Suspect: Dismiss threat charge

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A Struthers man has asked a judge to throw out terroristic threat charges after an apparent joke backfired. Perry S. Ricciardi, 22, of Struthers, who is in the Lawrence County Jail awaiting trial on criminal homicide charges in another matter, faces the additional charge after writing an apparent anthrax threat on a piece of mail meant for his attorney, Dennis A. Elisco.
Elisco, who is representing Ricciardi in his homicide case and this one, said he doesn't believe there was any real threat meant by Ricciardi and has asked Common Pleas Court Judge Dominick Motto to dismiss the charge.
New Castle Police charged Ricciardi in August after jail personnel found the letter addressed to Elisco with a notation on the envelope stating that anyone other than Elisco opening the letter would be infected with anthrax.
Elisco, however, would only receive a letter if he opened the envelope, the notation stated.
Police Officer David Viggiano testified Wednesday that he didn't believe there was anthrax in the envelope, but he was concerned that it would cause a shutdown of the general mail system if sent out.
Elisco argued that a person charged with terroristic threats must intend to terrorize someone and the victim must have real fear.
The attorney said he had no fear that his client, who has been in solitary confinement for two years, had access to anthrax.