(MCKEAN COUNTY, Pennsylvania: March 22, 2024): District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that Stockton Sisson, of Shinglehouse, was convicted by a Judge at the McKean County Courthouse on March 21st for threatening to shoot a neighboring property owner in July.

Sisson had been scheduled for jury trial on March 21st but requested to proceed in front of the Judge (called a “bench trial”) rather than a jury.   Assistant District Attorney Casey Graffius, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth, agreed to a “bench” trial.  The bench trial was held at the same time as the jury trial was scheduled.

On July 21, 2023, Trooper Ryan Good of the Pennsylvania State Police-Lewis Run barracks was dispatched to the property for reports of SISSON stating he was going to shoot the victim who owned the property nearby.  Trooper Good filed charges and bail was set at $10,000 by Magisterial District Judge Richard Luther.

At yesterday’s trial, SISSON was convicted of all charges including Terroristic Threats; Simple Assault by Physical Menace; and Harassment.  No sentencing date has been set.

McKean County has implemented “trial weeks” this year where an entire week each month is set aside for jury trials rather than individual days scattered throughout the month.  Cases are scheduled on a backup system meaning that, for each day a jury is called in, up to 7 cases are scheduled in order – each day having a “primary trial” listed and a first backup trial, second backup trial, etc.  If the primary trial does not go for some reason, such as a defendant pleading guilty and a trial no longer being required or the case being continued for some reason, there is a backup case that is ready to go.  This allows time for each case to be resolved – either by plea, jury trial, or some other resolution. 

This week, 15 cases were scheduled for jury trial on this backup system.  Ten cases were resolved by proceeding to trial or the defendant pleading guilty, 3 cases were continued and two cases were removed due to the defendant being the subject of a bench warrant and his whereabouts unknown. 

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://mckean.crimewatchpa.com/da/136029/post/shinglehouse-man-convicted-threats-mckean-county