Charges against couple dismissed
All charges filed against a couple by Bentleyville police over the summer were dismissed last month in Washington County Court.
Judge Gary Gilman convened a habeas corpus hearing and dismissed a reckless endangerment charge that had been filed against Debra Venick, 48 of Rices Landing, Greene County. Other charges against her were previously thrown out at the magisterial level.
The judge also exonerated Venick’s co-defendant, Francis P. Frisina, 36, of Centerville, throwing out a host of charges including kidnapping and interfering with child custody.
“Fortunately, there was video evidence from cameras in the park that showed Ms. Venick did absolutely nothing wrong, let alone criminal. For some reason, the Bentleyville Police withheld this video evidence at the time of the preliminary hearing before Judge Thompson,” her attorney, Christopher L. Blackwell, wrote in response to an email inquiry.
“Had it been shown, I am certain all charges would have been dismissed at that time.”
Until the endangerment charge was dismissed, “her job as a nurse, as well as her nursing license were in jeopardy. She was simply driving her boyfriend to pick up his children at the park. She should never have been charged in the first place. Thankfully, she can return to her job and her license remains in good standing.”
Frisina’s attorney David Bayard Wolf wrote in an email of his client and Venick, “Both of their lives were adversely affected by these charges including loss of employment, embarrassment, humiliation and the denial of contact by Mr. Frisina with his children. Mr. Frisina sat in jail for four and half months.”
Bentleyville police were called July 26 after the children left Richardson Park.