Lawyer seeks way for New Stanton teen to plead guilty but mentally ill for killing mother, brother

A New Stanton teenager could plead guilty but mentally ill this year for killing his mother and younger brother, his lawyer said.

Jacob Remaley, 16, is considering a resolution to his murder case that would allow him to serve a portion of his sentence in a mental health treatment facility rather than prison, defense attorney Wayne McGrew said Friday during a pretrial conference.

Remaley was 14 when police arrested and charged him with two counts of first-degree homicide for the shooting deaths of Dana Remaley, 46, and Caleb, 8, on Nov. 30, 2016.

Police said Remaley awoke that morning, retrieved a gun from the top of a refrigerator and shot his mother as she slept. Prosecutors contend Remaley then went to his brother’s bedroom and shot him.

“We are exploring the possibility of a guilty but mentally ill plea. We’re researching possible treatment facilities and what’s available,” McGrew said.

During a hearing last year that unsuccessfully sought to have Remaley’s criminal case transferred to juvenile court, the defense argued the teen suffers from mental illness and was under the influence of a dominant personality, which told him to commit the murders.

Finding a treatment facility to take Remaley could prove difficult, McGrew conceded.

“If he pleads guilty, the only (prison) facility available to juveniles is at Pine Grove, and it doesn’t have a treatment option,” McGrew said.

Alex Hribal, who was convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault for a violent knife rampage at Franklin Regional High School in 2014, faced a similar issue before he pleaded guilty and was sentenced last year to serve up to 60 years in prison.

Hribal’s defense lawyer argued that he was mentally ill and, as his case moved through the court system, a county judge initially ordered him to be transferred to a mental health treatment facility.

That transfer never occurred as both the defense and the judge were unable to find a local facility to accept a minor for inpatient treatment while still in custody. Hribal was not permitted to plead guilty but mentally ill after District Attorney John Peck objected to the designation.

Peck said a psychologist hired by the prosecution will review Remaley’s case before he will consent to allowing the teen plead guilty but mentally ill.

Dr. Bruce Wright testified for the prosecution during a previous court hearing that he had doubts about defense-hired experts diagnosis of Remaley’s mental health. Wright claimed he found evidence of deceit and manipulation by Remaley during his examination with psychologists working for the defense.

Remaley is awaiting trial in a juvenile program at the Allegheny County Jail.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani ordered Remaley to appear in court in three months for another pre-trial conference. No trial date has been scheduled.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.