Homicide case costing county

BEDFORD - It's been a week since Joseph W. Clark was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Holly Notestine, and Bedford County officials are just starting to sort out the costs.

Clark's first trial earlier this year, which ended in a hung jury, cost about $63,000, more than double the $30,000 previous commissioners budgeted, Chairman Michael Herline said.

Nobody planned on a second trial, Herline said, which will add to the shortfall.

Although the final bill for the Dauphin County jury's stay in Bedford has not been calculated, Herline expects it to be much less than the first trial.

''Based on the first trial, I expect it to be maybe $30,000,'' he said. ''The first one went on longer.''

In January, 12 jurors and four alternates from Butler County were brought in for 20 days.

Dauphin County jurors spent about 15 days in the area.

In addition, the remaining alternates at the second trial were dismissed prior to deliberations.

''From what I've been told, the budget this year was already tight,'' Herline said. ''We have to look at how to move funds from other departments. It will probably also be addressed in next year's budget.''

He said real estate and per capita taxes could be affected next year.

In neighboring Blair County, the 2006 weeklong Miguel Padilla triple murder trial, which featured a Cumberland County jury, cost the county about $50,000.

Another blow is the lack of funding for full-time district attorneys in the latest state budget, a sore subject at Tuesday's commissioners meeting.

District Attorney William Higgins campaigned to change the then part-time position to full time. State legislation in 2005 indicated that the state would pay for 65 percent of full-time DA salaries.

The lack of funding was called a ''$100,000 curve ball'' by Commissioner Steven Howsare.

''They left us holding the bag again. It's hard to come up with $100,000 that you're not supposed to come up with at this point of the year,'' he said.

Higgins said commissioners could - and should - file a lawsuit if the 2005 salary statute is not met.

''The bottom line is that county taxpayers will not be making up for the shortfall in Gov. [Ed] Rendell's budget because the law does not permit it,'' he said. ''It's deeply unfortunate that the governor has failed to honor the commitment he made to the County Commissioners Association in 2005, but more importantly, his actions are irresponsible.''

Mirror Staff Writer Wendy McCardle is at 946-7520.

Member Comments

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notsureofanything
07-12-08 8:30 AM »Report Abuse	Chasity2012, I'm so sorry about your Mom and I'm glad JUSTICE WAS SERVED. Just know there are a lot of people out here who are thinking about you and your family. I hope you all have finally gotten some kind of peace. Best wishes to you.
notsureofanything
07-12-08 8:26 AM »Report Abuse	OJ was NOT convicted of the two slaughters he committed; but he wrote a book detailing how he would have committed those murders IF he did it. Funny how he mentioned intricate details that were never released AND details that only the murderer would know, in the book titled "IF I DID IT". So maybe while Clark is in prison he'll write a book. It will be titled "WELL*****YEAH I DID IT, BUT I SAID I DIDN'T; with a subtitle of WHATCHA GONNA DO 'BOUT IT?" By the way, I think BIG BUBBA may have already found Clark. I think I heard his new nickname is "Sasha of Cell Block C"; but was originally known as "the Dope with the Soap on a Rope"!
AugusteDupin
07-11-08 6:43 PM »Report Abuse	And for those who want to blame Clark's teacher... whose supposed 'abuse' so traumatized him... I have talked to several of Clark's classmates who describe the teacher as authoritative and firm, but fair. There was corporal punishment doled out to those who deserved it... including Clark... but nothing outside the realm of normal discipline policies in place at the time. The blames falls on the criminal. Justice is served. It's time Clark's defenders remove their blinders and face the truth.
AugusteDupin
07-11-08 6:31 PM »Report Abuse	I understand why some who saw Clark in the woods were afraid to come forward. Considering that two jurors in the first trial were unable to see the light... there was the possibility that he could have gone free. If that had happened, you can bet that he would have found a way to prevent the witness from talking further -- read between the lines if you wish. Some people... like shellyj and 814tim80... will never accept the verdict. That's too bad... but both would be better off stepping back and looking at the crime from a more objective view. I have no connection to either the murderer or the victim. I have known Clark for a number of years, and I am disturbed at the many times he has gone unpunished for his deeds, even back in his school days. Clark is like so many other repeat offenders... without proper punishment at the first sign of trouble, the criminal tends to increase the severity of his crimes.
no4sis
07-11-08 10:48 AM »Report Abuse	It will be a cold day in **** when I apoigize to Joe. Sounds like you want to stand in line after Joan is done,(or are you Joan?). You said that you sat through the trials, was your head up your ***? Joe should pay the price for what he has done.
Chasity2012
07-11-08 5:03 AM »Report Abuse	This was my relative!!!! You *******s need to learn that Joe did put my relative through all of this. How could you be so stupid. This man had over 20 sexual offenses. It reall ****es me off that you would not see anything in the eyes of justice!!! I really hope that big bubba does get ahold of him!!!!
Chasity2012
07-11-08 5:02 AM »Report Abuse	This was my mom!!!! You *******s need to learn that Joe did put my mother through all of this. How could you be so stupid. This man had over 20 sexual offenses. It reall ****es me off that you would not see anything in the eyes of justice!!! I really hope that big bubba does get ahold of him!!!!
shellyj
07-10-08 10:21 PM »Report Abuse	Clark was focused on, set up, and unfortunately , convicted. It is most unfortunate that the poor woman was murdered, but it wasn't by Clark. I sat through BOTH trials (who was she? the red head, the blond, the brunette). The evidence presented was NOT enough to convict this man. To all of the "let's get Joe Clark" people out there: When the REAL truth is exposed, hopefully you will apoligize to Mr. Clark.
no4sis
07-10-08 6:28 PM »Report Abuse	I,m a relative of Holly,s and I have been involed in this case from day one. Everyone talks about the money that it took for this case. (A few points) Holly and Ronnie paid taxes, as well as the Grubb and Notestine family.JUST THINK IF IT WAS ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES. To the people that saw Joe on the Price land time after time, if you would have called the police an told them about it, maybe they would have found Holly in 2000. If you all were afraid of Joe, you would not to give your name. Maybe with Joe in jail the 12 year old and the 35 year old would not have to go through the things they did. This was not a witch hunt. A 4' 11" 98lb girl said NO to Joe and fought back, and paid with her life. (she had *****) Now Joe will pay. Maybe BIG BUBBA in jail will show Joe how his victims felt. ALL OF THEM Now Holly can rest in peace JUSTICE WAS DONE.
AugusteDupin
07-10-08 2:55 PM »Report Abuse	Shelly... Shelly... Shelly... there was no travesty of justice. Justice was served. Clark is guilty. He was convicted and will serve a life sentence for one reason: he is an out-of-control, drug-and-alcohol fueled trainwreck who has avoided punishment for his crimes for too long. Yes, he did it. He drove to the Grubb residence, struck and kidnapped Holly Notestine, drove away with her... and, when she refused to give him what he wanted... stabbed her repeatedly until she died. He then dumped the body in a wooded area close to his home so he could walk past the remains often... and he was seen many times in the area shortly after the incident. Clark deserved the death penalty; the jury showed his family some mercy.
Bollmans
07-10-08 7:34 AM »Report Abuse	AND AGAIN, it's your opinion, and thank God, your opinion isn't that one that counted! And, I wish it was a witch hunt because it wouldn't be costing more money to keep his sorry****in prison; he could be burned at the stake!
shellyj
07-09-08 9:46 PM »Report Abuse	What is "deeply unfortunate" here is the travestry of justice. Clark is a scapegoat and, as I have previously said, this is a witch hunt.
orlandobob
07-09-08 5:41 PM »Report Abuse	Oh no not another clark story
notsureofanything
07-09-08 12:38 PM »Report Abuse	If they take only a few bucks from each "bum", we could make up this deficit in no time at all. After all, most of these non-working, non-caring people either don't give a rat's rear-end about finding a job or have "other" jobs on the side (drug dealing, selling their other ASSets, etc). Now, don't all of you coming screaming at me. I know there are LEGITIMATE people collecting welfare services. I also know people personally who are playing the system like an orchestra!
Chuxspringer
07-09-08 9:14 AM »Report Abuse	It's called the price of justice. Just take it out of the welfare type funds for the non-working bums that show up for custodies, etc.

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