Yarmulke-wearing inmate appears in Westmoreland County court

A Mt. Pleasant man attended a court hearing Wednesday with a yarmulke on his head, a week after he was denied transport from the county jail to the courthouse because he refused to remove it.

Kort Noel Eckman, 49, sported a white head covering decorated with a floral pattern during a brief court appearance in his attempted homicide case. Prosecutors say he stabbed his mother, Rose, as many as 20 times on Oct. 3, 2023.

Rose Eckman told authorities that her son believed she was a Nazi war criminal when he jumped on top of her while she was in bed and repeatedly stabbed her in the chest.

County officials, when asked last week about the decision to deny Eckman’s transport, said the yarmulke raised safety concerns related to potential contraband smuggling.

Defense attorney Tim Andrews said Eckman observes Jewish traditions and wears the yarmulke both in and out of the jail.

Following last week’s aborted hearing, Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears directed jail officials to allow Eckman to wear the yarmulke to the courthouse for a rescheduled appearance to address pretrial issues and a potential guilty plea.

Andrews met with Eckman in private for about an hour before Wednesday’s hearing and told the judge his client needed more time to consider options, which include pleading guilty or moving forward with a trial.

“We expect the offer will remain in place for the next 30 days,” Andrews said.

Details of the potential plea deal have not been released.

Andrews said Eckman’s religious beliefs contributed to the circumstances that led to the criminal charges. Eckman, who according to court records has struggled with mental health issues, claimed in a prior court appearance that he suffered from delusions caused by withdrawal from over-the-counter dietary supplements.

“He had delusions when he went off his supplements to fast for Yom Kippur,” Andrews said on Wednesday.

Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day of the year for Jews, and its observance includes daylong prayer and fasting.

Mears ordered Eckman to return to court on Aug. 21 and directed jail officials to ensure he is permitted to wear his yarmulke on the 3-mile car trip from the prison in Hempfield to the courthouse in Greensburg.