Philadelphia Man Ordered Held For Trial In Murder Of Man Found In Suitcase
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A judge has ordered a man held for trial for allegedly killing a man, stuffing his body in a suitcase and dumping the luggage in the weeds near Philadelphia International Airport.
Two witnesses who had either detention center or cellblock conversations with the defendant, 25-year old Thomas Brennan, testified on Tuesday that he confided that the victim, 40-year-old Scott Bernheisel, either pressed him to have sexual relations or sell methamphetamine.
When he refused, one of them says, the victim lunged at Brennan with a dumbbell, and during the struggle, Brennan took it away and struck Bernheisel twice in the head.
Both testified that Brennan then "stuck a knife through" the victim's throat to make it look like a drug-related Mexican gang or Italian Mafia hit.
Defense lawyer Perry de Marco Sr. agrees that it may be for a jury to decide, but he maintains "it's a clear cut case of self-defense."
"He was a guy who had sexual designs on my client," de Marco Sr. says. "He was trying to force my client to have sex with him, and in exchange he promised him drugs."
Assistant District Attorney Gail Fairman says Brennan was trying to manipulate the cell mates and a homicide detective to whom he gave a statement.
"He's trying to control the information," she says, "and spin the murder in a light most favorable to himself."
The altercation happened in May at a house both frequented in South Philadelphia.
