Trial of alleged student murderers delayed

The trial of three Deleware County men charged in the January 1990 murder of an Engineering freshman has been postponed until next week, court officials said yesterday. The trial had been scheduled for January 7, but Delaware County Assistant District Attorney Jay Mattera said yesterday that the judge agreed to grant a continuance until February 13 at the request of the defense. The three defendants, Arnold Butcher, Michael Shaw and Dwight Townsend, all residents of Chester, were arrested in the spring in connection with the shooting death of Engineering freshman Tyrone Robertson over the 1989-90 winter break. 21-year-old Butcher is accused of being the gunman. Mattera said yesterday that the defense requested a continuance because they needed more time to conduct further investigations. The defense attorney for Shaw, John Williamson, said yesterday that the Butcher's lawyer, Spiros Angelos, asked for the delay because they needed a doctor to testify. The trial was originally scheduled for November, but Angelos got a delay so he would have time to find expert testimony on his contention that Robertson's death was the result of medical malpractice and not the shooting. Williamson said that he did not know if Angelos' search for a doctor was connected with his malpractice defense. Angelos could not be reached for comment yesterday. According to news and police reports, Shaw and Townsend got into a fight with Robertson and his brother, Paul, after Butcher objected to Paul's talking with a woman in a local restaurant. Butcher alledgedly fired at both brothers, hitting only the 18-year-old freshman. All three defendants pled innocent to first degree murder and related charges last August. Mattera said the defense will probably ask for a jury trial.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.