Vet charged in killings wants to represent self


February 22, 2012 at 8:36a.m.

Vet charged in killings wants to represent self

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — An Iraq war veteran accused of fatally shooting two people in a Pennsylvania sandwich shop shooting wants to represent himself at sentencing if he’s convicted of first-degree murder next month.

A Blair County judge scheduled a hearing for Feb. 29 on Nicholas Horner’s request to represent himself during sentencing if he’s facing the death penalty.

Horner is charged with shooting two employees of a Subway restaurant in Altoona, killing one, then fatally shooting another man as he fled. Horner says he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the April 2009 shootings.

Defense attorney Thomas Dickey told the Altoona Mirror Tuesday he’d prefer Horner not represent himself at sentencing and will discuss the matter with his client.

Jury selection is scheduled for March 12.