Hearing continued for N.J. state prison inmate charged with attempted homicide

July 09, 2008|By DON AINES

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- A New Jersey state prison inmate charged with attempted homicide and armed robbery in Franklin County two years ago had his preliminary hearing continued Tuesday in Franklin County Central Court.

Herbert Albert Young III, of no fixed address, is charged with a shooting on the morning of Sept. 16, 2006, at the Laurel Lodge, 81 W. South St., according to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Chambersburg Police Department. Police said Douglas Thomas of Chambersburg was standing at the bar near the entrance at 2:11 a.m. when a man head-butted him and pulled a handgun.

Thomas raised his hand as the man fired the weapon, and Thomas was struck in the hand, police said. Thomas threw two chairs at the man, who tried to shoot him again, police said.

Thomas told police that Young was the assailant and there had been another incident two days earlier at Southgate Mall, the affidavit stated. At that time, Young had gotten out of a vehicle, pointed a handgun at him and pulled the trigger several times, but the gun did not go off, police said.

Three days before that incident, Thomas told police he had received a phone message from an unknown caller threatening to shoot him if he went to an address in the 200 block of Lincoln Way West.

In addition to attempted homicide, Young was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Young was represented by the Public Defender's Office, but because of a conflict involving another case, he was assigned another attorney, according to the District Attorney's Office. His hearing was continued until July 15.

Young is also awaiting a preliminary hearing on robbery and theft charges for a Sept. 14, 2006, holdup at the Finish Line store in Chambersburg Mall. Pennsylvania State Police said two men entered the store that day, tried on shoes and then demanded cash.

One of the men pulled a handgun on the store clerk, police said. The clerk later identified Young as the gunman from a photograph, police said.

Young was serving a sentence for another conviction in New Jersey, according to the District Attorney's Office. He had been transferred from Bayside State Prison in New Jersey, first to Dauphin County on other charges, and then to Franklin County.

Young also has two detainers from Virginia and another from Maryland. Assistant District Attorney Chris Schellhorn said he had no information on what charges Young faces in those states, or for what he is serving time in New Jersey.

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