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Judge: Extend Selenski trial timeline
He says speedy-trial deadline should be extended because of defense motions that were filed.

Posted on Wed, Feb. 28, 2007
By DAVID WEISS dweiss@timesleader.com
TIMES LEADER

WILKES-BARRE – A judge on Tuesday said the deadline to bring homicide suspect Hugo Selenski to trial in accordance with the state’s speedy-trial rule should be extended by about seven months – so far.

The speedy-trial rule requires prosecutors to bring a defendant to trial within a year of arrest. But that deadline could be extended if defense motions in the case are filed.

Selenski was charged in March 2006, but his first motion was filed in July, Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chester Muroski said in an order issued Tuesday.

Once that defense motion was filed, the speedy-trial deadline began extending. It will continue to extend until the defense motions are disposed of, the judge said.

Muroski did not yet set a trial date for Selenski or Paul Weakley.

Selenski’s lead attorney, John Pike, said on Tuesday he believes Muroski did not set a trial date because the deadline under the speedy-trial rule cannot be established until he resolves the outstanding motions.

Weakley has waived his right to a speedy trial. Selenski has not.

The two were charged last year with homicide and other offenses in the deaths of pharmacist Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett.

The two went missing before Kerkowski was to be sentenced in Wyoming County on numerous drug-related charges.

The bodies were found more than a year later buried in the yard of Selenski’s former residence on Mount Olivet Road in Kingston Township.

Selenski was cleared of killing two suspected drug dealers before being charged in the Kerkowski and Fassett deaths.

A spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office could not be reached Tuesday evening.
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As far as I know, no comment yet from the DAs. No surprise. They're probably real happy to be able to keep someone behind bars longer with no work to be done by their office.

Curious like a cat, meooow (ha ha), to find out the outspoken defendant's reaction to the significant extension, especially since it could go even further. Surprised the TL or CV didn't go running to Dallas for an interview. I guess they're afraid they'll get subpoenaed again...