With witnesses failing to appear for a preliminary hearing yesterday, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office requested that a county judge oversee the hearing of Alfred Fluck the Bristol Township man charged with shooting and stabbing his grandson.
Bristol District Court Judge Frank W. Peranteau Sr. told Prosecutor Tom Logan the hearing was continued till Sept. 11 at 9:15 a.m. after the prosecutor was told the grandson and Fluck’s daughter were refusing to testify.
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Fluck is charged with aggravated and simple assault, illegal possession of a firearm and other offenses related the shooting and stabbing of his grandson, Edward Connelly, on June 9 in their Croydon home.
Bristol Township Detective Douglass Slemmer said he spoke with Connelly Tuesday explaining that he had to appear at his grandfathers hearing on Wednesday. Connelly’s mother told Slemmer, Wednesday morning that she wasn’t appearing because the case “is too traumatic for” her.
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Logan then said to move the case forward he would ask a Bucks County Court judge to oversee the preliminary hearing to compel the witnesses’ to appear and testify. County judges can hold witnesses in contempt of court if they don’t appear, therefore allowing for the issuance of a warrant for their arrest, a power district court judges don’t have.
Defense Attorney for Fluck, Ray McHugh, said the tension in the family “should have been clear,” telling Peranteau and Logan an unwillingness to testify by family members should have been expected.
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Logan again insisted he just found out about the witnesses refusal to testify on Wednesday.
Bristol Township police charge that Fluck shot and knifed his grandson subsequent to a June 9 altercation when Connelly came home intoxicated and fought with family members.
Fluck remains in Bucks County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of 1$ million bail.
