Jeannette man seeks to withdraw guilty plea in 2019 fatal shooting outside McKee Stadium

A Jeannette man accused in a fatal shooting outside the city high school’s football stadium told a Westmoreland County judge Monday that he was misled when he pleaded guilty to third-degree murder.

Greg Harper, 46, is seeking to withdraw the guilty plea he entered in 2022, claiming his then-defense attorney promised he would receive a sentence of no longer than two years in prison for the fatal shooting of 48-year-old Damieian Williams in 2019.

Harper was eventually sentenced to 11 to 25 years in prison after prosecutors dismissed a more serious charge of first-degree murder, a crime that carries a mandatory life prison term.

Police said Harper and Williams argued at the gate in front of McKee Stadium on Sept. 6, 2019, where about 1,500 spectators were watching Jeannette High School defeat Imani Christian Academy.

After police heard reports of shots fired, Williams was found outside the stadium’s Park Street gate with an abdomen wound.

Harper was identified as the alleged shooter after police found a handgun in his waistband. According to court records, Harper told police he was attacked by Williams.

Harper testified Monday that he acted in self-defense but was convinced by defense attorney Pat Thomassey that he would serve just a short jail stint before being released.

“I thought everything was worked out,” Harper testified. “I blindly trusted this man who was representing me. I thought for 3½ to 4 years, I was going home or I would have a trial.”

Thomassey, who has represented criminal defendants for a half-century, denied Harper’s appeal claims and testified he gave his client no assurances of any potential sentence. Thomassey said he advised Harper that evidence against him made a first-degree murder conviction possible and that a self-defense argument at trial would not be likely be successful.

Prosecutors were prepared to present evidence that Harper shot and killed an unarmed Williams and that jealousy was a motive, Thomassey testified. Investigators believed Williams had a relationship with Harper’s former wife.

“(Harper) was making the wrong decision until he made the right decision because, if would have gone to trial, today he’d being doing life,” Thomassey testified.

Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro argued Harper knowingly pleaded guilty to the murder charge. Court transcripts and other records confirm Harper knew he faced a sentence of up to 40 years for the third-degree murder plea, the prosecutor said.

Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger, who presided over the guilty plea and imposed Harper’s sentence, did not make an immediate ruling on the appeal.