Lawyers seek to block new trial in 1987 homicide
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Attorneys representing a man who was sentenced to death more than two decades ago in the murder of a waitress in Fayette County are trying to stop prosecutors from retrying the defendant.
A federal judge last year overturned the first-degree murder conviction of 50-year-old Mark Breakiron of Hopwood, citing tainted testimony from another inmate.
Mr. Breakiron is scheduled to go on trial again in Fayette County in August on murder and robbery charges in the 1987 murder of 24-year-old Saundra Martin of Smithfield. Prosecutors said he stabbed the victimn 20 times and cut her throat before stealing her purse and bags of money from Shenanigan's Lounge in German Township.
Defense attorneys are seeking to halt the retrial, citing what they called "pervasive" violations of Mr. Breakiron's rights.
First Published February 4, 2012 10:49 am
