A Scottdale man charged with robbing a Blairsville woman at gunpoint in a parking lot on November 30th, 2016 was acquitted by a jury yesterday in Westmoreland County Court.
30-year-old Norman Jack was facing charges of felony robbery and prohibited possession of a firearm without a license, misdemeanor terroristic threats, simple assault and theft in connection with the robbery in the lot for the Greengate East Plaza in Hempfield Township. Police said that Jack confessed to pulling alongside the woman’s vehicle, brandishing a gun and stealing her wallet and purse.
During his testimony, Jack recanted the confession, saying that at the time of the robbery, police were with him at his home. Jack was arrested two days after the robbery during a traffic stop. Jack said that he confessed to the crime at that time to protect his wife, who had a gun stuffed down her shirt during the traffic stop.
Jack’s attorney also claimed that he was misidentified due to his race during a preliminary hearing. Attorney Tim Dawson claimed the only reason the victim identified Jack as the thief during the preliminary hearing was because he was the only black man in the courtroom. The defense also claimed there was a lack of evidence, like video surveillance, to place his client at the scene.
Jack was to be released last night from Westmoreland County Prison, where he has been held since 2018 as he awaited trial.
