Todd Getgen
Prosecutors urge judge not to appoint Peake a public defender
Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty against a former Camp Hill prison guard charged with murdering a local attorney.
Todd Getgen, 42, was found shot to death on the State Gamelands Rifle Range in Cumberland County in July.
The district attorney's office filed a notice of aggravating circumstances Thursday morning, saying Peake committed the murder in the commission of another felony: the theft of Getgen's gun. According to court documents, police said Getgen's custom AR-15 rifle was later found in a storage unit rented by Peake.
Peake appeared in court for his arraignment Thursday without an attorney. The judge said Peake's former attorney is not qualified to handle capital cases.
Peake told the judge he doesn't have the money to hire another lawyer, but district attorney Dave Freed said he may not qualify for a public defender based on his income and pension as a state prison guard.
"We do have the opportunity to weigh in," said Freed. "Normally we don't, but in this case when you have somebody who worked, whose spouse worked – I was in his house and I saw thousands and thousands of dollars worth of guns and camping equipment that he had - I'm not sure that rings completely true to me."
Peake has just over two weeks to find a new attorney. His arraignment is rescheduled for December 21.
http://www.abc27.com/Global/story.asp?S=13606010
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