Apr. 16—WILKES-BARRE — With no anticipation of delays in evidence analysis or expected complex legal arguments, a Nanticoke man charged in the deadly shooting of a friend will face a jury trial in the fall.
Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. said the trial for Michael Crawn Jr., 19, will begin Oct. 20.
Nanticoke police and detectives with the Luzerne County district attorney’s office charged Crawn with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Hunter Sipple, 17, while the two were playing with firearms at Crawn’s residence on Minden Court in Honeypot on Sept. 1., according to court records.
Sipple died at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.
An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross revealed Sipple died from a gunshot wound to the chest. The manner of death was ruled a homicide by the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office.
Sklarosky set the Oct. 20 trial to begin during a court proceeding Wednesday.
Crawn’s attorney, Luzerne County Chief Public Defender Joseph Yeager, said discovery — the exchange of evidence, has been ongoing without issues with First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross.
Yeager said there are additional pictures of the scene and of Sipple’s autopsy that need to be given to him but does not anticipate any legal issues.
Court records allege police and emergency medical technicians responded to Minden Court and found Crawn attempting to render medical assistance on Sipple.
During interviews with detectives, Crawn said Sipple slept over his house and during the afternoon on Sept. 1, they retrieved a 9mm Taurus handgun and a .380-caliber handgun from a bedroom.
As they were “fooling around,” Crawn told detectives the 9mm discharged a round and struck Sipple, court records say.
Crawn remains free on $25,000 unsecured bail.