After a hearing on Tuesday, Indiana County President Judge William Martin has issued several rulings in the homicide case against Brady DiStefano, the 20-year-old Johnstown man accused of choking to death an IUP fraternity brother last February.
DiStefano is charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault in the strangulation death of 20-year-old Caleb Zweig of Rockville, Maryland. The two got into an argument in the 800 block of Wayne Avenue and it turned into a fight. They went to the ground and a witness pulled DiStefano off Zweig, who had fallen into unconsciousness as he was being choked. He died early the next morning at the Indiana Regional Medical Center.
Judge Martin granted a motion for disclosure of exculpatory materials, which the defense feels would exonerate DiStefano. He ordered the prosecution to provide Zweig’s medical records within thirty days.
The judge entered into the record that there are no other outstanding discovery issues, and he granted a defense motion to remove the case from the October 6th Criminal Call list and reschedule it for January 5th. He also reserved judgment on defense motions for the suppression of evidence and a writ of habeas corpus.
Although not officially listed on the criminal docket sheet, a separate notation indicates that the trial could be scheduled for January 22nd.
