Weir reinstated as jail guard after nearly 3 years

MERCER COUNTY — A Mercer County Jail guard fired in June 2005 over an incident involving contraband was reinstated Thursday after a nearly three-year long battle in the courts.

Mercer County Commissioners unanimously agreed to reinstate Walter L. Weir at his previous rate as a full-time sergeant in the jail. He will also be given back pay, though county personnel director Bill Boyle did not yet know how much that would amount to.

Weir was fired after being accused of helping to cover up an incident in which another guard brought tobacco into the jail, which was later stolen by an inmate.

A state arbiter, however, investigated the allegations and later ordered Weir to be reinstated with back pay in March 2006, triggering a series of court battles between Weir and the county.

The arbiter was overturned by visiting Senior Judge Paul H. Millin in Mercer County Pleas Court in December 2006.

Millin, in turn, was overturned by a three-judge panel in Commonwealth Court, where Senior Judge James Flaherty said Millin overstepped when he became involved in the facts of the case.

No trial date set for school board slapping case

BROOKFIELD — The case alleging Brookfield school board President Joseph Pasquerilla slapped fellow board member Dr. Ronald Brennan March 5 during a meeting was set to trial Thursday at Eastern District Court, Brookfield, prosecutor Sean O’Brien said.

Pasquerilla, 61, of 7944 W. Lincoln St., Masury, pleaded not guilty to the charge April 3 before Judge Ronald J. Rice.

A date for the trial wasn’t set, O’Brien said.

Teen pleads to lesser charge in weapon case

SHARON — A Sharon teen accused of having a knife when he was arrested last March at Sharon High School pleaded guilty Thursday to disorderly conduct.

Bobby L. Bender Jr., 19, of 432 Malleable St., Sharon, was picked up March 27 on a warrant for possession of a weapon at school, police said.

That charge was withdrawn at a preliminary hearing Thursday before District Judge James E. McMahon, Sharon, in exchange for Bender’s plea to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.