PG: Suspect in jogger's death released to attend college

A Mt. Lebanon man charged with killing a young mother as she jogged along Washington Road will be able to resume college classes in Tennessee.

Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey A. Manning agreed today to lift the electronic monitoring requirement and released Benjamin T. Cope on $25,000 straight bail.

Both the prosecution and defense agreed that electronic monitoring would preclude Mr. Cope from attending college classes at Sewanee University, also known as the University of the South, and recommended it not be used.

Read the full article:

• www.postgazette.com/pg/10252/1086298-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Post-Gazette: Firefighter's confession tossed in arson case

The Post-Gazette is reporting on a new development in the trial of Gene R. Peck, a volunteer firefighter charged with arson:

An Allegheny County judge has thrown out the confession of a Mt. Lebanon volunteer firefighter accused of setting trash on fire in an apartment building.

Gene R. Peck, 21, is charged with arson, multiple counts of reckless endangerment and risking a catastrophe stemming from the April 29, 2009, fire at the six-unit Overlook Drive apartment building. Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning said the confession couldn't be used because Mr. Peck was denied his right to a lawyer during questioning.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10198/1073409-55.stm.