CLEARFIELD – The Post Conviction Relief Act hearing for convicted murderer Mark Spotz is under way at the Clearfield County Courthouse.
According to a prior GantDaily article, Spotz was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1995 kidnapping, robbery and shooting of a Schuylkill County woman. Spotz was also convicted of voluntary manslaughter on Sept. 26, 1995, for the death of his brother, Dustin, in Clearfield County. He was found guilty in two other cases as well; he murdered two women in York and Cumberland counties.
A death warrant was signed for Spotz on May 30, 2006 by Gov. Edward G. Rendell. Before the death warrant was even signed, though, an anticipatory stay was granted by the U.S. Middle District Court of Pennsylvania.
In a Gant story from June 13, 2006, Clearfield County President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman indicated that Spotz’s attorney’s were attempting to get the case vacated and get another trial.
Spotz was not present at the hearing, though he was questioned via video conferencing about his rights in that matter. Spotz said that it did not matter who was going to testify, either for or against him, he did not want to be there.
Ammerman, being satisfied that Spotz understood his rights, gave attorneys the ok to move the case forward.
Most of the first the questioning Wednesday morning involved Spotz’s trial lawyer in his Clearfield County case. Counsel for Spotz now questioned John Kasevak on why he did not object to issues ranging from points of charge to the jury to other issues.
The hearing is scheduled until Friday, and is scheduled to continue in March for three more days. Keep reading GantDaily for daily updates on the hearing.