evidence,” Serina said.
Defendant
· Name: Thomas J. Petrousky
· Age: 55
· Residence: Altamont
· Charges: One count each of criminal homicide, first-degree murder, third-degree murder, possessing instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, two counts of aggravated assault and three of simple assault