Suspect In Bicyclist's Throat-Slashing Case Found Guilty
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The man accused of slashing the throat of a bicyclist on the South Side has been found guilty on all counts.
Judge Edward Borkowski instructed the members of the jury Wednesday morning before deliberations began.
The suspect, Anthony Scholl, is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person in the case.
The jury handed down the verdict just before 3 p.m.
"I saw rage, I saw anger, I saw hatred of me or just hatred in general; obviously, not personally directed at me for any specific reason, but I saw hatred. But I also saw confusion, sadness, you know," Colin Albright, the victim, said.
Albright, having relived at trial the knife attack that slashed his throat and left a gash on his head, had mixed emotions about the guilty verdict.
As much as he wanted justice after being attacked on the steps if the South Side Slopes as he carried his bike, he said he wasn't surprised that Scholl told police he was sorry for allowing what he called "voices urging him to do wrong" win out that night.
"This is not a happy day. My reaction is somber," Albright said. "There's nothing relieving or refreshing and joyous about seeing a family's son get taken away or a young man's life be effectually put on hold for an indefinite amount of time measured in years, you know.
Even so, he still lives with the physical remnants of the attack. He's lost shoulder function because a nerve was severed.
"It's another year before I even know how successful the surgery was, and in all that time, I'm healing still," Albright added.
During closing arguments, defense attorney Ryan Tutera told the jury that prosecutors had no fingerprint evidence, no DNA and no witnesses other than Albright.
Tutera also argued that Scholl's taped confession to police was coerced.
"My client is susceptible to influence," he said.
However, prosecutor Kevin Chernosky told the jury the defense is using, "the CSI argument, hoping you watch too much TV."
Chernosky said not all forms of scientific evidence exist in every case.
"Before investigators had access to DNA, they had access to police work and confessions. Listen to that audio again and ask yourself if Scholl sounds like he's being threatened," he said.
During his taped statement, Scholl admitted he stabbed Albright and said, "I was in a daze. I was hearing loud voices in my head telling me to hurt him. And I felt euphoric. I felt like I was high or drunk on something...I had not taken any drugs."
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