Penn Township Man’s Lawyer to Explore Insanity Defense in Murders
The lawyer representing Neal Hubish, a Penn Township man charged with the murders of his father and aunt in 2021, has announced his intention to explore a potential insanity defense for his client. Defense attorney Brian Aston informed a Westmoreland County judge that an investigation is underway to determine if there is enough evidence to support a jury finding Hubish not guilty by reason of insanity.
Hubish is currently awaiting trial on two counts of criminal homicide. He stands accused of killing his father, Arthur Hubish, aged 71, and his aunt Maria Puskarich, aged 76, inside his father’s residence on Burrell Hill Road on November 9, 2021. According to court records, Hubish told the police that he woke up to the sound of his relatives arguing and discovered them lying in a pool of blood in a hallway. Subsequently, he confessed to repeatedly stabbing them.
Attorney Aston has indicated that there is evidence to suggest that Hubish’s involvement in multiple violent crimes can be attributed to long-standing mental health concerns. He believes that Hubish’s ongoing psychiatric conditions will have an impact on the current case, stating that We will call some of our older assistant district attorneys who have dealt with Neal in the past to testify.
To further assess Hubish’s mental state, Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio has ruled that the defense can enlist the services of a private psychiatrist. This evaluation will help determine if Hubish can be found guilty but mentally ill or if an argument can be made for his not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge, in a ruling on Thursday, also deemed Hubish competent to stand trial.
Since his arrest, Hubish has been transferred between the Westmoreland County Prison and Torrance State Hospital over the past two years. Earlier this year, in July, a judge initially found him unfit for trial, but that decision was reversed yesterday. A doctor testified that Hubish’s mental state has improved since the summer and that he is now capable of assisting with his defense. However, he will remain at Torrance State Hospital until his trial date, which has yet to be scheduled.
Hubish’s mental health has been a significant factor in previous criminal proceedings. In 2016, he was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for holding his mother captive after she picked him up from jail on unrelated charges. Additionally, in 2019, he faced charges for assaulting his father, and in 2020, he was arrested for attacking a police officer who was taking him into custody on a mental health warrant. Hubish was convicted and received sentences of up to 23 months for both the 2019 and 2020 incidents.
Apart from the alleged murders, Hubish is also awaiting trial for assaulting a guard at Westmoreland County Jail.
In conclusion, the lawyer representing Neal Hubish intends to pursue an insanity defense for his client in the murder trial of his father and aunt. Evidence suggests that Hubish’s long-standing mental health issues have played a role in his involvement in multiple violent crimes. A private psychiatrist will evaluate Hubish’s mental state to determine the appropriate legal course. The judge has found Hubish competent to stand trial, ruling that his mental state has improved since earlier assessments. Hubish’s mental health has also been a factor in past criminal cases. His trial date has yet to be scheduled.
