The Schuylkill County commissioners approved an agreement Wednesday for mitigation services in the death penalty case against Shavinskin N. Thomas, who is one of two men accused of killing a Pottsville man in August 2015.
The agreement is with Juandalynn Taylor, of the Taylor Advocacy Group, which is based in San Antonio, Texas, with an office in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. As an independent mitigation specialist, Taylor will be a member of the criminal defense team that provides supportive research and a documented history of the defendant to the defense counsel. A mitigation defense is required for capital punishment cases.
Pottsville police allege that Thomas and Joshua M. Lukach entered John Brock’s home at 14 S. 12th St., Pottsville, and fatally stabbed him with a knife and box-cutter knife and took his debit card. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for each man.
Thomas is represented by Assistant Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson, which is why the commissioners’ approval was needed for the agreement. Lukach is represented by Jeffrey J. Markosky, Mahanoy City, and Julie A. Werdt, Orwigsburg.
The agreement with Taylor is for $100 an hour and $50 an hour for travel. She is expected to start Friday, Michael J. Stine, chief public defender, said Wednesday.
In other news, the commissioners approved agreements with SimplexGrinnell, for testing, inspection and maintenance of the fire alarm systems at the 15 county-owned buildings. The three-year agreements are through June 30, 2019, and cost $54,822.
The commissioners also issued three proclamations Wednesday.
They proclaimed April as “Duck Month” in Schuylkill County in honor of Avenues’ 28th annual Duck Race on April 24. Thousands of rubber ducks are available for adoption to be entered into the race on the banks of Mill Creek in front of Wal-Mart in Saint Clair.
April is also “Donate Life Month” in Pennsylvania. Nationally, more than 121,000 people are awaiting life-saving transplants. That number has tripled within the past decade. Ron Boris Jr., a heart-transplant recipient from Lake Wynonah, accepted the proclamation. Boris received his new heart seven years ago.
“Without organ donors, I wouldn’t have a second chance, so I ask you to consider becoming an organ donor,” Boris said.
April 10-16 is “National Telecommunicator Week.” Staff at the Schuylkill County Communications Center accepted the proclamation. The county communications center answered and dispatched more than 135,000 calls for service in 2015.