Friday, July 25, 2025, 6:11PM | 
MENU
Advertisement

Judge allows suspect in slaying to represent himself

Judge allows suspect in slaying to represent himself

A judge today granted a former day laborer permission to represent himself in the 2003 slaying of an elderly Upper St. Clair woman.

Patrick Jason Stollar, 29, of Washington County, faces the death penalty if a jury convicts him of killing 78-year-old Jean Heck, whose yard he was hired to tend. Attorney James DePasquale is prepared to represent him during the penalty phase.

Mr. Stollar was also charged with burglary, robbery, theft and two counts of forgery. The trial had two false starts, when the defendant said he intended to plead guilty and officials reported that the defendant had attempted suicide on three occasions. He was hospitalized twice at Mayview Hospital before being returned to the Allegheny County Jail in July with doctor's approval.

Advertisement

Mr. Stollar said Assistant Public Defendant Robert Foreman had not provided him with all of the discovery material. Mr. Stollar said he did not want Mr. Foreman as his lawyer during the guilt phase.

Common Pleas Judge David R. Cashman warned Mr. Stollar he could not continue to delay his trial.

"I understand your impatience," said Mr. Stollar, who never finished high school, but obtained a general equivalency diploma. "This isn't a surprise, self-benefitting diversion."

The judge explained a final time that the defendant had a right to a lawyer and asked Mr. Foreman to sit through the trial as "second chair." The trial is scheduled for Jan. 21.

Advertisement

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

First Published: November 5, 2007, 9:45 p.m.

RELATED
Comments Disabled For This Story
Partners
Advertisement
An aerial view of Hersheypark.
1
news
9-year-old dies in incident at The Boardwalk in Hersheypark
David Mielnicki, left, and Debbie and Jerry Santucci, owners of Cafe Notte in Emsworth.
2
life
Cafe Notte sharpens its focus after transformation via a major TV makeover show
The 11 Stanwix building Downtown on Sunday, March 3, 2024.
3
business
Brunner Inc. joins office shuffle as more companies leave Downtown for the North Shore
Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith (56) warm up during the NFL football team's training camp in Latrobe, Pa., Thursday, July 24, 2025.
4
sports
Christopher Carter's Steelers chat transcript: 07.25.25
Pirates starting pitcher Johan Oviedo delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
5
sports
Pirates Pipeline: Johan Oviedo earns 1st win since 2023 as he inches closer to MLB
Advertisement
LATEST breaking
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story