Armstrong County Jail escapee, killer seeks to have life sentence tossed

KITTANNING — A defense attorney on Tuesday argued in Armstrong County Court that Robert Edward Crissman Jr.'s life sentence should be set aside or a new trial ordered for six reasons.

Crissman, 39, formerly of Boggs Township, was convicted in May of escaping from the Armstrong County Jail and killing Tammy Long, 55, in her Rayburn home on July 30, 2015. On May 12, a jury of six men and six women found Crissman guilty of first- and second-degree murder, escape, robbery and lesser charges.

Crissman must appeal in Armstrong County Court before he can seek any appeals to a higher court.

On Tuesday, attorney Preston T. Younkins started the appeal process by raising six issues.

Among those were claims that Crissman was denied a fair trial because of pre-trial publicity; the verdict was “contrary to the evidence” and to the “weight” of the evidence; Crissman's lawyers were ineffective; jury selection was improper, especially pertaining to alternate jurors; and the judge's instructions to the jury were improper.

Younkins, who is one of two attorneys who represented Crissman, filed the motion in July. A brief hearing was held Tuesday by Judge Kenneth G. Valasek, who had presided at the trial.

The judge asked why the six points weren't specific.

Younkins said that the prosecution used “circumstantial evidence based on speculation.” He argues that the prosecution didn't prove the intent needed for a murder conviction, either first- or second-degree.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Charlton replied that strangulation was the cause of Long's death and the prosecution showed the jury evidence that Crissman used a shoelace from a pair of athletic shoes he had borrowed in jail to strangle Long.

The shoelace was found “knotted around Long's neck,” she said.

“The defendant's clothing was also found under the victim's bed, and it had the victim's blood and Crissman's DNA on it,” Charlton said.

The murder occurred during Crissman's theft of the victim's pickup and her boyfriend's rifle, so that meets requirements for a first-degree murder conviction, she added.

Valasek gave Younkins until Oct. 14 to submit in writing legal arguments about the six issues. The prosecution will have until Oct. 21 to respond.

Chuck Biedka is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4711 or cbiedka@tribweb.com.