Outside District Court in Pottstown 3.27.13. Photo credit AFD
All the confusion over whether or not Gabe Pilotti would go to court in Pottstown and when is over. He did. And NBC10 Philadelphia, The Daily Local, The Pottstown Mercury, and others were there. Many thanks to all of them for caring enough to cover. (Links to media coverage will be posted when available). Thanks to Tom Hickey from Dog PAC for being there too.
NBC10 Philadelphia: Owner of Murdered Dogs Still Waiting for Apology From Alleged Killer
There were also lots and lots of police. Apparently they were there due to death threats received by Pilotti. As an aside, no matter what he has done, that kind of eye for an eye vigilante justice has no place in civilized society. That behavior is not condoned, and the Bocks are quite clear in their desire for the courts to be able to do their job and for laws being able to be created and changed to protect PA dogs. Vigilantism like that makes him the victim, when he is the one who shot defenseless puppies so why do that stuff?
Daily Local: Hearing waived in West Vincent dog killings
SOUTH COVENTRY — A 72-year-old man who shot and killed a neighbor’s two family dogs in February appeared in district court Wednesday as about 15 police officers stood guard outside.
Gabriel Pilotti, of the Chester Springs section of West Vincent Township, waived a preliminary hearing on charges of animal cruelty and recklessly endangering another person…Pilotti, who appeared in court with his attorney Thomas H. Ramsay of West Chester, did not speak as Magisterial District Judge James V. DeAngelo quickly moved through the procedures of waiving the preliminary hearing….About 15 law enforcement officers from various county and state agencies stood guard in and outside…
What no one seems to know is if Gabe Pilotti’s guns were confiscated pending outcome of case? Shouldn’t they be? (owning guns is a responsibility and did he behave responsibly?) Also interesting to note that no one from district attorney’s office was present. Don’t misunderstand me, they don’t have to be present at this stage but given the public outcry over this it seems they might have made an appearance.
So we all are on the same page, these are the charges at this point:
Now this will head to county court at some point in West Chester. As per the docket (which is sort of updated) next up is a visit to Chester County Court in West Chester for a formal arraignment (if Pilotti and attorney don’t waive it ):
Now I wonder if we can get the media to go to a hearing at Judge Cabry’s in Honeybrook next week on April 2nd for a little civil manner involving a horse rescue gal who isn’t always civil? Will this hearing mean more problems for the owner of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue?
And as a wee post script, Mary Bock had this to say with regard to the “apology” that Pilotti’s attorney referred to on NBC10:
….As soon as I got home I asked the DA’s office if such a letter came to them, they said they have seen no such letter.
You recall when A CC judge shot & buried neighbors dog in attempted secrecy?
No I do not. If there is slink to an old news account, let me know
Pilotti should have apoligized (which he hasn’t done supposedly), then offered to replace the dogs. Then, he should not have gotten a lawyer, just pleaded “no contest”, taken his lumps, and saved the legal fees. He would likey have fared better than he will in the court case.
I’m not so sure Pilotti would be found guilty at trial. I am appalled by the charges against him and the police account, but all it takes is one juror with a farming mentality and disdain for dogs and he may not be convicted.
However, that would still be taking a chance by Pilotti – as well as the DA. Since he is charged with a very serious M1, I would not be surprised to see a plea for an M2, where he would not lose any rights.
I have it on good authority that Mrs. Linares will be suing for punative damages in excess of $10,000. Apparently it is belived that the defendant, Jessica Troxell Basciano recklessly and wantonly endangered the life of a handicapped child. The statue of limitations has run out for a criminal charge however, punative damages are awarded to punish the defendant for knowingly endangering another human being.
“What no one seems to know is if Gabe Pilotti’s guns were confiscated pending outcome of case? Shouldn’t they be?”
Pending the outcome, Pilotti is innocent until proven guilty and unless the DA argues and wins the argument that Pilotti is a danger to the community, he keeps his guns (though the shotgun he used to kill the dogs was no doubt taken as evidence). I expect that he will be able to keep other guns he may own until trial/plea agreement.
If he is convicted of the M1 animal cruelty he will lose his right to own firearms forever. A misdemeanor of the first degree in PA is graded a felony for firearms ownership – which means you lose the right.
If he is convicted of just the M2 (or the DA accepts a plea for it), he will not be able to own firearms while he is on probation/parole, but after that he can.
Again, Pilotti is innocent until proven guilty, but if the allegations that the police have set out are true and if he is convicted, I would expect nothing less than the M1 animal cruelty for what he did to those poor dogs and loss of the right own or possess firearms.
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Spoke to him about 2 weeks ago. He fully believes he is innocent.
Really? Innocent people don’t shoot dogs in cold blood. Or at least not in the society I grew up in. Incidentally, you may have tried to fake your email address, but your IP address still comes through.
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