MERCER, PA. Man seeks a new trial, high court rejects appeal
Ronald L. Fuller is serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of Jeremy Farrand.
MERCER, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has turned down the appeal of a Farrell man seeking a new trial in the shotgun slaying of a 13-year-old boy.
Ronald L. Fuller, 26, of Emerson Avenue, Farrell, was convicted in March 2000 of first-degree murder, burglary, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and possession of an instrument of crime in the murder of Jeremy Farrand at Farrand's Prindle Street, Sharon, home.
Fuller is serving a life sentence without parole.
He first appealed his conviction to the trial judge in the case, Michael Wherry of Mercer County Common Pleas Court, charging prosecutorial misconduct.
He alleged that prosecutors knowingly used perjured testimony at his trial.
Judge Wherry rejected the appeal and Fuller took his case to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Atty. James Epstein, Mercer County district attorney, said the state's highest court rejected the appeal in a one-sentence order handed down Wednesday.
About the case
Farrand died when he was hit in the neck by a shotgun blast as he walked from the living room to the kitchen of his home to investigate a noise at the back door around 1 a.m. May 29, 1999.
Authorities said Fuller went to the Farrand residence seeking revenge against Lindsey Lowe II of Logan Avenue, Sharon, who he believed was staying there.
Lowe had implicated a woman friend of Fuller's in an armed robbery case and Fuller went to the Farrand house seeking to silence Lowe, authorities said.
Lowe wasn't at the residence at the time of the slaying.