State Senator Regola (R) to be charged in relation to the gun death of 14 year-old neighbor

[PA Democrat]

State Sen. Bob Regola was charged today with three counts of perjury, one count of making false statements to police, recklessly endangering another person and possession of a firearm by a minor.

Charges were filed late this morning before District Judge James Albert in Greensburg.

Sen. Regola, a Republican, was escorted by staffers from his Capitol office to the Senate chambers today. He would not respond to questions, except to say that he is waiting to talk to his attorney.

In July of last year, Regola's gun was found near the body of Louis Farrell, a 14-year-old neighbor who had been shot once in the head with the senator's 9mm Taurus semiautomatic handgun. The Westmoreland County coroner ruled the death a suicide.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_499820.html

This guy ran a vile, filthy campaign against our previous state senator, a great Democrat who was responsible for legislation establishing CHIPS in PA. How ironic that Regola was busy drafting anti-gay marriage legislation to "protect families" while his recklessness with guns destroyed his next-door neighbor's family. And how surprising - NOT- that he would commit perjury when questioned by the police. His son, who was the last person to speak with the dead boy and somehow knew that he was dead before anyone had informed him, pleaded the 5th amendment at the coroner's inquest.

[liberalnurse]

1. Don't let this slimeball off the hook!

I have friends and family in Westmoreland County.......I know the outrage that can be voiced by the community. It's a multi-generation culture there.....If you burn them...they will never forget. This guy obviously burned the wrong community.

Do I have this right?

[PA Democrat]

3. Yes. What's sad is that voter registration is overwhelmingly Democratic,

and yet hypocrites like Regola have managed to win elections by posing as the "moral" candidate.

The father of this boy was a very popular local lawyer and an overall nice guy, and the legal community was outraged that Regola might get away with covering up the details relating to this boy's death.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Why does he get a chance to surrender himself?

If it was anyone else they would be dragged away in handcuffs in front of their family or coworkers.

[PA Democrat]

5. I think Regola has been pulling strings politically to influence this investigation from the start.

It took the police several weeks to exercise a search warrant on Regola's home, even though they were granted one immediately after the shooting death.

[Richard Steele]

4. It's come out that the weapon was actually kept in the son's room sometimes.

The same son who knew of the death before being told,
and who refused to testify at the Coroners inquest.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out that the kid played
some role in the shooting. WHAT role, exactly, we do
not yet know.

I hope these charges against Regola will eventually
bring the full truth to light.