Former County Councilman Turns Himself In On Perjury Charges
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A former Allegheny County councilman already awaiting sentencing in a theft case was hit with new charges Friday. It all stems from some accusations against a judge.
Former Allegheny County Councilman Charles McCullough arrived at the Municipal Courts Building with an attorney and turned himself in to detectives on seven criminal counts including perjury, false swearing, unsworn falsification and obstructing the administration of law. The two perjury counts are felonies.
It's an outgrowth of the case in which he was convicted of misapplying money from an elderly client toward political candidates.
Just before sentencing, McCullough's attorney accused Judge Lester Nauhaus of improper conduct to force McCullough to accept a non-jury trial and McCullough had a hearing in front of presiding Judge Jeffrey Manning, hoping to remove Nauhaus from the case.
That hearing went nowhere when neither the judge, McCullough's former lawyer or other witnesses testified to anything of substance, and the motion to remove the judge was rejected.
But the D.A. alleges in the latest complaint that McCullough either lied in his sworn statement at the beginning of his trial, or lied in his claims filed against the judge.
On April 13th, the day the theft trial began, McCullough was asked by Judge Nauhaus, "Have there been any promises or threats made to you in order to have you waive your right to a jury trial?"
"No, your honor," McCullough replied.
But in McCullough's petition citing what the judge said at a status conference, McCullough claimed the judge's comments "...made it abundantly clear to the defendant that Judge Nauhaus desired a non-jury trial and was willing to punish either party if this did not occur."
A preliminary hearing in the perjury case is scheduled early next month. McCullough is to be sentenced in the theft by Judge Nauhaus a few weeks later.
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