WILKES-BARRE — Hugo Selenski’s attorneys will try to pin the killing of Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett on accomplice Paul Weakley.
That was the focus of opening statements by the defense as the long-awaited Selenski double murder trial began Wednesday.
“Did Hugo kill Kerkowski and Fassett or was it Paul Weakley?” defense attorney Bernard Brown asked jurors.
Brown made the case to the jury that Weakley had reason to frame Selenski.
“Paul Weakley was jealous of Hugo and wanted him out of the way.”
The defense even told jurors they will hear testimony that Weakley tried to kill Selenski on two occasions. Brown pointed out to the jury many inconsistencies in Weakley’s story to police and prosecutors as he was interviewed 15 times since this prosecution began.
Weakley was originally charged as an accomplice in the killing of Fassett and Kerkowski, but he pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence.
Weakley had told prosecutors he refused to testify in this case, but that has changed. Prosecutors and the defense indicated we will hear from Weakley during the trial.
The prosecution made its case in opening statements that Selenski killed Kerkowski and Fassett with Weakley in a plot to steal tens of thousands of dollars.
The defense said Selenski didn’t need all that money, because his girlfriend Tina Strom had good jobs at the time.
“Where does the money come from? Tina Strom!” said Brown.
The defense acknowledged that Selenski was getting money from pharmacist Michael Kerkowski but said Selenski had no reason to kill him.
“Why would you kill the goose that was laying the golden egg? He was already getting money from the Kerkowskis,” the defense attorney told the jurors.
Kerkowski was convicted of illegally distributing prescription drugs and was awaiting sentencing in 2002 when he disappeared.
The defense told jurors Hugo may have tried to help Kerkowski flee, but didn’t kill him.
Follow developments in the trial on our liveblog.
