The Indiana County District Attorney’s office has a deadline today to file a brief in support of the D.A.’s appeal of the dismissal of a criminal homicide case against 20-year-old Brady DiStefano, a former IUP student whose fight with a fraternity brother last year is alleged to have led to the man’s death.
Indiana County President Judge William Martin dropped the charges against DiStefano in November, ruling that District Attorney Pat Dougherty had not presented sufficient evidence to justify continuing the case. Dougherty was preparing to seek a conviction for third degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Caleb Zweig of Rockville, Maryland. Zweig and DiStefano fought in the 800 block of Wayne Avenue in February of last year. A witness told police he pulled DiStefano off Zweig as DiStefano was choking him. Zweig died early the next morning at the Indiana Regional Medical Center.
Assistant D.A. Gina Ryen Force is representing the D.A.’s office before the Superior Court. The brief was originally due last month, but the court granted a request for an extension.
