Man acquitted in murders of 4 prepares lawsuit

Thomas Kimbell has remained in New Castle since his last trial.
& lt;a href=mailto:cioffi@vindy.com & gt;By LAURE CIOFFI & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A city man acquitted on murder charges has started the process of filing a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, state police and state Troopers Janice Wilson and William Phillips, who were involved in the murder investigation.
Thomas Kimbell filed papers late last week in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court notifying the defendants that a civil complaint could be coming. Attorney Paul Titus of Pittsburgh said it complies with the statute of limitations, which is two years in this matter.
Titus said he does not know if and when a formal complaint or lawsuit will be filed.
Kimbell, 47, was initially convicted in the stabbing deaths of Bonnie Lou Dryfuse, 34, her daughters, Jacqueline, 7, and Heather, 4, and her niece, Stephanie Herko, 5, in Pulaski Township. He spent four years on death row before being granted a new trial by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Acquittal
Kimbell was then acquitted by a second jury and set free in May 2002.
No one else was charged, and the case remains unsolved.
Titus said Kimbell has remained in New Castle near his family but is not working.
Titus assisted Kimbell's criminal defense attorney, Thomas Leslie, in the second criminal trial. Titus is being assisted in the civil matter by attorney James B. Lieber of Pittsburgh.