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Family’s Attorney Anticipates Federal Indictment in Peter Spencer Homicide Case

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (EYT) – During a press conference on Monday, Peter Spencer’s family attorney Paul Jubas said he expects a federal indictment against the man who shot Spencer at a Rockland Township camp in December.

Jubas was quick to criticize Venango County District Attorney Shawn White’s decision to not press charges against Spencer’s killer.

Spencer, a 29-year-old Jamaican immigrant, was shot nine times by a Mercer man at a camp at 279 Carls Road, just outside of the Emlenton area, in Rockland Township, Venango County.

Jubas, a civil rights attorney based out of Pittsburgh, was joined by esteemed forensic pathologist, Dr. Cyril Wecht.

“It was, generally, an hour-long statement that did not need to be made because the entire basis of the District Attorney’s decision, which is Pennsylvania’s Stand Your Ground Law, simply doesn’t apply,” Jubas said of White’s press conference on March 15. “The law doesn’t apply if criminality is involved. There was a lot of criminality involved.”

Jubas reminded everyone that there is still an open investigation surrounding the suspect.

“The family is confident in the federal investigation,” Jubas said.

“We do expect, and believe, an indictment will be forthcoming on the suspect from that investigation.”

Jubas also noted how contradictory White seemed to him during his press conference. Jubas commented on the fact that White called the suspect “credible,” yet also admitted the suspect lied.

“This was not mentioned by the District Attorney that (Spencer’s) toxicology report came back with fentanyl in (his system),” Jubas said. “It appears as though these mushrooms that were provided by Witness #1 were laced with fentanyl.”

“It’s also important to note that the suspect told investigators that he also ingested the mushrooms,” Jubas added. “Toxicology reports proved that he was lying. That, in fact, the suspect did not have psilocybin or fentanyl in his system.”

Dr. Wecht, who noted he was first contacted by Spencer’s family and not Jubas, seemed to ironically contradict himself.

At the beginning of the press conference, Dr. Wecht says the wounds on Spencer’s back are “wounds that struck Mr. Spencer in the back,” as well as saying that Spencer was “obviously” running away from the shooter. However, Dr. Wecht later goes on to say that the wounds could’ve possibly been from Spencer falling down, just like White said.

“It’s possible, he could’ve been falling having been shot four times in the front,” Dr. Wecht said. “That does not contradict my comments about the shooter continuing to shoot him as he is obviously moving away from the shooter. In fact, I think that strengthens my criticism that the guy is falling down, what are you continuing to shoot him for? You think he’s going to go to Earth and get his machine gun?”

Later in the press conference, Dr. Wecht also said that he “has no criticism of the autopsy done” by Dr. Eric Vey.

Jubas went on to criticize the Pennsylvania State Police’s Heritage Affairs Office, saying “They were nothing more than a middle man – an unnecessary middle man at that. It was actually offensive.”

Although state charges will not be filed, Cindy Chung, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, could file federal hate crime charges.

During his March 15 press conference, D.A. White stated, “If you want to know from a federal standpoint whether there’s any hate crime, I’m not competent to testify to that or give you an answer. That’s her jurisdiction, she’s aware of the facts. Give her office a call.”

A call to White’s office for comment was not immediately returned.

Details of the case:

According to White’s press conference on March 15, the shooting was determined to be self-defense after the investigation revealed Spencer causing fear among the campers by shooting over 30 rounds from an AK-47 as well as threatening the campers.

White said the suspect was legally justified in shooting Spencer under the Castle Doctrine, better known as the “Stand Your Ground” law.

Franklin-based State Police said the suspect had invited some friends to his family’s camp along Carls Road near the Allegheny River in the Emlenton area. He and his friends were drinking around the campfire when one friend, Spencer, “got an AK-47 assault rifle out and started shooting it up into the air.”

Spencer started yelling at them and demanding that they get more wood for the fire. Spencer “went insane,” according to the witnesses, and later took their car keys and made them get on the ground. Spencer was pointing the AK-47 at the suspect, and the suspect subsequently shot him nine times with his pistol. The suspect and another friend drove up to a nearby location where cellular service was available and called 9-1-1.

Pennsylvania State Police responded to the scene by meeting the suspect and one witness, a white male from New Castle, at a nearby church and followed them to the scene. The suspect’s 9mm pistol used in the shooting was collected as evidence. Upon arrival at the camp, Spencer was located in the yard of the camp, face-down near a smoldering fire pit and in front of a detached garage. Spencer was determined to be deceased at this point. The AK-47 assault rifle, found in front of the garage, was collected by police.

The suspect told police that he moved the rifle away from Spencer’s body after the shooting. The suspect clarified that, in doing so, he “cleared” the rifle by removing the loaded magazine and clearing a round from the chamber. The suspect then placed the AK-47 assault rifle, magazine, and round he ejected from it on the ground in front of the garage.

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