HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Superior Court has ruled that York County Court Judge Richard Renn lacked jurisdiction to grant bail for Joseph Fitzpatrick, III.
On September 1, Judge Renn acquitted Fitzpatrick, 42, of first degree murder after a York County jury had found him guilty in the death his wife Annemarie Fitzpatrick. In his ruling, Judge Renn said that there was not enough evidence presented at Fitzpatrick’s trial to warrant his conviction.
The York Count District Attorney is appealing Judge Renn’s ruling that granted the acquittal.
Fitzpatrick’s lawyer then petitioned Judge Renn to grant bail to his client while that appeal was pending. On September 15, Judge Renn ruled that Fitzpatrick could be released on $500,000 bail. His freedom was short lived, however, after an emergency petition to the Pa Superior Court for a stay of b bail was filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
In its ruling issued late Wednesday after, the Court denied the District Attorney’s petition to stay the order granting Fitzpatrick bail, but at the same time ruled that Judge Renn granting bail in the first place was “Not consistent with maintaining the status quo, the trial court lacked jurisdiction under Rule 1701”.
The York County District’s appeal on Judge Renn granting Fitzpatrick an acquittal is still pending. Fitzpatrick for the moment remains at the York County Prison.
