Jurors to begin hearing testimony in death penalty case
After 11 days of jury selection that began in September and more than five years after a resident of Washington’s West End neighborhood was slain, the prosecution is expected to call its first witness this morning in the trial of Brandon Wolowski.
Matthew Mathias, 37, died of gunshot wounds Jan. 8, 2013, during what city police called an attempted robbery of guns.
Wolowski, 24, of Washington, is charged with the killing of Mathias and also with the attempted homicide of Mathias’ girlfriend, Michelle Powell, who was seriously wounded.
In addition to deciding Wolowski’s guilt or innocence, Deputy District Attorney Leslie Ridge will ask jurors, in the event of a first-degree murder conviction, to choose the death penalty or life imprisonment for the defendant.
Under Pennsylvania law, a unanimous jury verdict is the only method that can lead to a death sentence.
Jurors also will be asked to consider charges of robbery and aggravated assault.
Representing Wolowski are court-appointed attorneys Noah Geary and Thomas Farrell.
The trial is expected to last at least a week. It will be the first time since 2015 that a death penalty trial has been convened in Washington County Court.