Tom Wolf's deskas earlyas Monday. Prosecutors have already turned over that information to defense attorneys including all messages between the woman and Thomas and any messages referencing him to other people, as well as other messages, Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte said. By Todd Berkey tberkey@tribdem.com. According to Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus spokesperson JasonGottesman, "the district attorney (without an active law license) will be suspended from his office, which means he can no longer be paid as district attorney.". Robert Caruso, executive director, State Ethics Commission, said he can't addressspecific cases or situationsunless his agency has issued adjudication against aperson. Thomas was elected as Somerset Countys district attorney in 2019, but cannot oversee the office or operate as an attorney due to a state law and the fact his law license is suspended indefinitely. Sheriff's Office Somerset County Jail. Thomas's law licensewas temporarily suspended by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, on Oct. 27. The law, identified as. The first assistant district attorney would become the acting district attorney pending reinstatement of the elected district attorney, or until the end of the elected district attorneys current term. A letter to District Judge Bill Seger of Windber indicates that Somerset County District Attorney Jeff Thomas attempted to intervene in his wife's case.. Somerset County District Attorney Jeff Thomas is no longer receiving a paycheck for his position. All rights reserved. "This (lawsuit) is brand-new right now. Somerset County DA tried to have charges against wife dropped, letter indicates. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Windber police allege that Amy Thomas scratched her husband and jumped onto his car to prevent him from leaving their home on Sept. 12. Act 88 requires that each county attorney possesses an active law license. Reaction: Calls for district attorney's resignation? Services for Citizens. He said the county will review the suit and file a response within the court-mandated 20-day time frame. . ", Even though the word in the state capital is that Wolf will sign the bill, he added: "Nothing is real until it is real.". Since the lawmakers present in both chambers ofthe Pennsylvania General Assemblyvoted unanimously for the bill, it is unlikely that the governor would veto the bill, since the lawmakers easily could override his veto. Senate Bill No. It will assure the citizens that the integrity expected in the office of District Attorney is maintained," Yaw said. Follow him on Twitter @TDDavidHurst and Instagram @TDDavidHurst. Low 48F. First Assistant District Attorney Molly Metzgar has taken over the duties of district attorney since Thomas took a leave of absence to work on the matter of criminal charges. All Rights Reserved. Please accept this correspondence as the Somerset County District Attorneys Office request to withdraw the pending criminal charges in the above-captioned matter, Jeffrey Thomas wrote in the brief letter, which bears the subject line RE: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Amy L. Thomas.. The board consists ofthe commissioners and Somerset County Treasurer Donna Matsko Schmitt. Roles are changing in the Somerset County District Attorney's Office, which is welcoming some new personnel. Prosecutors dismissed the idea, saying that only private information such as medical information or a social security number has been redacted and should remain that way for privacy reasons. The letter bears Thomas' signature under his office's letterhead and is dated Sept. 13 before the state Office of . Find 8 external resources related to Somerset County Prosecuting Attorney. "Because of this, the Speaker of the (House) and I agreed that I was unable to vote on the matter pursuant to our House rules. On Oct. 27,the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania listed his license as temporarily suspended. The DA's Office also maintains court records that are open to the public. get driving directions from your location, US Department of Justice - US Attorneys Website, Somerset County Court Records (Pennsylvania), Somerset County Court of Common Pleas Court Records, Somerset County District Attorney Arraignment Records, Somerset County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court Website. The District Attorney heads the Somerset Prosecutor's Office, directing the attorneys who work for the office. Chance of rain 70%. SOMERSET, Pa. Suspended Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas trial on sexual assault charges has been continued to 2023. On Tuesday, the Somerset County Commissioners acknowledged Thomas's suspension from his role as district attorney and the county salary board approved halting his paycheck and benefits because of the suspension based on a new state law. After the notification and the responses, the disciplinary board mayschedule a hearing on the matter. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Creany said Friday he was already taking steps to prepare for Thomas trial, with initial questionnaires already sent to 200 potential jurors about the possibility of serving in the case. Home | Staff Directory | District Attorney's Office District Attorney's Office Physical Address: 41 Court St. Skowhegan, ME 04976 Phone: 207-474-2423 Fax: 207-474-7407 Display # 21853Phone:410.651.3333Fax:410.651.3453Attorneys, Wess Garner - State's AttorneyKendra Hayward -Deputy State's AttorneyKristen Boston - Assistant State's AttorneyBrittany Collins- Assistant State's Attorney, Support StaffChild Support Unit:Alice BromleyBrittney Bozman, Circuit Court:Jacki Bowen-Hill - Secretary, District Court:April Howard- Victim Witness Advocate/ParalegalJuvenile Court:Sandy Atkins - Legal Secretary Supervisor, Somerset County Narcotics Task Force:Patti S. Renshaw - Secretary. You have permission to edit this article. Assistant State's Attorney, 2011-15, and Deputy State's Attorney, 2015-17, Somerset County. Find 6 District Attorney Offices within 25.8 miles of Somerset County Prosecuting Attorney. 2023 County Office. Though it's unclear whether that correspondenceis part of pending proceedings against Jeff Thomas by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, some legal experts believe it could be deemed inappropriate. Address, Phone Number, and Fax Number for Somerset County State Attorney, a District Attorney Office, at Prince William Street, Princess Anne MD. A bill introduced by a Lycoming County Republican state senator in early 2021 after a northern Pennsylvania prosecutor was charged with unrelated sex crimes was signed into law in November 2021, requiring elected prosecutors to hold active law licenses while in office. . Johnstown Magazine is a positive and forward-thinking monthly publication for the people of our region. Amy Thomas faces charges of simple assault and harassment. Segers office has referred comments about both the existence of the letter and the Thomas case to the Office of Attorney General. As of June, Cambria County's pay schedule for court- appointed attorneys shows Dickey would earn $75 an hour for his work a fraction of the rate lawyers often collect representing clients in criminal cases. Name Somerset County State Attorney Suggest Edit Address 30500 Prince William Street Princess Anne , Maryland , 21853 Phone 410-651-3333 Fax 410-651-3453 Map of Somerset County State Attorney Sep. 8SOMERSET, Pa. Suspended Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas is suing the county for suspending his salary and benefits. Popularity:#5 of 16 District Attorney Offices in Maine#1,009 in District Attorney Offices. "We are here today to announce one of the largest drug busts in the history of Somerset County," Acting Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar said during a . the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, State Supreme Court suspends Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas' law license, Because of a new law, Somerset County DA Jeff Thomas is no longer receiving a paycheck, The latest on Somerset County DA: prohibited from any legal action in courthouse, protection order withdrawn, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Sheriff's Office Somerset County Jail. Johnstown Magazine is a positive and forward-thinking monthly publication for the people of our region. Do you plan to save or spend your 2022 income tax refund. Suggest Listing "I think it certainly raises the issue of whether or not that action constitutes a conflict of interest under the Rules of Professional Conduct," said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Low 48F. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Somerset County District Attorney Contact Information. A "rule to show cause" has been in place for Thomas since Sept. 30. The attorney called the county's move illegal. There was a problem saving your notification. Caruso said hiscommission can look at that kind of conduct that could lead to an allegation of conflict-of-interest under the ethics law.". Middlesex County District Attorney's Office prosecutes crimes in the following cities and towns: Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica . By that point, Thomas had already taken a voluntary leave from his role overseeing the Somerset County District Attorney's Office, but continued receiving his pay for his $185,000-a-year job. If Thomas's law license suspension is revoked by the disciplinary board and ratified by the state Supreme Court, then Metzgar will no longer be acting district attorney andwouldreturn to the first assistantposition. According to court dockets, the rule to show cause means that a lawyer must respond to the disciplinary arm of the state Supreme Courton an inquiry ofa matter brought before it, usually it in the form of a complaint about a lawyer's conduct. The order prohibits Thomas performing any legal actions in the courthouse and basically reduced his presence to that of an observer. 420 when asked if the county was going to address the pay for Thomas since he has been shut out of any legal work in the courthouse and his office until the criminal case against him is resolved. He is charged with rape, indecent assault, strangulation, simple assault and criminal trespass. In Somerset County, the district attorney is paid by the county with 65% of the salary being reimbursed by the state. On Oct. 27,the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania listed the law license of District Attorney Jeff Thomas as temporarily suspended,but did not name the cause for that action. Thomas's total pay for 2021 was scheduled to be $185,665. Follow him on Twitter@TDDavidHurstand Instagram@TDDavidHurst. Investigators said Thomas strangled her during the act before she was able to escape and that he agreed to leave after she promised she would not contact the police. But the defenses approved request for a continuance enabled the delay to occur. Somerset County District Court: 410-845-4700: Somerset County Parole & Probation: 410-651-2211: . Sheriff's Office Somerset County Jail. Police: Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas showed up uninvited, raped Windber woman, Hearing rescheduled against Somerset County DA Jeffrey Thomas. 21853 Phone: 410.651.3333 Fax: 410.651.3453 Attorneys. Thomas was on house arrest for part of the year and told court officials in Somerset County that he couldn't "fend for himself" or his family in May. Thedisciplinary board does not issue information about the specifics of why a license is suspended. Suspended Somerset DA's sexual assault trial continued to 2023. Share this page on your favorite Social network. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. October 19, 2021 / 5:10 PM / CBS Pittsburgh. Mostly crickets in Somerset County. Calls for district attorney's resignation? The bill specifically pinpoints district attorneys, Osenbach said, partly because a "district attorney is held to a higher standard.". 2023 www.dailyamerican.com. But certain redacted messages were questioned Friday, with Lurie asking to review them based on the belief the woman could be talking in code about details related to the case. It is not known if the letter, which was released to The Tribune-Democrat on Friday by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, is part of the criminal investigation into an allegation that Jeffrey Thomas raped a Windber woman inside her home on Sept. 18. "The District Attorney's Office, although located in the courthouse, is not under county commissioners' supervision, nor is it part of the . Address and Phone Number for Somerset County Prosecuting Attorney, a District Attorney Office, at PO Box 3000, Somerville NJ. 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