Montco Lawyer Who Killed Hunter Pleads Guilty To Additional Gun Charge
By Brad Segall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former Montgomery County attorney, serving time in state prison for killing a fellow hunter with a shotgun blast more than two years ago, has now pleaded guilty to federal gun charges.
Today, in federal court in Philadelphia, David Manilla pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Prosecutors say the 51-year-old Worcester, Pa. man was prohibited from owning any weapons because of a 1985 aggravated-assault conviction for beating another man.
According to authorities, Manilla went to great lengths to try to cover up his gun collection when police began investigating the shooting death of the hunter.
"The government asserts that Mr. Manilla arranged to have the guns from his Valley Forge Road location moved to a trailer on another person's property," says Patty Hartman, a spokeswoman for the US attorney in Philadelphia.
That person was his girlfriend at the time.
Manilla is now facing an additional ten years behind bars. He is already serving 10 to 25 years after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of hunter Barry Groh of Quakertown (see related story).
