From The Associated Press, 5/11/07:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18331561&BRD=2212&PAG=461&dept_id=465812&rfi=6
Lawmaker will stand trial on perjury, other charges in death
By JOE MANDAK, Associated Press Writer
A state senator will stand trial on perjury and weapons charges
stemming from the death of a 14-year-old neighbor who shot himself in
the head with the senator's handgun.
Authorities say Sen. Robert Regola lied under oath at a coroner's
inquest into the death of Louis Farrell, who was friends with Regola's
son Bobby.
On the day before he was found dead in the woods behind their homes in
July, Farrell had a key to the Regola home so he could tend to the
lawmaker's pets.
On Thursday, District Judge James Albert ruled after a two-hour
preliminary hearing there was enough evidence for Regola to stand
trial on charges of perjury, false swearing, reckless endangerment and
illegal possession of a weapon by a minor.
Authorities charged the senator, who was in Harrisburg with his wife,
in part because Bobby called his father to tell him the gun was
missing late the night before the body was found.
Prosecutors say Regola was reckless because he didn't call the police
or Farrell's parents about the missing gun even though Farrell was the
only one with access to the house before Bobby came home from a trip
to an amusement park.
Authorities also allege that Regola illegally let Bobby keep the gun
in his bedroom, then lied about it at the inquest.
Regola, 44, a freshman Republican from Westmoreland County, has said
he kept his 9 mm Taurus handgun safely stored in his bedroom and,
before that, in an office at another address.
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Harry
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