Man pleads guilty in student’s murder

Police think the Kutztown University sophomore was attacked at random.

READING, Pa. (AP) — A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to third-degree murder in the beating death of a university student in Pennsylvania Dutch country last year.

Timothy Gearhart, 24, of Allentown, was one of three men charged with murder in the death of Kyle Quinn, 19, a Kutztown University sophomore who police have said was attacked at random.

Speaking in monosyllables, Gearhart admitted he struck Quinn in the head with a large wooden chair leg on Main Street a few blocks from campus last Sept. 7.

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 25 in Berks County Court.

Two brothers from Allentown, Kenneth and Terry Kline, have been charged with third-degree murder for their alleged role in the attack. Their trial is scheduled to begin in November.

Police have said the Kline brothers and Gearhart confronted Quinn around 2:30 a.m. as he was talking on his cell phone and walking back to his dorm room from his older brother’s apartment. The defendants, who had been drinking at a bar, had earlier discussed finding someone to beat up, according to a police affidavit.

Gearhart’s attorney has said his client was drunk at the time of the attack. An attorney for the Klines has denied the brothers took part in the beating.

Quinn’s family declined to comment Wednesday, as did Gearhart’s parents and brother. Gearhart’s public defender also declined to comment.

Prosecutors said there are no plans for Gearhart to testify against the Kline brothers.

“He’s not scheduled as a witness and certainly that wasn’t part of any guilty plea negotiations,” said Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Kurland.

Gearhart, who had been charged with first-degree murder, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.