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By DAVID WEISS dweiss@leader.net
Friday, March 21, 2003 Page: 1A
WILKES-BARRE – A shackled Tina Young lunged to her right as she was led
into a courtroom Thursday morning, trying to give her infant son a kiss.
Moments later, she tearfully admitted to playing a role in the murder of a
16-year-old boy she used to baby-sit.
Young pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in the slaying of Casey
Zalenski.
The plea agreement guarantees her testimony against Larry Tooley, who is
also charged in the Nov. 8 death. It also frees her from serving a life
sentence in prison on her original charge of second-degree murder.
Police said Young, 33, and Tooley, 46, entered Zalenski’s Franklin Township
home looking for money for drugs. Young, who was a baby sitter for the family,
entered the home to make sure no one was there before Tooley entered.
But Zalenski and his younger brother were hiding upstairs. Zalenski was
shot after approaching Tooley, police said. His younger brother jumped out an
upstairs window. Young re-entered the home to see Zalenski shot.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Tooley, and Young’s
testimony gives them a much-needed witness placing Tooley inside the home at
the time of the shooting. She is the only living witness who saw Tooley inside
the home.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorneys William Finnegan and Paul
Galante said they will seek the mandatory 20- to 40-year prison sentence
against Young. She was initially charged with second-degree murder, which
carried a life imprisonment sentence, burglary, criminal conspiracy to commit
burglary and theft.
Prosecutors on Thursday amended the charges. Young pleaded guilty to
third-degree murder, burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. The agreement
calls for Young to receive no additional jail time on the burglary and
conspiracy charge.
The plea came two months after her preliminary hearing on the charges.
Shortly after the hearing, she reportedly gave birth to a son.
On Thursday, as deputy sheriffs guided her into court, she briefly gleamed
when she saw her husband holding her son. After the hearing, she smiled and
waved goodbye to him before being taken back to the Luzerne County
Correctional Facility.
No Zalenski family members were at the plea. But an attorney representing
the family said he and the family agreed to the plea conditions. He said the
family will address the court at sentencing.
Under a long questioning from Court of Common Pleas Judge Peter Paul
Olszewski Jr., Young admitted to her role in the killing.
But Attorney Frank Nocito, who, with his brother, Joe, is defending Young,
stressed Young had “no specific intent to kill” Zalenski.
Olszewski will not sentence Young until after Tooley’s trial, which is
scheduled to begin in September. He said the sentence will be based on her
cooperation and a pre-sentence report.
A gag order remains in place in the case, barring the parties from making
certain statements.
David Weiss, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 831-7397.