NEW CASTLE, PA. Official awaits ruling

An attorney said only crimes involving dishonesty should keep people from public office.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A Lawrence County judge's definition of infamous will determine whether a township supervisor can keep his job.
Perry Township Supervisor Herman Stafford appeared Monday before Judge Dominick Motto of common pleas court to argue that he shouldn't be taken out of office for a criminal conviction that occurred 22 years ago.
Prosecutors say Stafford's 1980 conviction on statutory rape and corruption of minors charges fall under the state's definition of infamous, a term used in the state constitution to describe crimes that would prevent someone from taking office.
Lawsuit filed: District Attorney Matthew Mangino filed a civil lawsuit in December, shortly after Stafford was elected to prevent him from taking office.
Stafford, 50, of Mountville Road was sworn into office, but Marlene Gabriel, the county's elections director, said Stafford's certification by her office is in limbo until the court proceedings are complete.
Stafford's attorney, Larry Puntureri, argued Monday that statutory rape and corruption of minors charges don't fall under the crimes outlined in the state constitution that would keep someone from holding public office.
The state constitution specifically names bribery, perjury and embezzling as crimes that would prevent someone from running for office and also states anyone convicted of infamous crimes can't hold office.
Definition: It's the definition of infamous that prosecutors and Stafford's attorney wrangled over in court.
Thomas Bashero, an assistant district attorney, said others in Pennsylvania have been barred from holding office because of felony convictions. Statutory rape is a second-degree felony.
Puntureri said the authors of the state constitution were referring only to crimes that involve dishonesty. He added that the judge should know more about the circumstances of Stafford's conviction before deciding if it would fall under this category.
"You need to have more evidence. This occurred 22 years ago. The circumstances are important to know if this is infamous," he said.
Puntureri did not go into the details of Stafford's conviction during Tuesday's hearing.
Judge Motto is expected to hand down a written decision on the matter. He did not indicate when it would be issued.