A Westmoreland County jury yesterday deadlocked in the trial of a 68-year-old Seward woman who was accused of repeatedly using homosexual slurs against her next-door neighbors in 2014.
Margaret Shomo had been charged with eight counts of harassment, and two counts of stalking. The harassment charges were previously withdrawn and she was tried on the two stalking charges, but Judge Christopher Feliciani dropped one count yesterday, leaving one intact. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on that charge yesterday after testimony from both Shomo and the alleged victims, including her claim that the men threw hot coffee in her face, which one of them admitted.
The case was scheduled to be handled through ARD, but Shomo was disqualified from participating in the rehabilitation program because of another incident, in July of last year. In that case, she was charged with stalking, and although scheduled for trial yesterday, it has not been adjudicated.
The prosecution has not decided on whether or not to retry Shomo.
