After several delays due to extended deadlines, Richard McAnulty has finally filed a brief before State Superior Court, arguing for a new trial in his appeal of his murder conviction.
In July of 2011, a Westmoreland County Court jury found McAnulty guilty of first degree murder and burglary in 2011 in the shooting death the year before of 39-year-old Harry Mears III of Southwest Greensburg. McAnulty had found emails on his computer between his wife and Mears, and drove from his home outside of Homer City to Mears’ home, where he fatally shot Mears as he begged for his life. McAnulty then drove back to his Center Township home and was sitting on his front porch, waiting to surrender when police arrived to arrest him.
The 62-year-old McAnulty claims his attorney erred and that Judge Debra Pezze should not have allowed Diane McAnulty to testify about the emails, which were related to an affair she‘d had with Mears. Judge Pezze has since passed away.
McAnulty is serving life in prison without parole. His brief was filed last Thursday and the court decision is pending.
