[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----PENNSYLVANIA

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 14


PENNSYLVANIA:

Luzerne County jury issues death penalty in Reading


A Luzerne County jury on Monday sentenced a Reading man to death for
killing another man in Berks County.

The Luzerne County residents were chosen to hear the trial of Bryan S.
Galvin after a judge became concerned a pre-trial incident could have
tainted potential jurors in Berks County.

Galvin, 42, was charged with homicide in the Jan. 31 shooting death of
Kristofer Kolesnik in Reading.

Officials said Kolesnik died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to
an article published by The Reading Eagle. Prosecutors said Galvin drove
the victims body around the city in a van before he was arrested by Cumru
Township police in a traffic stop, the newspaper reported.

Galvin was initially scheduled for trial in Berks County in May.

But during jury selection, Galvin was charged with choking a deputy
sheriff inside a courthouse cell block, the newspaper reported.

That led to Judge Paul M. Yatron halting the jury selection, claiming the
incident could taint the potential jurors, the newspaper reported. The
judge ordered an out-of-county jury to hear the case.

The state Supreme Court later decided a Luzerne County jury should hear
the case.

In July, 150 Luzerne County residents were summoned to the courthouse for
jury duty to be potential jurors in the case. Once the panel was selected,
it was bused to Reading daily to hear testimony.

(source: The Times Leader)