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| Rapist Hangs Himself in Pennsylvania Cell |
| By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |
| Published: 08/18/2003 |
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Three days after suddenly ending his sex assault trial with a guilty plea, 32-year-old Marc Filippino ended his life August 4 at Westmoreland County, Pa., Prison. Filippino faced a seven- to 20-year prison term for rape and assault. He ended his trial last week by pleading guilty to burglary, aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and making terroristic threats in a July 2001 case involving a Unity Township woman in her home. Filippino acted as his own attorney, insisting he be allowed to question his accuser himself. The court heard several hours of testimony, but before Filippino began cross-examining the Unity Township woman he asked Westmoreland County Judge Richard McCormick Jr. to reinstate his attorney. He then pleaded guilty. Filippino faced additional charges for a Penn Township rape, but that trial had not been scheduled. He was convicted a year ago for two other assaults and sentenced to 2 1/2 to five years in jail. Deputy Coroner Joe Musgrove said Filippino was seen alive at a 7 a.m. security check at the prison. Another inmate spotted his body hanging in his one-man cell five minutes later. 'He knotted his shoelaces and affixed them to an air register above the sink ... a good seven feet up. He put that around his neck and asphyxiated himself,' the coroner said. Filippino was declared dead at 8:08 a.m. County detectives and the coroner are investigating, Musgrove said. The hanging was the fifth suicide at the Westmoreland County facility since 2001. |
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