Trial begins for Hyde Park man accused of molesting teen
A trial that had been delayed for more than a year against a Hyde Park man accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl from Vandergrift got underway Tuesday in Westmoreland County Court.
Assistant District Attorney Judy Petrush told jurors that Larry Lee Redmond, 40, had sexual contact with the girl on two different occasions in 2015.
In his opening statement, Assistant Public Defender Mike Garofalo questioned the veracity of the claims raised by Redmond’s accuser.
Authorities charged Redmond in 2016 after the alleged victim came forward to adults and medical personnel.
The trial was delayed while Redmond’s defense unsuccessfully appealed Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio’s decision to reject a claim to dismiss the case because of a lack of evidence. The appeals court denied the appeal, saying the defense filed it too late.
He was charged with felony offenses of aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, child endangerment and corruption of a minor. He also is facing one misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a minor.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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