EBENSBURG — Personal-care home owner John Anthony Sr. testified Tuesday that he thought it was safe to leave a disabled resident lying on the floor overnight because he appeared to be sleeping, not in distress.
Anthony, 51, of Upper Yoder Township, took the witness stand in his own defense during his trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a care-dependent person in the death of the resident.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations this morning.
Prosecution and defense attorneys will make closing arguments when court reconvenes at 8 a.m., then Judge Timothy Creany will give the jurors instructions in the law before they begin to deliberate the case.
Gregory Hanks, 47, a resident at the Moxham Personal Care Home in Johnstown, was found dead at 7 a.m. Dec. 22, 2006, at the top of the stairs on the second floor.
Anthony was working a 24-hour shift from 9 a.m. Dec. 21 until 9 a.m. Dec. 22.
“He was not bleeding. He was breathing. He looked fine. His body was not twisted in any way. Plus, I didn’t hear him fall,” Anthony told jurors.
That was about 11:15 or 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, he said, when resident Pamela Patton called for him. It was the only time, Anthony said, that he checked on Hanks all night.
“He was fine,” Anthony said.
“He was just sleeping. (Otherwise,) I would have called 911, and I wouldn’t be here right now. But he was in no stress.”
His testimony was in sharp contrast to Patton’s, who testified Monday that she had found Hanks collapsed on the floor about 9:30 p.m. Dec. 21.
At that time, she called for Anthony to come to check on Hanks. She testified Anthony told her, “He’s going to be OK here for the night.”
Anthony disputed Patton’s testimony that Hanks smelled of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated after having gone out drinking.
Anthony testified Hanks had eaten dinner, then received his prescribed medications. He said Hanks did not appear to be drunk and had gone onto the porch about 7 p.m. to smoke, then got a snack around 8 p.m.
Prosecutors concluded their case with the testimony of Georgia Toney, a former attendant at the home, and Brian Brawley, of the Seventh Ward Ambulance. They said ambulances had been summoned four times – twice by Toney and twice by another worker – when Hanks either had fallen or appeared to be in physical distress.
On all four of those instances, Hanks was transported by ambulance to the hospital for treatment, the witnesses said.
Previously, a pathologist set Hanks’ time of death about 2 a.m., plus or minus two hours, and said Hanks could have survived had medical help been summoned.
Local News
Defendant takes stand in death at care home
- Local News
-
-
Proposed bill would expand use of traffic-light cameras
Some call it the hand of “big brother,” others are convinced cameras at signal lights would be effective in curbing red-light runners and ultimately saving lives.
-
Minister's trial date set
An issue has been resolved over the report from an examination of a girl allegedly taken by her mother to a Bedford motel to have sex with a traveling minister, clearing the way for a trial.
-
AP: Almost half of new veterans seek disability
America’s newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops the nation has ever seen.
-
Geistown beginning crime watch program
Residents will patrol Geistown streets in the coming weeks as part of a community watch program.
-
Persons of the Week: Nanty Glo vets will remember fallen comrades
Michael Kurtz, Tom Kasecky and Steve Kasecky will be among members of the Loy A. Douglass Post 3489 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Nanty Glo who will be honoring fallen veterans today, Memorial Day.
-
AG candidates face potential conflicts of interest
Both candidates for Pennsylvania attorney general have family ties that could pose a conflict of interest for the one who is elected as the state’s next chief legal officer.
-
Lawmakers: Capitol rallies unpersuasive
Nancy Richey stepped to the podium with a microphone at the Capitol rotunda with the hope that the right people would hear her message.
-
Richland closer to new chief
The search for Richland’s next police chief is winding down.
-
In brief: Thunderstorm downs trees, knocks out power
A late Sunday afternoon thunderstorm brought high winds, hard rain and hail to the Cambria-Somerset region.
- District Deaths May 28, 2012
- More Local News Headlines
-
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
